Show Small Sinai Business In Hurricane ITS IT'S YOUR BUSINESS By JOHN LEWIS Exec VP V.P. National Small Business Association r A Matter of life or Death Some polls indicate that Americans are worried about the economy more than any other problem facing the country T x q 1 OTHER SURVEYS SURVEYS' indicate that the nations nation's growing crime rate especially in our large cities is considered our No 1 problem One point paint isn't arguable however The man in the eye of the hurricane of both these problems is the small business business- man THERE IS IS OF course nothing new about the fact that the small businessman is among the first to feel the effects of e economic con 0 m i c malaise But it is of special alarm that a growing number of small business firms are being pressed hard-pressed by the threat of robberies and burg burg- laries In including including including in in- many major cities cities- the Nations Nation's Capital Capital- small businessmen who have maintained their places of for years are simply closing up shop in the face of apparent police inability to protect their places of business bus bus- mess iness THERE ARE many cases where small businessmen robbed repeatedly have been I unable to get insurance to protect against losses In f fact a act c t Congressional committees have held hearings hearings hearings hear hear- ings on small insurance problems caused by increased crime The legislation enacted amounts to throwing a straw to a drowning man WHAT CAN BE done One serious serious student of crime prevention is famed Washington Washing Washing- ton attorney Edward Bennett Willi Williams William Ins In a recent interview interview interview inter inter- view Mr Williams one of the country's eminent trial lawyers advocated a three-pronged three attack in the war against crime 1 More uniformed police on the streets-officers streets who are better trained better equipped better paid and better organized This is now taking place in Washington after a prolonged prolonged pro pro- prolonged longed period when more policemen policemen po po- po were turning in their badges than there were new to replace them 2 SWIFT action following the arrest of criminal sus sus- Attorney Williams states that it has been easy for some lawyers to keep their clients out of jail for fora a year or more after arrest- arrest and quite possible to prevent prevent prevent pre pre- vent their imprisonment for fora a longer period even after and md sentencing 3 A quick and thorough overhauling of our prisons and penal system Penal reform projects on a Federal state and local basis are now being pushed as part of a comprehensive national anti- anti crime program WHETHER classified as the country's No 1 or No 2 domestic concern crime deterrence deterrence deterrence de de- terrence is one of the major challenges now facing the US U.S. at all levels State and local leaders are looking to Congress for action on tough crime anti legislation legislation legislation legis legis- lation to meet a threat which to many small businessmen has become tragically a matter of or life f |