New-York tribune., 1919-12-25
Municipal Justices Deny
Charge of Bostonian That
Court Failed i'm Effort to
Help the Less Fortunate
Ways to Assist Are Told
Report Called in Question
as Special Plea for Benc-
fit Of Legal Aid Societies

A committee of Municipal Court JUS
ices, formed recently to consider a
rsport on "Justice and tho Poor"
made by Reginald Hcbcr Smith. of
Boston. issued statement Yesterday
challenging Mr. Smiths conclusion that
the Municipal Court, created for the
special benefit Of the poor. had failed
n its purpose. The statement of Mr..
Smith that the poor were denied jus
lice was denounced. and his entire
report was called into question rs a
special plea for the benefit of legal
sid societies seeking aid from the Car
negie Foundation.
Mr. Smith, member of the Bos
Ton bar. prepared the report for the
Carnegie Foundation. and the Munich
psl Court committee charges that "in
psndering to public appetite for SEN
sation' he sacrificed accuracy and fair
play.
The answer to his statement was
prepared by Justices Lauer and Spie-
CelDeIS a. tcl SOlitioIICeS WITH COM
mttee including President Justice
Lynn, Prince. Doughty. Crane, Ester
brook, Kennedy and Brown. Mr.. Smith,
they assert, went back twenty years
and more for instances of substantial
denial of justice. and his entire pre-
sentiment is characterized as unjust
and distinctly harmful because of the
Use the foes Of American institutions
are certain to make of it.
Statement Is Challenged
we challenge the accuracy of the
statement that there is an existing
denial OF justice 20 the poor in the
courts OF the City Of New York" the
answer proceeds 1--WE assert that
.here is no denial Of justice to the poor
in our court. that the poor receive con-
slderation and treatment equal to that
received by the rich, and that no man
or woman, however poor he or she may
be. is at disadvantage in either pros
ecuting or defending a claim when he
or she presents q case in the courts
of this city
Can the report of Mr.. Smith be
classed as an impartial and scientific
investigation OF prevailing conditions
in view Of the following summary Of its
conclusions? We quote from the re-
port page s.:
1.-The administration of American
Justice is not impartial; the rich and
poor do not stand on an equality be-
lore the law; the traditional method
Of providing justice has operated to
close the door OF the courts to the
poor, and has caused gross denial of
justice in all parts Of the country to
millions of persons
Was l. necessary for the author of
lie report 10 indulge in such wild
statements to induce the Carnegie
Foundation to favor grant of funds
TO legal aid societies?
Charge Called Untrue
so far as New York and the Munich
pal Court are concerned, the charge IS
untrue. His conclusions are refuted by
statements contained in the report
dealing with present day conditions,
though frequently they are slurred
over in contrast with narration of SEN
sational episodes and quotations Of the
dim distant past The New York NUM-
cipal Court Code of 1915, with its great
strides toward simplified practice
the abolition of delay and cutting down
Of expense, barely mentioned
By way Of contrast. in the chapter
I've at Hotel Bristol. A Ia carte or Amer,
~