vol. 29, no. 1
Primary tabs
American
Civil Liberties
Union
~ Volume XXIX -
Househo!
Right to Privacy
SAN FRANCISCO, JANUARY, 1964
"4 Section 503 of the San Francisco Housing Code provides
that authorized city employees "so far as may be necessary
for the performance of their duties" shall have the right to.
enter at reasonable times any building or premises in the
pal code. Section 507 of the Code
_ provides that any person who op-
poses the execution of any of the
city to perform any duty imposed upon them by the munici-_
provisions of the Code shall be
`guilty of a misdemeanor and up-
en conviction shall be punished
by a fine not exceeding $500 or
by imprisonment not exceeding
six months or by both fine and
imprisonment.
"Routine" Inspection
These Sections were brought
to the attention of the ACLU
when a San Francisco health in-
_ spector, making a "routine". in-
_ spection, desired..to enter. the
private apartment of a San Fran-
cisco resident. The resident in-
quired whether there was any
warrant authorizing the entry or
whether there had been any com-
plaint or probable cause that
some violation or
was taking place on the prem-
ises. The health inspector denied
that anything more than a rou-
' tine inspection was involved and
claimed that every apartment in
the City of San Francisco is so'
inspected once a year. The resi-
dent denied entry to the inspec-
tor and he now stands charged
with the crime of a misdemeanor
for violating Section 507 of the
Housing Code.
Board Authorizes Intervention
The ACLU's Board of Direc-
tors has agreed to defend the
resident in the criminal prosecu-
tion and challenges the constitu-
`tionality of the ordinance in-
yolved. It is the position of the
Telephone
Case Opinion
In response to the ACLU's pe-
tition for a rehearing, the Cali-
fornia Supreme Court modified
its opinion (described in the De-
cember News) prohibiting Edgar
J. Sokol to proceed with his dam-
age action pending in the supe-
rior court. The modification states
that Sokol may proceed with the
suit if he is successful in retro-
actively setting aside a 1948 de-
cision of the Public Utilities
Commission which holds that.no
telephone subscriber may sue for
damages even though his tele-
phone is removed without notice
or hearing on a false charge of
aiding and abetting an illegal
purpose.
To accomplish this purpose
Sokol has now filed a new com-
plaint before the Commission
`and after its decision will once
again be able to bring the ques-
tion before the Supreme Court if
the Commission decision is not
favorable. It had been the
ACLU's position, now rejected
on procedural grounds by the Su-
preme Court, that since the 1948
decision of the Commission was
unconstitutional it could be ig-
nored and the Commission need
not be asked to rescind it,
irregularity.
ACLU that a person's private
home or apartment is inviolate
from snooping or inspection by
government officials absent a
proper search warrant or prob-
able cause that some matter re-
quiring inspection actually exists
on the premises. The case is now
pending in San Francisco mu--
nicipal court but could con-
eeivably go to the United States
Supreme Court to obtain a final
decision on the privacy issue.
Two Similar Cases .
Two similar cases have reached
the United States Supreme
Court in recent years and in both
convictions of home owners were
affirmed over the dissent of four
members of the Court on the
basis that health inspectors and
the. like, since they are not spe-
cifically searching for evidence
of criminal violation, are not
governed by the same rules
which govern search by police-
men. In. the first of these cases,
Frank "vy. Maryland, the record
contained evidence that probable
cause of a health violation exist-
ed on the premises even though
the majority did not base its de- .
cision on this fact. The second
of these cases, Ohio v. Price, was
affirmed by an equally divided
court and the majority wrote no
opinion. There is some hope for
a reversal of these cases, since
the four dissenting members are
still on the court and there has
been a change in the balance of
the membership of the court.
Number 1
Foreign
Propaganda
- ACLU staff counsel Marshall
Krause would appreciate being
contacted by any person who re-
ceived a card from the Post
Office notifying him that "Com-
munist political propaganda" ad-
dressed to him was. being held
but who did not return the card
asking that the mail be delivered.
This information is needed to aid.
in the presentation of evidence
challenging the constitutionality
`of the Post Office labeling of for-
eign mail.
" @
U.C. Extension |
Offers Course on
ozo (R)
Political Rights
University of California Ex-
tension (Laguna and Market
Streets, San Francisco) will offer
a 3 unit, 18 weeks course begin-
ning early in February on Civil
and Political Rights in. the
United States. Teaching the
course will be Ephraim Margo-
lin, San Francisco attorney, who
pioneered the course four years
ago.
The course will begin with a
consideration of civil rights, and
particularly California law. After
that, the First Amendment free-
doms will be examined, including
separation of Church and State.
The course will conclude with a
study of criminal procedure.
While the course is geared
principally for persons. who do
not have a basic knowledge of
the subject, it will also be useful
to lawyers and other professional
persons, who will be given an
opportunity to specialize. :
Further information about the
course can be secured by calling
the University of California Ex-
tension office. Interested persons
should act promptly. Some schol-
arships are available.
Girlie Magazines: `Rotten
Apple" Case on Appeal
On December 4 Federal District Court Judge William T.
Sweigert entered his final order in the "rotten apple" phase
of the case of the Customs Service seizure of 12,000 imported
Girlie magazines. The judge's order reaffirmed his previous
position that there was no authority under the law to seize
and hold for forfeiture maga-
zines which the Government did
not claim were obscene merely
on the ground that they were
contained in packages also con-
taining magazines which the
Government alleges are obscene.
Thus, the historic "rotten apple"
theory was scuttled.
Notice Of Appeal
The United States has filed a
notice of appeal to the United
States Court of Appeals where
- it hopes to continue the fight,
but Judge Sweigert refused to
stay the execution of his order
requiring the non-obscene mag-
azines to be immediately turned
over to their claimant, Dr. Earl
Sass. A temporary stay of the
order, to expire December 24,
was issued by Chief Judge
Chambers of the Court of Ap-
peals pending a December 23rd
hearing on the Government's
motion for a stay of execution
during the pendency of its ap-
peal.
ACLU Opposes Stay
The ACLU will oppose the
granting of a stay on the basis
that there is small probability of
the Government winning its ap-
peal and to condone the con-
tinued seizure of material pro-
tected by the First Amendment
would be a violation of the Su-
preme Court's warning that there
must be prompt procedural due
process in cases even potentially
abridging free speech and press.
A jury trial has been requested
on the issue of whether the
Magazines the Government
claims to be obscene are in fact
obscene.
No Suit in
Doctor Case
The August issue of the News
earried a story that the ACLU
would intervene on behalf of Dr.
Ben Rosner whose application
for membership on the staff of
the San Mateo County General
Hospital was denied without a
statement of reasons or an oppor-
tunity for a hearing. Dr. Rosner
has now informed the ACLU that
he believes he can work out his
problems with the hospital
privately and therefore the AC- .
LU is withdrawing from his case.
`better
Fair Trial Questions
Convictio
The conviction of Alvin Maurice Parham for bank rob-
bery was recently affirmed by the California Supreme Court
and thereafter his court-appointed lawyer brought to the at-
tention of the ACLU several factors in the case which he
believed violated Parham's constitutional rights. The ACLU's
board of directors agreed to take
Parham's case to the United
State's Supreme Court and a -pe-
tition for certiorari will be filed
in January by. staff counsel Mar-
shall Krause. ae i
CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES
There ate two constitutional
issues involved in the case. The
first arises from the fact that
bank robbery is both a state and
a federal offense. Thus when the
crime involved in this case was
reported the eye witnesses were
interviewed by agents of the Fed-
eral Bureau of Investigation and
these agents took their written
statements. It was later decided
to proceed against the accused
robber under State Law and not
Federal law.
