A Gentleman of the Jury
Sometime ago, I got called to do jury duty. For a while I debated whether I should try to beat the rap or be a good citizen and do my duty. Well, I figured that since I never had the adventure of being on a jury, I’ll find out what it is all about.
First thing that happened was that I was herded with fifty people into a small room. We were mindful of some fancy instructions given us by a Judge and we all were dutiful; but it was up to us to figure out some kind of pastime to while away the hours.
To combat the ensuing boredom, some of the men got themselves started into a pitch card game and they were having much fun laughing and shouting as one or the other failed to “shoot the moon.” Maybe I’m odd, but this insipid simple game bores me and so I sougt other diversion.
I found a checker game set and daringly shouted, “Anybody for a game of checkers?” I got a lot of laughter and no challengers and so I began figuring something different. I went from group to group asking them if cared to play “Scrabble.”
Well, one nice and cultured lady said that she got a game for Christmas and that never learned to play it. I offered to teach her and so the next day she brought it in; but the spirit of the game was absent so I gave up that diversion.
I went to a corner and sat and pouted, “To Hell with them.” “Tomorrow I’ll bring a book and I’ll catch up on some reading.”
Next day I brought a book but I could not bring myself to pay attention to it. I wool gathered thusly: “Here I am cooped up with their majesties, the sovereigns of the world’s greatest country and I am running away from them. Hm!
“These people are from the home of the free and the brave.” These people are selected because they have no taint of crime and they faithfully perform their duties as citizens. They are here to pass final judgments on transgressors of our laws. What a fine opportunity I have to find out how they feel about Communism and other distrurbing subjects!”
Well, I armed myself with a copy of the magazine, and encountered a likely group in this manner: “Since we have a lot of time to fritter away, let’s talk about interesting subjects. What do you think of Communism?”
Needless to say I got a cold shoulders and a frigid silence. “Please,” I vainly continued, “If you are against it I’ll be for it and if you are for it I’ll be against it. I am willing to take either side of this subject.”
More silence. “OK,” I said, “the subject is in this month’s magazine Fortune. This magazine is safe since it is written by and for big business.”
They acted towards me like I said a dirty word and walked away from me.
I may add that I was prompted to ask such questions for other reasons than merely breaking the boredom. An acquaintance of mine Eric Reinthaler was being indicted by the government as a conspirator against the Non-Communist provisions of the Taft-Hartley Act.
I was of the opinion then and I am still that the government’s case against the purple heart war hero, Eric Reinthaler, was weak. I called up Steve Young, the defending attorney and now new US Senator from Ohio, about the case. I confided to him that I couldn’t see how the government could treat Eric so.
He went along with me and admitted that the government had a very weak case.
As I felt out my fellow jurors on the subject of Communism I began to have misgivings. I developed a feeling that most people are not qualified to sit in judgment whenever the issue of Communism arises.
I made this compact to myself, that if ever I am to be tried for offences in which Communism is introduced, then I’ll refuse a jury trial. Come what may I’ll face the conscience of the judge rather than the verdict of my peers.
I have been called a Communist many times just because I want to know something about it. I know that nice and comfortable people do not like to get involved in that subject. So I try to avoid the subject, but in vain. It creeps up in the most unsuspecting areas. I can’t help exclaiming to you nice people the following:
Once we persecuted people for associating with Communists but now a boss, Mikoyan, comes to our town and all our big wheels shake hands with him!
Once an A’lger Hiss, a government clerk, was alleged to have gotten a beat-up old rug from a Russian hireling and Hiss had to do time for it, on perjury charges. One of his accusers became vice president “because of his good work in the case.”
Now a Cyrus Eaton gets troika from the big boss Khrushchev and nobody prosecutes. Why, even Vice President Nixon talks nicey-nicey with Mikoyan. Gads!
I tell you it just don’t pay to have sense no more! But boy, oh boy, ain’t things getting exciting now!
Oh yes, I almost forgot to mention. We would-be jurors without ever having a chance to sit on a case.