Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-07
FREELEGAL WORK
FOR POOR OF CITY
Growth of a Movement Which
Started Locally at G. W.
University.
OFFICES KEPT OPEN
THROUGH SUMMER MONTHS
Students Take Turns at Night Duty
and Garry Their Cases to
Conclusion.

For many years there was a phrase
current to the effect that justice was
free for all.
In theory the statement was correct,
but from the depths of Americas slums
came the sighs and the groans of the
poor and the oppressed. attesting the
fallacy of the assertion. For justice
usually means litigation, and litigation
is the most costly process in the world.
But the situation is changing, ana
now in many of the large cities, and at
last in the National Capital. it can be
said with some truth that justice is
free for, and accessible to. all" And
this Transformation has been made
possIble by the establishment of the
legal aid society.
In Washington the idea is not alto
-ether a new one, but its successful
appIication dates back no more than
month or two, when the Legal Aid So
ciety of the George Washington Uni
versity Law School was organized
Germans Started Movement.
The idea of legal aid society first
was conceived in 1876. when number
OF public-spirited Germans in New
York city established the German Law
Protection Society for the purpose OF
countrymen in America. The organlza-
ton proved SO efficient that many
Americans took advantage OF Its 1aclil-
ties. and in 1890 Arthur Won briesen;
a prominent New York attorney and
one Of the leading spirits in the legal
aid movement in this country was
elected president The organization
later changed its name to the Legal Ala
Society of New York. In 1896 such men
as Joseph 1noate, Elihu Root ana COL
Theodore Roosevelt became interested
in the work, and were enrolled as non
orary members. Since its establishment
the society has handled 460,SI4 cases
and has paid over to clients more dnan
s2036 $50 During the past year o9,ieS
cases were handled.
fined to New York city. 1t has spread
throughout the country and throusnou.
the world. Societies have been formed
City, Cincinnati. Cleveland. Philadei-
phia and other large cities. In Ger
many the movement has reached even
a more advanced stage of development
than In the United states: IN ~. .ns
were 3O7 non-partisan and philanthropac
legal aid societies. 626 societies main
tained by churches and political par
ties and eighty three societies ex-
1910 these societies handled 1.546.971
cases and prepared 41S.S73 legal docu-
ments
Recently some of the faculty members
Law School became interested in the
results being obtained by the legal
aid societies at Harvard. Northwestern
University and the University of Min
nesota. and finally decided 10 lntro-
duce the movement here.
The local society is receiving the CO.
operation of the Associated Charities,
officials of which have granted the use
of Offices in their building at 923 II
street northwest. From June l TO
October 1 the offices will be open daily
each evening from to CLOCK, ex
cept Saturdays and Sundays: FROM
open daily each evening from to 10
o'clock, except Sundays. The society
is the only one in the country asso.
ciated with a university law school
that keeps its offices open during the
summer months This is made possible
in Washington because of the fact that
most of the law students reside in the
city and VIII spend the major portion
of the summer here
The society is composed of upperclass-
men in the law school, who have dis
tinguished themselves in scholarship and
general ability. Following the m!dyear
examinations the faculty prepares
list Of those second-year students VINO
have made the highest grades. From his
list the executive committee OF the So
,,iety selects those students considered
most capable and recommends their adj
Ipittance to membership. Members are
voted on by the society, and are ad-
United into active membership the fol-
lowing autumn
The society is under the control of an
executive committee. composed of the
officers of the society, a graduate of the
law school and member of the faculty
The present members are as follows:
James F. Pierce, chairman: James C.
Rogers secretary treasurer: Prof. 4.
Fraser. faculty member, and David A.
Bear. graduate member. officers of the
society are elected from members who
are Second-year students in the law
school. They hold Office until the spring
Of the third year