The statements
Grizzled
Veteran
Razor Victim
Edward Chay, Director of the
Log Cabin Ranch for the Youth
Guidance Center, is the latest
victim of Center Director Stry-.
eula's dislike for beards. He has
worn his beard for the past
several years and continued to
wear it through the hearing on
probation officer James Forst-
ner's right to wear a beard where
Forstner's right to do so was de-
fended by the ACLU. But what
the San Francisco Examiner de-
"-seribed as "one of the Bay area's:
known beards" was re-:
-moved last' month .and Chay
characterized t he reason as.
"pressure."
At Forstner's hearing Director
Strycula said that he did not ap-
ply the same order to Chay. as.
he did'to Forstner because Chay
is older and would not be identi-
fied with beatniks and further
his job does not require as much
public contact. Forstner's case is
now on appeal to the Civil Serv-
ice Commisison and will be
heard on the evening of January
9 unless plans are changed.
Palo Alto
Meeting Reset
For January 10
Mid-Peninsula's meeting on the
right to travel, originally sched-
uled for that catastrophic day
November 22, will be held Fri-
day, January 10 at the Palo Alto
High School, Embarcadero and
El Camino Real, 8:00 p.m.
The announced panel will lead
the discussion: author-lecturer
Milton Mayer; Luria Castell, one
of the students who visited Cuba
despite the ban; and Prof. Wil-
liam Baxter of the Stanford Law
School. The chapter is still hope-
ful the State Department will
send a representative to present
its point of view on travel rights.
If not, attorney Walt Hays will
explain the Department's po-
sition.
Milton Mayer, NEWS readers
may remember, has filed suit
against the Communist-oath re-
quired. in applying for a pass-
port. The ACLU has entered an
amicus curiae brief supporting
his case against any political
questions restricting the right to
travel.
The January 10
open to the public.
meeting is
this case).
eal force which
taken by the FBI agents. were
made available for inspection by
the prosecuting attorney but not "
by defense counsel:-At the trial
after the eye witnesses had testi-
fied and identified Parham as -
the robber defense counsel asked -
that he be allowed to examine
the previous statements of the
witnesses to ascertain whether
they had given inconsistent de-
scriptions or otherwise made in-
consistent statements.
STATEMENTS WITHHELD
The district attorney stated
that. he did not have possession
of the statements and the FBI
had refused to release them te-
him. The FBI agent who took the
statements was then subpoenaed
`and asked to bring the state--
ments to court. He did so but re-
fused to divulge their contents
relying on an order of former
Attorney General (now Mr. Jus-
tice) Clark that FBI files may
not be disclosed without permis-
sion of the Attorney General
(which was evidently refused in
:; The trial judge re-
fused to hold the witness in con-
tempt and Parham was found
guilty.
STATE COURT'S RULING
When the appeal was brought
.to the California Supreme Court
-that Court. held: that the states
were bound to obey the Attorney .
General's. order under the su-
. premacy clause of the U.S. Con-
stitution and that therefore the
State could not be charged with
failure to produce relevant. evi-
dence in the case and Parham
was not deprived of a. fair. trial
by any action of the State. The
Court did recognize that if Par-
ham had been prosecuted in Fed-
eral court he would have been
entitled to the statements under
the Jencks Act. Also if the state-
ments had been in the hands of
any State officer failure to pro-
duce them would have been an
error. But the imposition of a
different sovereign evidently
changes the right of a defendant
to discover relevant evidence.
SECOND POINT
The second point which will be
raised in Parham's petition is the
California Court's finding that
evidence used against him had
been obtained illegally by phys- |
"shocked the
conscience" within the meaning
of Rochin v. California, a famous
Supreme Court case where a con-
viction based on evidence ob-
tained by pumping the defend-
ant's stomach was held to violate
the Fourteenth Amendment. The
California Supreme Court did not
reverse Parham's conviction be-
cause it was "clear" that had the
evidence obtained in violation of
the Rochin rule not been be-
fore the jury the same result
would have been reached be-
eause of the "overwhelming" ad-
ditional evidence of guilt before
the jury.
REVERSAL SOUGHT
The U. S. Supreme Court will
be urged to overturn both of
these holdings and decide that
the Attorney General's order de-
prived Parham of his right to a
fair trial and that allowing a
conviction to stand when the
Rochin rule has been violated is
a deprivation of due process of
law. :
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION NEWS
Published by the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California
Second Class Mail privileges authorized at San Francisce, California
ERNEST BESIG ... Editor .
503 Market Street, San Francisco 5, California, EXbrook 2-4692
Subscription Rates - Two Dollars a Year
Twenty Cents Per Copy
Ralph B. Atkinson
Dr. Alfred Azevedo
Prof. Arthur K. Bierman
' Lee Borregard
Rev. Richard Byfield
Prof. James R. Caldwell
William K. Ceblentz
Richard DeLancie
Rabbi Alvin. I. Fine
Mrs. Zora Cheever Gross
Albert Haas, Jr.
Prof. Van D. Kennedy
Rey. Ford Lewis
Rev. F. Danford Lion
Honorary Treasurer:
Joseph S. Thompson
Honorary Board Member
Sara Bard Field
Mrs. Gladys Brown
- `Mrs. Paul Couture
John J. Eagan
Joseph Eichler
Morse Erskine
Dr. H. H. Fisher
Mrs. Margaret C. Hayes
Prof. Ernest Hilgard
Mrs. Paul Holmer
Mrs. Mary Hutchinson
Richard Johnston
Board of Directors of the American Civil Liberties Union
of Northern California
CHAIRMAN: Howard A. Friedman
VICE-CHAIRMEN: Dr. Alexander Meiklejohn
Helen Salz
Rev. Harry 8B. Scholefield
SECRETARY-TREASURER: John M. Fowle
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Ernest Besig
Committee of Sponsors.
Prof. Seaton W. Manning
John R. May
Prof. Charles Muscatine
Clarence E. Rust
John Brisbin Rutherford
Mrs. Martin Steiner
Gregory 0x00A7. Stout
Stephen Thiermann
Richard J. Werthimer
Donald Vial
GENERAL COUNSEL
Wayne M. Collins
Reger Kent
Mrs, Ruth Kingman
Prof. Theodore Kreps
Prof. Carlo Lastrucci
Norman Lezin
Prof. John Henry Merryman
Rev. Robert W. Moon
Dr. Marvin J. Naman
Prof. Hubert Phillips
Prof. Wilson Recerd
Dr. Norman Reider
Prof. Wallace Stegner
Mrs. Theodosia Stewart
Rt. Rey. Sumner Walters
Ex-Mental Patient
Arrest for `Threat' Raises
Civil Liberties Issues
Robert B. Fennell, 29, was arrested by Berkeley police at
10 p.m. on December 19 because he failed to identify him-
self to the satisfaction of the officers. He gave his name and
stated his business but when the officers demanded documen-
tary identification he declined to produce it.
