▁the ▁training ▁of ▁pick po ckets , ▁saf eb re akers ▁and ▁other ▁crim inals . ▁The ▁first ▁duty ▁of ▁any ▁Government ▁is ▁to ▁protect ▁itself . ▁The ▁sed ition ▁stat utes ... are ▁dest ined ▁for ▁that ▁purpose ▁and ▁do ▁not ▁ab ridge ▁the ▁civil ▁libert ies ▁of ▁the ▁people . ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁Stevens on ▁protest ed ▁New ▁York ▁City ' s ▁organized ▁" T own ▁Hall ▁Forum " ▁of ▁public ▁lect ures ▁as ▁" sp in eless " ▁and ▁" ind et erm inate " ▁for ▁failing ▁to ▁opp ose ▁revolution ary ▁propag anda . ▁Stevens on ▁also ▁public ly ▁op ined ▁that ▁American ▁colleg es , ▁univers ities , ▁and ▁sem in aries ▁were ▁showing ▁signs ▁of ▁increasing ▁hospital ity ▁to ▁radical ▁ideas . ▁Time ▁magazine ▁described ▁him ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 3 ▁as ▁" the ▁most ▁in def at ig able ▁pro sec utor ▁of ▁the ▁Red s ▁in ▁America , ▁and ▁the ▁bra ins ▁of ▁the ▁L usk ▁Committee ." ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁en act ment ▁of ▁a ▁law ▁reg ulating ▁educational ▁institutions ▁and ▁teachers , ▁as ▁recommended ▁by ▁the ▁L usk ▁Report , ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 1 - 2 2 ▁Stevens on ▁served ▁on ▁the ▁State ▁Ad vis ory ▁Council ▁on ▁the ▁Qual ification ▁of ▁Te ach ers . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 7 , ▁Stevens on ▁published ▁States ' ▁Rights ▁and ▁National ▁Pro hib ition , ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁critic ized ▁national ▁prohib ition ▁as