The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1916-06-03
KENTUCKY CONGRESSMAN ON WAR path
Roman Catholic Congressman Makes Spectacle Of mseBn John
son. Of Kentucky Enraged at Criticism Of His Juvenile Court Bill
in The Menace---HaVing His Tirade Printed and Mailed
in Great Quantities at Public Expense

as the Roman Catholic crowd al
ways insist, that il is better for
courts 10 commit children TO sec
tartan institutions than 10 public
institutions provided and conducted
by the government for that purpose.
lie declares that forty-four states
authorize their courts 20 commit
children 10 such sectarian institu-
tions A glance at The statutes Of
these states diScl0SsS rsry ride d.
rsrqcnoss JsiUcsa The juUeHile pro-
risi0ns contained in most Of them
and those contained in The John
son biH.
In virtually an Of those states,
moreover, judges OF the juvenile
courts are elected directly by the
people over whose children they are
given jurisdiction; whereas, no res
idcnt Of the District Of Columbia
has any voice in the selection of the
judge Of the District Juvenile Court.
That functionary. is 10 he appointed
by officials whom the inhabitants Of
the District have no voice in elect
ing. This fact alone direSts the
people IN The District of Columbia
Of The political power nth uhich
those residing elsewhere can so edS-
| iiy defend their rights.
In this connection il should be
remembered that most residents Of
the District OF Columbia depend
for their living upon modest SAL
aries earned in the employ Of tho
government. This circumstance
enables the petty tyrants that Rome
has placed in so many positions Of
power in the government service to
defy inhabitants Of the District and
by intimidation prevent them from
even mildly asserting their rights.
The juvenile court bill for the
District Of Columbia as introduced
bv Mr. johnson contained a pro-
vision in Section 80 which express
" empowered the judge Of that
court to defeat any appeal from his
decisions by making such modifi-
, cations Of his record pending the
appeal as would prevent a hearing
in the appellat, court. This pro-
vision was eliminated by an amend
: ment before the bill left the House
, of Representatives.
I'm his wanton and apparently de-
liberate disregard Of law and truth
, Mr. johnson refers to the expressed
, fear that Protestant children will
he incarcerated in Roman Catholic
= prisons and then states that no
; Protestant child can be- so COM
= mittcd under this bill. BUT THEY
, HAVE BEEN so COMMITTED
= BY THE JUVENILE COURT IN
/, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
} II Mr.. johnson had any regard fol
, truth or for the faithful discharge
= Of his duty he ought 10 know this
I because he was a member of con.
{ gress and chairman Of the commit,
: tee on the District Of Columbia al
that time.
He refers to Section 25 Of the
: bill as rendering such commitment
. impossible. But that section pro
Y yides only that the court "Shall
I so FAR AS PRACTICABLE, Sc
( lect as the custodial agency som,
= individual holding the same relig
i ious belief as the parents of suct
child. or some institution or asso
y citation governed by persons Of ik,
religious faith" ANY tyro in tn
O law knows courts have uniforml,
Y declared that such statutory pro
: visions have no binding or manda
o tory effect and are therefore nuga
Il tory.
v On Nav IL the Senate Commit
4 tee on the District of Columbi
= granted a public hearing on thi
% measure as it finally passed tn
d House of Representatives. At tha
+ hearing the CHAMBER OF CON
Ie MERGE Of the City Of WdShingto
urged by its able counsel thirty-fy
: fContinued on PAGE 2, Column ~