Fennell was charged with vio-
lating. subsection (e) of Sec. 647
of the Penal Code which declares
that a person is guilty of dis-
orderly conduct "Who loiters or
wanders upon the streets or from
place to place without apparent
reason or business and who re-
fuses to identify himself and to
account for his presence when
requested by any peace officer so
to do, if the surrounding circum-
stances are such as to indicate
to a reasonable man that the pub-
lic safety demands such identifi-
cation."
"Resisting"
Upon being arrested, Fennel
became limp and dropped to the
sidewalk. Because he failed to co-
operate with the police, he was
also charged with resisting ar-
rest.
The charges were dropped and
Fennell was turned over. to the
U. S. Secret Service when a
search of his hbillfold disclosed
four almost identical letters writ-
ten on note paper addressed to
two newspapers, the War Resist-
ers League and The White
House. The notes closed with the
following statement: "My im-
mediate goal: the assassination of
President Johnson. Yours in
peace and war, Robert Fennell,
secial psychiatrist."
Psychiatric Examination
Fennell was arraigned before
the U. S. Commissioner Cameron
Wolfe on a charge of having
made threats against the life of
the President. Bail was set at
$5,000 and Federal Judge Oliver
J. Carter signed an order for a
psychiatric examination of Fen-
nell while he is held in the San
Francisco county jail.
The scene at the arraignment
Was reminiscent of the Oswald
ease. The Commissioner's office
ACLU NEWS
JANUARY, 1964
Page 2
was over-run by camera men and
reporters. Mr. Wolfe stated that
the cameras were within a foot
of his face while he was trying to
do business and that it was diffi-
cult to hear. The ACLU will dis-
cuss this problem with the Pre-
siding Judge of the District Court
which makes rules for the con-
duct of the Commissioner's of-
fice.
Hearing January 3
Fennell is scheduled to have a
preliminary hearing on the
charges on January 3. Since he
did not communicate his "threat"
to anyone there would not seem
to be any violation of law. The
- ACLU is awaiting the results of
the psychiatric examination be-
fore taking action. Incidentally,
Fennell telephoned the ACLU
for assistanee after his arrest
and staff counsel Marshall
Krause visited him in the county
Jail.
Fennell's home is. in Sioux
City, Iowa. He says he has been
trying to re-enlist in the Air
Force. He spent four months in
the Cherokee Mental Health In-
stitute in Iewa in 1959 after he
allegedly threatened the life of
a girl friend.
Dedication
The ACLU office recently re-
ceived the following note from
Earl Dehart of North Highlands:
"I didn't join a social club as
some of your readers seem to
think but a group of dedicated
Americans who give their all to
protect our Bill of Rights. These
rights extend to all-from the
bearded minority to the rich and
influential. That spreads my $6
quite thin, but when I feel you
have strayed off the beaten path
of protecting the Bill of Rights,
that's when you will receive my
eancellation of membership. I
don't want parties and publicity
-Just dedication."
Berkeley -
= roup Asks
For Help
ACLU members in the Berke-
ley, Albany and Kensington
area are urged to assist the
chairman of three committees es-
tablished last month by the tem-
porary board of the proposed
Berkeley Chapter. -
John R. Walker, chairman of
the Nominating Committee, is
looking for the best possible per-
sons who are available to serve
on a permanent board. This is
most important. Please send him
your suggestions promptly at 9
Wilson Circle, Berkeley.
The chairman of the commit-
tee drafting By-Laws is Albert
M. Bendich, who also solicits the
suggestions and help of mem-
bers. He may be reached at TH 5-
4123.
Finally, a Program Committee,
headed by John Martin, is plan-
ning the next membership meet-
ing in March which, among other
things, will consider reports. of
the foregoing committees. If you
have any program suggestions
please call Martin at TH 1-6010.
At this writing, questionnaires
with respect to establishing a
Berkeley chapter are still being
returned to the office. 365 of the
1084 persons on the mailing list
have responded. About 150 per-
sons have thus far voted for a
chapter and agreed to participate
actively to some extent. In ad-
dition, 65 members voted for a
chapter but limited their partici-
pation to attendance at meet-
ings. 48 persons voted for a chap-
ter but are not even able to at-
tend meetings. 106 persons are
either opposed to a chapter, in-
different or failed to answer the
various questions. Under the
branch board's policies, at least
15% of the membership in the
area must be willing to actively
support a chapter in order for a
charter to be issued.
a @
Literal View of
e
Supreme Being
e
Not Required
. The Federal Court of Appeals,
Second Circuit, has just ruled in
the Jakobson case that in order
to be classified as a conscientious
objector under the Universal
Military Training and Service
Act a draftee does not have to
hold traditional views about the
existence of a "Supreme Being."
Under the law, in order to
qualify for the exemption the
draftee must establish that by
reason of religious training and
belief he is opposed to the bear-
ing of arms. Religious training
and belief is defined as "an indi-
vidual's belief in relation to a
Supreme Being involving duties
superior to those arising from
any human relations, but does
not include essentially political,
sociological, or philosophical
views or a merely personal moral
code."
. Jakobson's Views
The court pointed out that
Jakobson's religious views were
not easy to summarize. "He rec-
ognizes an ultimate cause or
ereator of all existence that he
terms `Godness.' For him God-
ness can be approached only
through psychic involvement in
the three-dimensional world. He
accepts a `horizontal' relatienship
to Godness that requires him to
bind himself to the qualities of
Godness that exist in every cre-
ation of mankind and throughout
the world." -
The Court of Appeals held that
the Draft Act did not intend the
term "Supreme Being" to be in-
terpreted literally or traditional-
ly. And it decided that Jakob-
son's religion met the statutory
test for exemption from the
draft.
Unanswered Question
Of course, this decision begs
the fundamental question wheth-
er Congress may grant an ex-
emption to a religious conscien-
Free Speech Case
Suspension
On December 18 the Personnel Board of the City of
Berkeley sustained the thirty-day suspension without pay
meted out to fireman Claude T. Belshaw after Belshaw had a
letter to the editor published in the Berkeley Gazette. fhe
Board's decision was by a 3 to 1 vote with member Harry
Polland dissenting. Belshaw was
represented, at the hearing be-
fore the Board by ACLU Staff
Counsel Marshall Krause and
volunteer attorney Albert M.
Bendich. |
ACLU Pasitiecs
It is the position of the Civil
Liberties Union that fireman
Belshaw cannot be disciplined
for expressing his opinion as a
citizen through a letter to the
editor of the Berkeley Gazette on
an issue of public controversy.
Belshaw's letter argued that the
Salary differential newly created
by the Berkeley City Council be-
tween members of the police de-
partment and members of the
fire department was unfair and
based upon an incorrect analysis
of the facts. Evidently, the most
damaging aspects of the letter
were "the Berkeley: Police De-
partment must be laughing up
their sleeves now that they have
fooled the City Manager, the
Personnel Department, and the
City Council." This phrase was
said by the majority of the Per-
sonnel Board to accuse the po-
lice department of unethical tac-
tics in gaining: the differential
pay raise.
