The Washington herald., 1914-06-07
Nv RALPH w. BENTON.

For many years there was phrase
current to the effect that justice was free
for all.
In ~theory the statement was correct,
but from the depths of Americas siums
came the sighs and the groans OF the
poor and the oppressed, attesung tne
utter fallacy of the assertion. For the
attainment of justice usually means hu-
cation, 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 trans
formation has been made possible by the
establishment of the legal aid society.
In Washington the idea is not alto
gether a new one, but its successful ap-
pIication dates back no more than a
month or two, when the Legal Aid Soci-
ety of the George Washington University
Law School was organized.
The idea of a legal aid society first was
conceived in 1876 when number OF pub
Hc-spirited Germans in New York City
established the German Law Protection
Society, for the purpose of protecting the
interests of their fellow-countrymen in
America. The organization proved so
efficient that many Americans took ad-
vantage of its facilities, and in 1890 Ar
thur Won Briesen. a prominent New York
attorney and one of the leading spirits
in the legal aid movement in this coun-
try was elected president The organi-
zation later changed its name to the Le-
gal Aid Society, of New York In 1870
such men as Joseph L. Choate, Eiihu
Root and Theodore Roosevelt became in
terested in the work, and were enrolled
rs honorary members. Since its estab-
Tshment the society has handled 46o, S4
cases. and has paid over to clients more
than s2GS6. so. During the past year Ss,-
lS9 cases were considered.
But the movement has not been con-
fined to New York City. 1t has spread
throughout the country and throughout
the world. Societies have been formed in
Chicago, Boston, Duluth. Kansas City.
Cincinnati. Cleveland, Philadelphia, and
other large cities. In Germany the move
ment has reached even a more advanced
stage of development than in the United
States. In 1911 there were 8l nonpartisan
and philanthropic legal aid societies, 626
societies maintained by churches and po-
liticaI parties, and So societies exclusive
" for women. During the year 1910 these
societies handled 1.54s,s71 cases and pre-
pared 41SS3 legal documents.
Recently some of the faculty members
Of the George Washington University
Law School became interested in the re-
suits being obtained by the legal aid So
cieties at Harvard, Northwestern Uni
versity and the University Of Minnesota,
and finally decided to introduce the move
ment here.
The local society is receiving the Coop
Grafton of the Associated Charities, off,
cials Of which have granted the use Of
offices in their building at s23 H street
northwest. From June to October the
Offices will be open each evening from
to o'clock, except Saturdays and Sun
days. From October / to June 1 the Of
fees are open each evening from to 10
o'clock. except Sundays. The society is
the only one in the country, associated
with a university law school. that keeps
its offices open during the summer
months. This is made possible in WASH
ington because of the fact that most Of
the law students reside in the city and
will spend the major portion Of the sum-
mer here.
The society is composed of upper class
men in the law school who have distin-
guished themselves in scholarship and
general ability. Following the midyear
examinations the faculty prepares a list
OF those second-year students VINO have
made the highest grades. From this list