The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-06-22
CITY'S LEGAL
BUREAU MAKES
GOOD RECORD
ansas City's Free Department
Has Handled $4,000 Cases
In Less Than Years
HAS $4,000 CASES STILL
PENDING IN THE COURTS
1t Bears The Reputation Of Be-
ing Only "Uncriticized"
Municipal Institution

KANSAS CITY, June 22.-One city
department has operated right along,
every day, doing business with thou.
sands Of people in the course of each
year, and yet no one has yet regis
tered a complaint about its methods
or its personnel. That means. OF
course. that IL any objection has been
made. it has been Inaudible, so far as
the general public and the depart
ment are concerned.
Nearly four years ago the board OF
public welfare started the first, and
at present the only municipal free
legal aid bureau in the world. II was
CT Gated because Of the widely recog.
nized injustice which results when
poor people, out Of a job, go 10 law
without legal aid TO recover amounts
too small TO attract a reputable law
yer on a contingent fee. Until the
free legal aid bureau came into ex-
stence scheming employers could,
with impunity, hold back part or the
salaries Of each person discharged. IL
the amount happened TO be under $40
II was considered uncollectable.
In the report Of Edward ]. Fleming,
general attorney for the bureau,
which will be filed shortly, 1t will be
shown that In the last four years his
department has handled approximate
ly $4,000 cases with total collection
OF $4,000, entirely without cost 10
the citys clients. Most OF the cases
brought to Mr.. Fleming were ulti-
mately settled out OF court, but in
the time referred 10 he fled LOO
cases and obtained Judgment In 50
per cent OF them
While other young lawyers who OBJ
tanned their degrees from the law
school with him. we're scouting about
for private practice, Mr.. Fleming
found himself plunged into the center
OF mans size job that was moro
than half philanthropical. and con-
fessed that he liked TO be loaded with
the burdens OF other peoples trou'
bles. He kept extending the range
OF his work until IL included the pros
ecution OF delinquent husbands and
obtaining the rights OF neglected chill
tren. His report shows he has prose
cuted more than 500 wife and chill
cren abandonment cases, sending
agents OF the various courts TO dis
tent cities 10 bring back erring faith
ers and husbands.
About his personal work In the
"uncriticised department" Mr.. Flem-
ing has little 70 say About the gen.
eral work OF which he has charge,
however, the report makes these
plan statements OF fact:
"Ours Is the only municipal free
legal aid bureau in the United States;
there are about 40 others, but they
are supported by private subscrip-
tions. New York, Chicago. Philadel-
phia. Cleveland, Cincinnati, Pitts
burgh. Denver, Los Angeles, Milwau-
kee and St. Paul are some OF the larg
er cities who have free legal aid 80
cieties Ours ranks third to New York
and Chicago in, the amount OF busi.
ness handled.
Assuming that Kansas City con.
tains about 100000 population. one
seventh of the entire population OF
the city has been directly affected.
The cost per case does not exceed so
cents. which Is more economical than
any other society has yet shown.
Seventy-fve per cent OF the claims
fled In our Office are for wages, vary.
ing from so cents TO $50.
Along broader lines, our depart.
ment has found a wide field OF use
fulness in investigating many wide
spread forms OF abuse and oppres.
sion practiced upon the poor and
ignorant classes OF the city. For In.
stance. attention might be called TO
the correction OF the abuses OF the
so-called loan sharks and extortion.
ate money lenders. INSCRIPTIONS land
lords end employers OF the different
trade workmen.
"The Free Legal Aid bureau. when
FIRST organized. was not looked upon
very seriously by either the public or
the local bar Today II has the full
recognition OF the bench and the bar.
and Is a permanent fixture In Kansas
CITY. IT'S usefulness and activity for
dispensing Justice 20 the poor r. rec
ognized by all who know IFS work
The purpose OF the Free Legal Aid
bureau r. 10 educate as we'll rs rep.
resent legally In specific instances.
for only In this way can the working
mans condition be permanently bet
tered. Every person IN this country.
no matter how poor he may be. should
be able 10 secure Justice. n n a duty
which We owe TO our republic 10 aid
in securing that end for there are
few ideas more detrimental 10 the
success and perhaps 10 the continued
existence OF our free institutions than
that OF Justice accessible 10 the rich.
but denied 70 the poor"
All Danish passenger steamers and
ferry boats on the route between Swe-
den and Germany will probably soon