City Manager's Position
City Manager John B. Phillips
also took issue with the aspect
of Belshaw's letter which stated
that the police department policy
of making younger men work on.
night shifts increased the turn-
ever in policemen. Belshaw then
stated, "I think the people would
feel a little safer if there were
more experienced men assigned
to night duty, as this is the time
when most of the serious crimes
occur." City Manager Phillips
testified that in his Opinion this
statement was "designed to
ereate unease in the people of
Berkeley and a doubt as to
whether they are receiving
proper protection at night."
Rule Violated
The three-man majority of the
Personnel Board found that the
Belshaw letter violated Rule 20
of the Personnel Rules and
Regulations, which reads as fol-
lows: "Employee conduct - em-
ployees are required at all times
to conduct themselves in such a
manner as to reflect no discredit
upon the City of Berkeley." The
majority also said that the letter
injured the good name of the fire
department and "amounted to
criticism of superrors." In an-
swering the argument of Bel-
shaw's counsel that Rule 20 was
so vague as to be meaningless,
the majority said, "If there is
lack of clarify an employee or .
any group of employees has
merely to request clarification
... if there was doubt on any
point, to request an interpreta-
tion." ae
Dissenting Opinion
Dissenting opinien of Board
member Polland makes these
_ points: "There isn't the slightest
evidence that the city has been
discredited. Nor that the public
has lost confidence in our city
tious objector while denying such
exemption to a person with `"po-
litical, sociological, or philoso-
phical views or a merely per-
sonal moral code." Is this per-
missible under the establish-
ment clause?
At this time it is not known
whether the Government will ap-
peal the decision to the U. S.
`Supreme Court.
government or any of its depart-
ments by reason of this letter.
Indeed, the city has produced no
evidence to support this allega-
tion. . . . If anything, it is the
Suspension, not the letter, which
is creating a storm in the com-
munity. ... If the city officials
were seriously concerned with
the effect on the community of
Belshaw's letter, they would have
replied publicly with facts and
information. However, there ap-
parently was more interest in
punishing Belshaw than in recti-
fying any false impressions he
might have created in the com-
munity. ... The suggestion that
this letter created interdepart-
mental friction or even low mo-
rale in the fire department is
sheer nonsense. The _ establish-
ment of the differential, not this
letter, caused animosities, anger
and keen disappointment in the
fire department. ... In my opin-
ion, the city's interpretation of
rules and their application to this
case deprive Belshaw of his right
to free speech protected by the.
federal and state constitutions. -
... Moreover as citizens they (pub-
lic employees) have the right to
express views on matters of pub-
lic concern."
Additional Charge Frivolous
On one point the Personnel
Board was unanimous., That. is,..-
that the additional charge
against Belshaw that he main-
tained a sloppy locker at an in-
spection was frivolous and did
not constitute a sound basis for
suspension or even a partial _
cause for disciplinary. action.
Only A Recommendation
Since the Board's decision is
technically only a recommenda-
tion to the City Manager, when
that officer approves the decision
the ACLU attorneys will be in a
position to take the case to su-
perior court where a petition for
a writ of mandamus will be filed
seeking to set aside and expunge
the suspension, reimburse Bel-
shaw for the salary he lost dur- (c)
ing this period, and compensate
him for the loss of use of this
money by the payment of inter-
est for its wrongful withholding.
The suit will allege that punish-
ment of a city employee for ex-
pressing honestly held views on -
an issue of public controversy is
inconsistent with guarantees of
free speech and press. =
Hearings
Scheduled
The following cases are sched-
uled to be argued during Jan-
uary by ACLU
Marshall Krause:
January 2, 10 A.M., U. S. Dis-
trict Court, Heilberg v. Fixa re _
mailing of "communist political
propaganda." =
January 9, 7:30 P.M, S. F.
Civil Service Commission, dis-
missal of James Forstner for
wearing beard.
January 14, 10 A. M., District
Court of Appeal, State Building,
S. F., Mack v. Bd. of Education, -
teaching credential revocation
for "false" Levering Act oath.
January 22, 10 A. M., District
Court of Appeal, State Building,
S. F., Mass v. Bd. of Education,
reinstatement and back pay fer
teacher dismissed after Un-
American Activities Committee
appearance.
staff counsel -
Following is the statement of
the ACLU national office, is-
sued last month, commenting on
the civil liberties aspects of the
Lee Harvey Oswald case.
The tragedy of John F. Ken-
nedy's assassination defies ade-
quate description. It was a brutal,
evil deed that may change the
course of history. The personal
tragedy involved-for members
of his family and even those who
did not know him-is of unmeas-
urable dimension. We all mourn
his death.
At the same time, it would be-
tray John F. Kennedy's own de-
votion to the traditions of free-
dom that are at the root of Amer-
ican life, if his death were per-
mitted to obscure the gross de-
partures from constitutional
standards which, in the opinion
of the ACLU, marked the events
subsequent to his assassination.
1. TRIAL BY TELEVISION,
RADIO AND THE PRESS.
Justice Felix Frankfurter,
while sitting on the Supreme
Court, said that "not the least
significant test of the quality of
a civilization is its treatment of
those charged with crime, par-
ticularly with offenses which
- arouse the passions of a com-
munity." One of the absolute es-
sentials of the civilized treatment
about which Justice Frankfurter
spoke is that an accused receive
a fair trial before an impartial
jury. It is our opinion that Lee
Harvey Oswald, had he _ lived,
would have been deprived of all
opportunity to receive a fair trial
by the conduct of the police and
prosecuting officials in Dallas,
under pressure from the public
and the news media.
Convicted In Newspapers
From the moment of his ar-
rest until his murder two days
later, Oswald was tried and con-
victed many times over in the
newspapers, on the radio, and
over television by the public
statements of the Dallas law en-
forcement officials. Time and
again high-ranking police and
prosecution officials stated their
complete satisfaction that Oswald
was the assassin. As their investi-
gation uncovered one piece of
evidence after another, the re-
sults were broadcast to the pub-
lie.
The accumulation of evidence
was damning. The Dallas officials
announced that the rifle was
traced to Oswald; that Oswald's (c)
handwriting matched the hand-
writing of the letter ordering the
rifle; that palm prints found near
the warehouse window were Os-
wald's; that his wife said a rifle
like the one used in the assass-
ination had been in the garage of
her living quarters but was now
missing; that a photograph of
Oswald holding the identical pis-
tol and rifle used in the police
officer's and President's slaying
was found; that a paraffin test
showed that he had recently fired |
a weapon; that Oswald had car-
ried a long package to work on
the day of the assassination; and
that he was in the building from
which the assassin's shots came.
All this evidence was described
by the Dallas officials as authen-
tic and incontestable proof that
Oswald was the President's assas-
sin. The cumulative effect of
these public pronouncements was
to impress indelibly on the pub-
lie's mind that Oswald was in-
deed the slayer.
Fair Trial Impossible
Under the best of circum-
stances, the enormity of. the
erime, which so inflamed the
community, would have made it
very difficult to find an unbiased
jury. But the vast publicity in
which the law enforcement of-
ficers participated made it sim-
ply impossible for Oswald to
have received a fair trial on any
of the charges. against him.
Where in Dallas, or anywhere
else in the State or Nation for
that matter, could there be found
twelve citizens who had _ not
formed a firm and fixed opinion
that he was guilty?
