Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-13
GOTHAM NEWS LETTER
Ice Companies Said to Favor
the Metropolis.
VERY INDULGENT CITIZENS
What a Frenchman Says About Chill
dren's Courts.
BURGLARY INSURANCE LOSSES
Bridge Whist and Horse Races Said
to Be Responsible - Companies
Withdraw-Bingham Mad
BURGLARY INSURANCE LOSSES
Special Correspondence of The Star.

| to be comfortably supplied, and the free Ice
FUND OF one of the local papers has attained
about its normal size for this period of the
summer. Whether the ice companies are
particularly favoring New York. or whether
they could just easily meet the demand
IN washington and other cities If they so
desired, remains a question yet to be de-
termined
The fact that New York's wants In the
Ice line are well taken care Of probably ac-
counts for the lack OF enthusiasm in the
BOARD OF aldermen when one of its members
introduced resolution last week calling
TOT the Immediate construction Of mu-
nicipal Ice plant. 1t was argued by this
gentleman that If the city supplied water
to its residents there was no earthly reason
why 1t should not supply The commodity
with which to make the water drinkable
during the hot months. 1t was also argued
that Ice IN the summer Is every bit as much
or necessity coal in the winter and
that with modern appliances at command
there Is no good reason for 4 shortage in
the supply; altogether it was urged that
the city might well serve its citizens and
It's own army Of employees by placing at
least a portion OF the ice supply business
beyond the control OF the Ice corporations
and combinations
For Municipal Ownership.
This resolution was referred without
action, but had New York been feeling the
pinch of an ice famine such as has existed
In some other cities there is little doubt
but that the resolution might have gone
materially further than to committee.
The spirit of municipal ownership is in the
air here in New York city any way and
While the majority are not in favor of such
radical action wrestling street railways
and the like from the hands of the present
operators of the system, they enthusiastic
ally take up any new field FOR municipal
endeavor The recent acquisition by the
city of the Staten Island ferry and the vast
improvement In the service to thar section
OF the city, as well as the authorization of
a municipal lighting plant, now in course
of erection, are evidences of the municipal
ownership sentiment.
While free from worry over any threat
ened failure Of the Ice supply. New York
ers are paying literally and without pro-
test for their peace of mind. The ice deal
ers, while announcing no great increase in
price either to wholesale or retail custom
ers, have simply been cutting down weight
until nowadays the average 10 or 2o-cent
block purchased by the householder
apartment resident are no larger than the
and 10-cent pieces of year ago. But
the New York people are an indugent class
and so long they get what they want are
not inclined to raise fuss over the price.
AS far as the imposition of the thing is
concerned, they are used to being imposed
upon and seldom protest.
3 SOuTLS 1OpuldI.
The Washington people who worked 50
hard to secure the legislation which has
finally resulted In the establishment of a
childrens court in the District of Columbia
will read with interest and pleasure the
views Of an eminent French man of affairs
who is visiting New York just now and is
making study of the childreas court sys-
tenn here with a view to advocating it's
adoption in Paris. While enthusiastic over
the results of the New York system, this
gentleman does not approve of the plan OF
having the judges Of special sessions take
turn about in presiding over the juvenile
tribunal He declares that to his mind 1t
would be better to have the same judge,
VINO would become specialist in his line
Just as some physicians give over their
practice to the children. In this respect he
approves of the newly established Wash
ington court.
Views of a Frenchman.
The visitor Is M Edouard Julhiet, head of
the Patronage de les Enfants of Paris, and
his observations are to be male the OASIS
for legislation directed toward the estab
lishment OF a special court for the trial of
youthful offenders in the French capital
NJ Julhiet is banker and his visit To New
York Is primarily on business, but he is at
the same time one of the best known So
ciologists In France. He and his assoclnIes
are now preparing drafts of laws which
thew will soon submit for the approval Of
the French authorities. The Patronage de
les Enfants is practically reformatory
He Is consequently interested especially IN
the American probationary a.kd parole sys-
tenn He has made many inquiries along
these lines during his visits to the courts
and penal institutions OF the metropolis.
I'VE have adopted in Paris the probation
airy system for young offenders" said M
Julhiet "and the results which have been
reached in the four months 1t has been
In operation have demonstrated It's
three probation officers. two men and one
vision of a project of police. The Juvenile
offender is visited every week at his nome
by an inspector and every month he must
report In person to the Office. There was
no term In the French language which ex-
actly expressed what probation meant.
and the phrase finally adopted was La
mise en- liberte surveilee' Setting at liberty
under surveillance) The results have been
so satisfactory and so many children have
been led to better views OF life that VIC
think In the course of time the work will
prove to be Of the highest value"
NJ Julhiet grew enthusiastic over the
methods of the children's court of this city.
New York Plans Suited to Paris.
I'm my opinion" he said, 1.-The plans
used in the New York tribunal are best
suited to the conditions in Paris. The pro-
portion of real offenses here and in the
French capital is about the same. although
in this city arrests are made for things that
are not known In France. The throwing
of stones and the discharging of fireworks
are practices Of which the French boys
know little
Taken all in all, however boys are about
the same the world over. Few of them
are naturally vicious. They are thought
less. and the probation system and chill
dren's court are often able to reach them
II the children's court is introduced in
France we shall feel that 1t will prove one
Of the best importations ever received from
the United States. Here observe that the
judges take turns at the childrens court
1t seems to me that 1t would be better
to have the same judge, who would become
O specialist. just you have physicians
who give special attention othe physical
disorders of children"
Insurance Companies Withdraw.
Police Commissioner Bingham Is mad
clear through over the announcement OF
two of the large burglary Insurance con-
Germs of this city that they are canceling
all of their policies and retiring from the
New York field because of the heavy in
crease Of losses during recent months. Be-
fire the withdrawal of these two companies
from the field there were ten companies
writing burglary insurance in the city. 1t
fB now reported that several OF the re-
manning eight are contemplating retiring
L