The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-09-06
DEFENSE GIVEN
JUDGE LINDSAY
FARGO POLICE WOMAN SCORES
ASSAlLANTS OF JUDGE BEN
LlNDSAY-CALLS 1T A POLiTi-
CAL TRICK AND BRANDS 1T
UNFAIR,

Miss Erwin, the local police woman,
who is a great admirer of the work
accomplished by Judge Ben Lindsay Of
Denver, who has don so much TOWARD
the arresting of crime among boys, has
written a protest against the attacks
made on him by politicians and 9TH
ers, which is printed below. Miss Err
| win claims that this prosecution is an
outrage against all decency and good,
and appeals to all fair minded people
to back him up in every way. The
article written by Miss Erwin is as
follows:
Eat the time when attacks are being
made on Judge Ben Lindsay by enc
mics who fight from behind and by un-
fair methods, it behooVes all fair
minded citizens of this country to back
him up in every way AND to help voice
the protest against political trickery
when such work as his is assailed.
1T has been declared by many that
this is the day Of the child. We have
heard much about woman's rights and
surely they nave been given much con-
sideration, attention and contention.
Now the children's rights are coming
to notice. Why society has been a
place for the adult, by the adult and
from the adult point Of view only, is a
question asked everywhere by large
hearted. Iar-SlSHLGu SeSES Vi Tic lSdIly
ideal social state. For when the
chiId's rights are fully recognized and
understood, will social morality have
reached it's highest state of perfec-
ton.
Law is a wonderful organization and
system, but like all man-made, man
governed institutions, it is liable to
corruptions. These corruptions call
for reforms led by earnest reformers.
Perhaps woman, as a political factor,
has ~designedly been held in reserve
for this century of the child. If, or
rather when, we. do vote, what a wealth.
of new life, vigor and virility must we
pour into the old law system II we
would prove that this reserve force
is powerful and adequate.
Judge Ben Lindsay is one OF these
reformers. The list of reforms that
he has obtained, charities founded, i'm
provements instituted, political steals
baked, shows nearly a hundred items.
He has received praise and support
from the few and the curses n en-
nifty Of many. Out of all of his work,
it is his juvenile court work that n a
made him famous. We read that So
ciety agents from England, Germany, !
Sweden, Austria, France and Japan
are sent to consult with him on his
methods. Il
What is the method? We can call
it the honor method which is a sort
of self rule, which has been very ef-
~fective in the George Junior Tepuolic,
near Ithaca. But we can call 1t the
'loVe method" too, in the broadcast
sense Of that term. And surely 1t Is
the method which has sympathy ana
understanding as its foundation. Judge
Lindsay insists on looking for the pest
and hat is not easy when you nave a
lot Of problems before you every day.
- 80 a. - NtSn n p aGflrl
arbitrary method-well, unless. O are
a Ben Lindsay.
When 1 saw judge Lindsay a few
years ago, ! certainly thought him
rather Insignificant looking, and he
| knows he is. Yet his personal. story,
told in an unassuming way, carried
conviction with it. He doesn't look ike
a man who would be a boys hero and
leader. He is smaller than some or
his young friends-that is in stature.
But who can measure the height of the
mans spirit, the breadth of his vision
and the largness of his sympathies? L
fear not anyone can as wen as the
| boys whose friend he is and who are
EMBODIED in the very largeness OF ms
little man. Yet they say the women
voted him into office. Yes, three
| cheers for the women. That makes
him nor a lady's man, but enough or
| a woman's man to be a protector or
weakness wheresoeTer 1T may be round.
fudge Lindsay is the boys friend,
, he is their protector. their developer.
Society has always said that the tru-
ant would grow up into the ~vagabond,
the tomboy into a. bold, forward Wo-
man, the dreamer of dreams In a boat
| by the river into an In
| mate. But tendencies in human nature
can take the downward or upward
move. The truant might just as well
become the explorer into new n
of the earth or into new realms OF
truth. the tomboy become a superb
athletic, mother Of children to whom
she may give the priceless heritage OF
health. the came of dreams may
become the. singer Of ideals that will
exalt the spirit of the race.
TT remains with society, the home
and the school-yes. n with US Wo-
men. i D to follow Judge Lind
saws example; to. deal with children
50 that the tendencies will be trained
upward by sympathy and not
downward by a~ntipathy and harsh
discipline, by misunderstanding n
blind unfaith.a
What need for the brides that would
have made Lindsay a miiiionaife ere
this when in the hearts of many boys.
who are problems to everyone else, Is
a9loye and an allegiance that must be
beautiful to think about when n lies
4 down to sleep at night. And his work
will live on long after his scoffers are
dead. And maybe, hefhas opened the
way to a realization of mat ideal So
ciaI state of which ] spoke in the be-
ginning. where the child's rights are
fully understood.
80 those who have not read The
Beast, by Lindsay. most heartily
recommend 1t as a text for a better
understanding OF this mans work.