Supreme Court Precedent
Not six months ago, the Su-
preme Court of the United States
in Rideau v. Louisiana reversed a
murder conviction in Louisiana
`because a motion picture was
made of a twenty minute "inter-
view" between the defendant and
the sheriff in which the defend-
ant admitted committing the
crime. The film was broadcast (c)
three times over local television.
Pointing out that the "interview"
was carried out with the "active
cooperation and participation of
the local law enforcement offi-
cers," the Court said:
"For anyone who has ever
watched television the conclusion
cannot be avoided that this spec-
tacle, to the tens of thousands of
people who saw and heard it, in
a very real sense was Rideau's
trial-at which he pleaded guilty
to murder, Any subsequent court
proceedings in a community so
pervasively exposed to such a
spectacle could be but a hollow
formality."
Oswald's trial would likewise
have been nothing but a "hollow
formality."
Pressure On Police
We grant that the pressure on
the police was extraordinary and
the demands of the press enor-
mous. This indeed was the crime
of the century and the public's
interest was intense. But pre-
cisely because of these circum-
stances, it was the responsibility
of the Dallas officials to resist
this pressure to assure that Os:
wald would be fairly tried on the
monstrous charge against him.
It is an ironic note that, if Os-
wald had lived to stand trial and
were convicted, the courts would
very likely have reversed the
conviction because of the preju-
dicial pre-trial publicity. Thus,
the spectacular publicity in
which the officials took part
would likely have defeated them
in the end.
Vexing Problem
Although the primary respon-
sibility for assuring that an ac-
cused is not prejudiced by pre-
trial publicity necessarily falls
upon the law enforcement offi-
cials, television, radio and the
press are not themselves without
responsibility. Certainly the
rights of a free press (and the
right of the public to be in-
formed) compete with the right
of an accused to a fair trial. This
raises a vexing problem to
which there is no easy solution.
There is a legitimate interest-
most intense in this case-in ob-
taining information which satis-
fies the public concern for ener-
getic law enforcement. Failure to.
satisfy that interest might even
have contributed to public un-
rest. Moreover, it could be ar-
gued that public exposure of po-
lice conduct will deter improper
police practices Nonetheless, put-
ting these competing interests in
the balance, we believe that the
paramount interest rests with the
defendant's right to a fair trial
and that the other interests are
adequately served by the orderly
disclosure of evidence at trial.
Self. Restraint Needed
If anything useful can emerge
from the tragedy of the assassi-
nation, we hope that it would im-
press every local community-
including its news media, police
and prosecutors-with the im-
portance of self-restraint where
publicity in criminal matters is
concerned. The primary concern
must be focused on the rights of
the accused. The administration
of our criminal law, like the suc-
cessful functioning of our demo-
cratic society in general, depends -
in the last analysis on the intelli-
gent cooperation of all citizens.
Without an abiding concern for
the preservation of an impartial
atmosphere in criminal prosecu-
tion, the deterioration of fairness
jn criminal prosecutions is inev-
itable. Even when a crime of
such enormity as the President's
assassination occurs, law enforce-
ment officials must exercise self-
restraint. The news media must
themselves accept their share of
the responsibility to assure fair
trial by curbing their pressure
on the police and prosecuting
officials to publicize the case.
2. POLICE RESPONSIBILITY
FOR OSWALD'S KILLING.
In our view, Oswald's killing:
is directly related to the police
capitulation to the glare of pub-
licity. Having surrendered to the
public clamor during the preced-
ing two days, the police arranged
Oswald's transfer from the city
to the county jail to suit the con-
venience of the news media and
thereby exposed Oswald to the
very danger that took his life.
Minimum security consid-
erations would dictate that the
transfer of this prisoner at least
ought not, in effect, have taken
on the quality of a theatrical pro-
duction for the benefit of the
television cameras. These conces-
sions to the demand for publicity,
however, resulted in Oswald's be-
ing deprived not only of his day
in court, but of his life as well.
Police Responsibility
The police have the respon-
sibility of assuring the safety of
their prisoners. Due process re-
quires not only that the accused
have a fair trial, but it also re-
quires, of necessity, that no mat-
ter how heinous the charge
against him, he may not be de-
nied his day in court because of
gross negligence by the police
which results in his death or in-
jury before trial.
3. THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL
AND THE INTERROGATION.
The circumstances surround-
ing Oswald's detention are still
ambiguous. We lack answers to
such fundamental questions as:
How much time elapsed before
he was advised of his right to
counsel? How much time elapsed
before he was permitted access
to a telephone to call his family
and an attorney? During what
periods and for how long was
Oswald interrogated? W hat
methods of interrogation were
used? Was he advised of his right
to remain silent?
Right To Consult Counsel
Oswald should have had the
right to consult counsel from the
moment of his arrest if he so de-
sired. Whether or not he wished
immediately to avail himself of
that right is uncertain, for the
reports go both ways. At one
point on Friday night, when Os-
wald was passed before the tele-
vision cameras, he said he had
been denied "legal representa-
tion." On the next day, however,
the President of the Dallas Bar
Association reported: over tele-
vision, just after a conference
with Oswald, that he had offered
the prisoner the services of the
Association in arranging for
counsel. He said that Oswald
had declined for the time being,
for he preferred John Abt, a New
York attorney, or if he were not
available, a lawyer connected
with the ACLU. Until further in-
formation is disclosed, no pur-
pose would be served by specu-
lation on this issue.
ACLU Function
(The ACLU ordinarily does
not provide counsel for individ-
uals merely because they are
charged with crimes. It is not a
legal aid organization providing
counsel for indigents accused or
for those who think they want to
be represented by ACLU volun-
teer lawyers. That is not its func-
tion. It intervenes in cases when
`the constitutional rights of an
accused are violated, but the ex-
tent of its intervention depends
on the facts of the individual
ease, Ordinarily where there is a
factual controversy as to whether
the accused did or did not com-
mit a crime, such as murder, the
ACLU does not provide counsel
to represent him at the trial. In
such cases the Union usually
files a friend of the court brief
on the constitutional points
either at the trial or appellate
level. Because the crime with
which Oswald was charged was
of such ugly proportions, he
might have had difficulty in ob-
taining counsel. That problem
seems not to have been present,
however, because the Dallas Bar
Association, consistent with the
highest standards of professional
responsibility, offered its serv-
ices in supplying counsel to Os-
wald. If it had become impos-
sible for Oswald to obtain coun-
sel, the ACLU because of its con-
cern that all persons are en-
titled to legal defense, no matter
how unpopular their case, would
have helped to secure the inde-
pendent services of a lawyer.)
Declined To Request Counsel
(The ACLU did exhibit an or-
ganizational interest during the
period of time when Oswald was
being interrogated because of his
public complaint that he was be-
ing denied the opportunity to
consult counsel. Three ACLU
jawyers and the President of the
Dallas Civil Liberties Union did
go to the city jail late Friday
night but were informed by po-
lice officers and the Justice of
the Peace before whom Oswald
had been first arraigned that Os-
wald had been advised of his
right to counsel and that he had
declined to request counsel.
Since the attorneys had not been
retained by either Oswald or his
family, they had no right to see
the prisoner nor to give him
legal advice.) :
Oswald's Interrogation
The related question of Os-
wald's interrogation is difficult
to assess with the iimited in-
formation at our disposal. The
ACLU has never said that the
police are forbidden to interro-
gate a person taken into custody.
We have said that any interro-
gation which takes place while
a person is under arrest and in
the police station must be sur-
rounded by the strictest safe-
guards. Thus, before such ques-
tioning begins, we believe the
prisoner should be taken before
a magistrate and explicitly ad-
vised of his right to counsel and
that he is under no compulsion
to answer. We also believe that
he should have the indefeasible
right to consult with an attorney
before any questions are put to
him and. during interrogation.
The right to counsel is not satis-
fied merely by advising the ac-
cused of the right. He must be
permitted to call an attorney, his
family, or a friend in order to
secure the services of an attor-
ney. If he cannot afford to hire
counsel, a lawyer
promptly appointed to represent
him. In this case, the advice of
an attorney may well have re-
sulted in the reduction of adverse
publicity. In addition, an attor-
ney might have objected to Os-
wald's public transfer and thus
might have averted his murder.
Right To Keep Silent
Tf the right to keep silent or to
consult an attorney is not made
clear to the suspect, it is our view
that any admissions or confes-
sions should be inadmissible
against the accused at trial. More
than that, any set of circum-
stances-such as the duration
and intensity of the questioning
-which results in the involun-
tary extraction of incriminating
statements from a prisoner ren-
ders those statements inadmis-
sible.
In Oswald's case, it appears
that the police interrogation did.
`no part in generating or
should be
not yield a confession. It is re-
ported that Oswald continually
asserted his innocence. Under
those circumstances, the nature.
of his interrogation did not yield
an unconstitutional confession,
but the question whether the in-
terrogation-given all. the at-
tendant circumstances-violated
any constitutional standards
must nonetheless be further ex-
plored.
4. THE RUBY CASE.
The disaster of Oswald's mur-
der seems to have had its effect
on the handling of the Jack Ruby
case. Immediately after the
shooting, Ruby was taken out of
the sight of the reporters and,
as far as we know, was by and
large kept from the news media
thereafter. Official] statements
about Ruby to the press were ap-
parently kept to a minimum.
There was considerable publicity
given to Ruby and his back-
ground, but the bulk of this in-
formation seems to have come
from private sources and his at-
torney.
Conflicting Rumors
The greatest danger to Ruby's
opportunity for a fair trial stems
from conflicting rumors that he
was part of a conspiracy. The
rumors say that he was both in
- league with Oswald and in league
with Oswald's enemies. What-
ever the truth, if any, about these
rumors, the officials must have
per-
petuating them, He is charged
with murder and should be tried
for murder. Any official state-
ment connecting him-however
tenuously-with a plot, will de-
feat his right to be tried by an
unbiased jury.
5. THE PRESIDENTIAL COM-
-MISSION.
We wholeheartedly support
the appointment of a Commission
by President Johnson to investi-
gate the assassination of Presi-
`dent Kennedy. The Commission
undoubtedly will concentrate on
the facts of the assassination and
all the relevant information that
bears unon it. In addition, the
public interest would be served
if the Commission were to make ..
a thorough examination of the
treatment accorded Oswald, in-
cluding his right to counsel, the
nature of his interrogation, his
physical security while under ar-
rest, and the effect of pre-trial
publicity on Oswald's right to a
fair trial.
Normally, the ACLU would op-
pose any judicial or quasi-ju-
dicial inquiry into the facts of
a erime charged against a man
now dead. In the extraordinary
circumstances of a presidential
assassination, however, nothing ~
is normal. .
Accused Not Present
To hold an inguiry into the
facts of the assassination in the
absence of the
the major objection that he is
unable to provide his counsel
with information bearing on his
defense and the evidence against
him. Evidence damaging on its
face has, in other cases, been ex-
plained satisfactorily to jurors.
No matter how scrupulously fair
an inquiry now might be, there
can be no substitute for the
presence of the accused. 2
On the other hand, the ambi-
guities of the present state of
facts about the crime and the
major suspect ought to be re-
solved if possible. It would be
dangerous, we think, to allow
any lingering uncertainty over' -
who killed the President.
Public Interest
On balance, we think a com-
plete and impartial presentation
of all the evidence will best serve
the public interest. As' matters
-Continued on Page 4
ACLU NEWS
JANUARY, 1964 Page 3
individual -
- charged with the crime presents
iCiIAL REP
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
For Year Ended October 31, 1963
December 10, 1963
Board of Directors
American Civil Liberties Union
of Northern California
503 Market Street
San Francisco 94103
AUDIT OF BOOKS AND RECORDS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR
ENDED OCTOBER 31, 1963
. We have examined the balance sheet of the American Civil Liberties Union
"ef Northern California as of October 31, 1963, and the related statement of
income and. expense. for the year then ended. Our examination was made in
' accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, and accordingly in-
cluded such tests of the accounting records and such other auditing procedure
as we considered necessary in the circumstances. 2S eS
The records are maintained on a -cash basis; and accordingly reflect no
accrual of liabilities. Our examination indicated no material liabilities outstand-
ing. Amounts payable for payroll: taxes and minor items were subsequently
promptly paid and. did not differ in any significant amount from those payable
at the close of the previous year. ee
-In our opinion. the accompanying balance sheet and statement of income .
and expense, subject to adjustment for the difference between book and market
value of treasury bonds, present fairly the financial position of the American
Civil Liberties Union of Northern California at October 31, 1963, and the results
ef the year then ended, in conformity with generally accepted accounting prin-
ciples. - Horwath - Horwath, Certified Public Accountants, 821 Market St.,
San Francisco 3, Calif, i
Balance Sheet
_ AS AT OCTOBER 31, 1963
Challenge Use
Of Lie Test in
ANC Pregram
The American Civil Liberties
ACLUN_1946 ACLUN_1946.MODS ACLUN_1946.batch ACLUN_1947 ACLUN_1947.MODS ACLUN_1947.batch ACLUN_1948 ACLUN_1948.MODS ACLUN_1948.batch ACLUN_1949 ACLUN_1949.MODS ACLUN_1949.batch ACLUN_1950 ACLUN_1950.MODS ACLUN_1950.batch ACLUN_1951 ACLUN_1951.MODS ACLUN_1951.batch ACLUN_1952 ACLUN_1952.MODS ACLUN_1952.batch ACLUN_1953 ACLUN_1953.MODS ACLUN_1953.batch ACLUN_1954 ACLUN_1954.MODS ACLUN_1954.batch ACLUN_1955 ACLUN_1955.MODS ACLUN_1955.batch ACLUN_1956 ACLUN_1956.MODS ACLUN_1956.batch ACLUN_1957 ACLUN_1957.MODS ACLUN_1957.batch ACLUN_1958 ACLUN_1958.MODS ACLUN_1958.batch ACLUN_1959 ACLUN_1959.MODS ACLUN_1959.batch ACLUN_1960 ACLUN_1960.MODS ACLUN_1960.batch ACLUN_1961 ACLUN_1961.MODS ACLUN_1961.batch ACLUN_1962 ACLUN_1962.MODS ACLUN_1962.batch ACLUN_1963 ACLUN_1963.MODS ACLUN_1963.batch ACLUN_1964 ACLUN_1964.MODS ACLUN_1964.batch ACLUN_1965 ACLUN_1965.MODS ACLUN_1966 ACLUN_1966.MODS ACLUN_1967 ACLUN_1967.MODS ACLUN_1968 ACLUN_1968.MODS ACLUN_1969 ACLUN_1969.MODS ACLUN_1970 ACLUN_1970.MODS ACLUN_1971 ACLUN_1971.MODS ACLUN_1972 ACLUN_1972.MODS ACLUN_1973 ACLUN_1973.MODS ACLUN_1974 ACLUN_1974.MODS ACLUN_1975 ACLUN_1975.MODS ACLUN_1976 ACLUN_1976.MODS ACLUN_1977 ACLUN_1977.MODS ACLUN_1978 ACLUN_1978.MODS ACLUN_1979 ACLUN_1979.MODS ACLUN_1980 ACLUN_1980.MODS ACLUN_1981 ACLUN_1981.MODS ACLUN_1982 ACLUN_1982.MODS ACLUN_1983 ACLUN_1983.MODS ACLUN_1984 ACLUN_1984.MODS ACLUN_1985 ACLUN_1985.MODS ACLUN_1986 ACLUN_1986.MODS ACLUN_1987 ACLUN_1987.MODS ACLUN_1988 ACLUN_1988.MODS ACLUN_1989 ACLUN_1989.MODS ACLUN_1990 ACLUN_1990.MODS ACLUN_1991 ACLUN_1991.MODS ACLUN_1992 ACLUN_1992.MODS ACLUN_1993 ACLUN_1993.MODS ACLUN_1994 ACLUN_1994.MODS ACLUN_1995 ACLUN_1995.MODS ACLUN_1996 ACLUN_1996.MODS ACLUN_1997 ACLUN_1997.MODS ACLUN_1998 ACLUN_1998.MODS ACLUN_ladd ACLUN_ladd.MODS ACLUN_ladd.bags ACLUN_ladd.batch add-tei.sh create-bags.sh create-manuscript-bags.sh create-manuscript-batch.sh fits.log A $500 bond is posted as bail in each of three different cases,
ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash |
Wells Fargo Bank
General account 0... 5 ...$ 4,502.00
Sayings account 20 12,789.00
San Francisco Federal Savings and Loan Assn........... 10,357.00
Security Sayings and Loan Association 10,000.00
Home Mutual Savings and. Loan Association 9,124.00
Argonaut Savings and Loan Association .._........ 2,000.00
Petty cash@ funds.) (ee ee 10.00
United States Treasury Bonds (at cost)* 4,500.00
TOVAUCEASSET Ses ets Soe ee es ee $53,282.00
: LIABILITIES AND NET WORTH
ACLUN_1946 ACLUN_1946.MODS ACLUN_1946.batch ACLUN_1947 ACLUN_1947.MODS ACLUN_1947.batch ACLUN_1948 ACLUN_1948.MODS ACLUN_1948.batch ACLUN_1949 ACLUN_1949.MODS ACLUN_1949.batch ACLUN_1950 ACLUN_1950.MODS ACLUN_1950.batch ACLUN_1951 ACLUN_1951.MODS ACLUN_1951.batch ACLUN_1952 ACLUN_1952.MODS ACLUN_1952.batch ACLUN_1953 ACLUN_1953.MODS ACLUN_1953.batch ACLUN_1954 ACLUN_1954.MODS ACLUN_1954.batch ACLUN_1955 ACLUN_1955.MODS ACLUN_1955.batch ACLUN_1956 ACLUN_1956.MODS ACLUN_1956.batch ACLUN_1957 ACLUN_1957.MODS ACLUN_1957.batch ACLUN_1958 ACLUN_1958.MODS ACLUN_1958.batch ACLUN_1959 ACLUN_1959.MODS ACLUN_1959.batch ACLUN_1960 ACLUN_1960.MODS ACLUN_1960.batch ACLUN_1961 ACLUN_1961.MODS ACLUN_1961.batch ACLUN_1962 ACLUN_1962.MODS ACLUN_1962.batch ACLUN_1963 ACLUN_1963.MODS ACLUN_1963.batch ACLUN_1964 ACLUN_1964.MODS ACLUN_1964.batch ACLUN_1965 ACLUN_1965.MODS ACLUN_1966 ACLUN_1966.MODS ACLUN_1967 ACLUN_1967.MODS ACLUN_1968 ACLUN_1968.MODS ACLUN_1969 ACLUN_1969.MODS ACLUN_1970 ACLUN_1970.MODS ACLUN_1971 ACLUN_1971.MODS ACLUN_1972 ACLUN_1972.MODS ACLUN_1973 ACLUN_1973.MODS ACLUN_1974 ACLUN_1974.MODS ACLUN_1975 ACLUN_1975.MODS ACLUN_1976 ACLUN_1976.MODS ACLUN_1977 ACLUN_1977.MODS ACLUN_1978 ACLUN_1978.MODS ACLUN_1979 ACLUN_1979.MODS ACLUN_1980 ACLUN_1980.MODS ACLUN_1981 ACLUN_1981.MODS ACLUN_1982 ACLUN_1982.MODS ACLUN_1983 ACLUN_1983.MODS ACLUN_1984 ACLUN_1984.MODS ACLUN_1985 ACLUN_1985.MODS ACLUN_1986 ACLUN_1986.MODS ACLUN_1987 ACLUN_1987.MODS ACLUN_1988 ACLUN_1988.MODS ACLUN_1989 ACLUN_1989.MODS ACLUN_1990 ACLUN_1990.MODS ACLUN_1991 ACLUN_1991.MODS ACLUN_1992 ACLUN_1992.MODS ACLUN_1993 ACLUN_1993.MODS ACLUN_1994 ACLUN_1994.MODS ACLUN_1995 ACLUN_1995.MODS ACLUN_1996 ACLUN_1996.MODS ACLUN_1997 ACLUN_1997.MODS ACLUN_1998 ACLUN_1998.MODS ACLUN_ladd ACLUN_ladd.MODS ACLUN_ladd.bags ACLUN_ladd.batch add-tei.sh create-bags.sh create-manuscript-bags.sh create-manuscript-batch.sh fits.log CURRENT LIABILITY i
Employees' payroll taxes withheld Se ee eee $ 671.00
Provision for 1963 Triannual report 1,800.00
' Provision for 1964 Biennial Conference |. EI ee 200.00
Obligated funds (see Schedule) 20.0000. REET Shsumire eae ce 15,838.00
NET WORTH: :
`Balance at October 31, 1962.0: $31,152.00.
Excess income over expenditures-
Year ended October 31, 1963 3,621.00
Net worth as at October 31, 1963 34,773.00:
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET WORTH $53,282.00,
Statement on Oswald Case
Continued from Page 3-
now stand, Oswald has been pub-
licly condemned by the officials
charged with his prosecution. If
he and he alone did the act it is
best that this be demonstrated
as conclusively as is now possible
so that whatever doubts there are
may be settled. Likewise, if this
is not so, that too must be estab-
lished so that the search for the
killer may be continued.
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Great care must, be taken that
these events do not lead to a po-
litical witch-hunt either of the
left or right. The assassination
should not be made an excuse
for impairing any of our political
freedoms.
Atmosphere Of Reason
There may be, in the days and
months ahead, in the emotion
discharged by the assassination, a
demand for restrictive action, in-
cluding legislation, against cer-
tain political organizations and
individuals - restrictions which
eould do great harm to such fun-
damental civil liberties as free-
dom of speech, press and associa-
tion. Fortunately, there seems
up to this point to have been a
mature and sober reaction, in
contrast to earlier periods of na-
tional distress. We are confi-
dent that this atmosphere of
reason will contribute to the con-
ACLU NEWS
JANUARY, 1964
Page 4
tinuing strength of our free so-
ciety.
President Kennedy would have
been the first to decry any as-
sault on vital American free-
doms, for he clearly understood
the need for exercise of such
freedom to keep our country a
thriving, healthy democracy. As
he said in a message to the
ACLU in 1962:
"This country has passed
through many periods of national:
peril. Now we are again in a
period when risks are great, our
burdens heavy, and our problems
incapable of swift or easy so-
lution,
"Tt is in times such as these
that many men, weak in courage
and frail in nerve, develop the
tendency to turn suspiciously on -
their neighbors and leaders, Un-
able to face up to the dangers
from without, they become con-
vinced that the real danger is
- from within. Our hard-won free-
doms are frequently abandoned
in an effort to escape the bur-
dens of responsible citizenship.
At this moment in our history,
the energies of all patriotic
Americans must be focused pri-
marily on our vital central prob-
lems.
"If we are to give the leader-
ship the world requires of us,
we must rededicate ourselves to
the great principles of our con-
stitution - the very principles
which distinguish us from our
adversaries in the world,"
` Justice Department's
`Statement of income andExpense vrion ae eet
: curiae brief in the District Coar
Geo YEAR ENDED OCTOBER 31, 1963 of Appeal challenging the do
Memberships 200 6 1g 604 00 cision of the Contra Costa Coun-
Special funds appeals $4,638.00 ty Superior Court that a person
Less portions directed eligible for aid to needy children
to obligated funds 0... = 408. = may be denied aid because of her
ees Be : refusal to obey the order of the
eee oe ee os coos district attorney that she take a
Ce ee lie detector test, The district at-
Publication sales, notary fees and miscellaneous ____ -- 733.00 HAS ears the ieee these
Le cipient had previously given him
TSTAR INCOME pr $61,449.00 concerning the father' of her
bing Wetboly ou Ue osce se ee Star: appellant in the cate ie the
` : eee eee: ate Board of Socia elfare
- i ee = Peas represented by the Attorney Gen-
Cl 2 eee Bs eS oe 5 077.60 eral, which had decided that the
, OS ee 037. woman was eligible for the aid
Teche pO at reece 1,740.00 under the needy children pro-
pe sentence 1,126.00 gram. The ACLU's brief will be
etirement ______. portencosceseenncesenenseeete eeccescsicceee | 741.00 prepared with the aid of volun--
Travel and transportation: S20 Ad _ $28.00 teer. attorney. George Duke and
Provision for 1963 Triannual report eee 600.00 will argue that the use of the un-
Employee hospitalization and insurance... =~ 459.00 reliable polygraph as a require-
Oe 340.00 ment for aid recipients is an ar-
Publications... eet cetecreeeeeeeeesnscceesesaee sesetecnenessceceecsoe 483.00 bitrary discrimination as com-
Furniture and equipment se roaeesenmanctesbesteceeeeenety 242.00 pared with other recipients of .
Annual meeting expense (net) ioc ce 145.00 government benefits and implies
Conferences expenses ee Ee ' 252.00 an assumption of disbelief inthe
Membership campaign expenses cos 119.00 oral and written statements
Miscellaneolpy 2 135.00 which the recipient had previous-
ee ly made under oath concerning -
TOTAL: EXPENDITURES 230 Re ee ee 57,828.00 her eligibility for benefits. There
is also a problem of self-incrim-
EXCESS OF INCOME OVER EXPENDITURES _. micheen SE $ 3,621.00 ination in the lie detector tests
although the privilege was not:
"claimed" in this case.
Transactions in Obligated Funds .
DEFENSE FUNDS:
General Defense fund eG eee
John W: Mass vs. San Francisco
School Board
Hartman and H.U.A.C.
Heilberg case __ ae
Btaceto case. 2
Burks case) 6 oh ee
SQOKOl Case. cr ee ee
Belshaw: case eee
Eorstner case (eee
TOTAL DEFENSE FUNDS
OTHER FUNDS:
Beth Livermore Memorial Fund __
Lawrence Sears Memorial Fund ____
Boyd Memorial Libraty Fund
"Operation Correction'
Sacramento Fund Gre
TOTAL OTHER FUNDS ow.
TOTAL OBLIGATED FUNDS
Free Speech Case
Reversed for
Lack of Evidence
The U. S. Supreme Court last
month set aside the contempt of
court conviction of two racists,
leaders of the National States
Right Party. The case was car-
ried through the courts by the
' ACLU and received `the support
of the NAACP and the Justice
Department. In fact, it was the
proposal,
that the convictions be reversed
for lack of evidence, which was
adopted by the unanimous court.
The two men had allegedly
held a meeting and distributed
leaflets in defiance of an Ala-
bama court order not to hold a
Fairfield rally protesting de-
segregation. They were arrested
at the time and place of the rally
for telling people it had been
moved to another community and
for distributing copies of their
newspaper.
The Civil Liberties Union con:
Lundquist' vs)" MEBA*.
Postal Workers case
Teachers Loyalty Oath cases Spas
wWack-Owenscasa
Shiavet (case 8 ee ee
Goldberger case
Custom Services censorship cases __....
TELEPHONE NUMBER.
Receipts
~ Balance Special, Expen- Balance
10-31-62 Appeal Other ditures Transfers 10-31-63 (c)
o 495.00
cae $9,150.00 $4,418.00 $ 6.00 $ 248.00 - ($2,243.00} $11,083.00
a 925.00 45.00 869.00 101.00
ae (1,059.00) : 522.00 1,581.00 . -
Jae (117.00) a : 117.00 _. paca A
- 364.00 55.00 ~ 14.00 405.00
oe 72.00 11.00 398.00 (315.00)
ae (2,097.00) - 1,817.00 125.00 405.00. -
uu. {190.00} 62.00 : 12.00 140.00 - ;,
th 144.00 a 95.00 49.00
Le 193.00 800.00 30.00 963.00,
aS Cpe 0 35.00 (35.00)
ae 15.00 15.00
oe ees 329.00 109.00 220.00
aes "23.00: 23.00
cee 275.00 (275.00)
oe 14,00 (14.00)
Ss $7,385.00 4,629.00 2,952.00 2,746.00 -0- 12,220.00
- $ 166.00 106.00 272.00
_..- 495.00 a oe "495.00 |
3 260.00 3.00 _ 338.00 (69.00) :
a 1,088.00 or 1,395.00 - 563.00 1,920.00 (c)
2g 1,000.00 = 1,000.00: -
a $2,009.00 9.00: 2,501.00 901.00 3,618.00
ie $9,394.00 $4,638.00: $5,453.00 $3,647.00 $15,838.00
the test of immediate disobe. |
dience instead of having to be ap- |
pealed through the courts.
tended that in a case involving
free speech and assembly, a
court order should be subject to
eee
The first right of a citizen
Is the right
To be responsible,
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