The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-09-01
Legal Aid Bureaus
A Municipal Department is
. Needed to Help the Weak,
Ignorant and Poor

st. Louis, Aug. 27.-There is O. de-
mand in all the great cities of the,
united states for the esta blishment
OF municipal legal aid bureaus
ernest a. Tustin, of Philapdelphia,
| todd the America Bar Association
at its annual convention here. today.
Mr. Tastin is director of public works
, in Philadelphia. He said the pur-
pose of such bureau or department
would be to enable the poor to OBJ
tain justice and the foreigner to be
relieved from imposition. to estab-
lish a place where where the weak,
helpless and ignorant would have
their wrongs righted.
''The development if viriel leg gal
aid association within our great mum
icipalities is question of vital con-
Germ to every patriotic citizen, de-
! olared Mr. Tusttin The need has
become imperative and it's creation
and careful development should be
, undertaken by all of our large cities
'In the past, our best authorities
have agreed that social injustice j.. is
responsible for the creation of more
radical enemies to our government
tIldu any Otn6f cause.
''The mayor of one Of our largest
cities, who has had great experience
has stated within few weeks that
trifltfg misunderstanding Concern
ing municipal apd social injustice is
.responsihleIfort9 per cent. of the zeX-
Itrer1e radicalism in the country.
"Imnngration in the future will
come largely from Eastern European
countries and the opportunity for i'm
position and unlawful practices will
be much increased. IT, ...@.
Despite the excellent arguments
advanced, we believe that. legal aid
should be made municipal func-
ton, rather than connected with the
administration Of our courts! The
tendency in nrany communities to inn
pose extra judicial duties upon our
judges has not only resulted in a dis
tinct lowering of the judicial dignity,
but also in many cases, has interfered
with the ability Of our judges to rem
der prompt, correct and impartial de-.
cislons upon legal questions. ~.
The duty of the municipality, on
the other hand, to- conduct legal aid
4
as cleaning streets and providing wa
ter. A bureau to investigate and de-
fend impositions upon the poor and
the ignorant and to furnish a prop
er and rational defense for rnen, wo-
men and children without means is
| just as much an obligation as to fill
| the office of District Attorney for
the prosecution OF crimes. or to pro-
vide city solicitor to enforce health
mandates and building restrictions =
Owing to the large number of first
offenders in crime, Mr., TusTtin said,
there is a great eed of a public de-
ifender in all our large municipal
ities." He foresaw, however, that it
would be many years before this Of
flee would be generally adopted and
said that until this was done, duties
OF the office should be performed by
municipal aid bureau.
Local Bar Associations should take
ON the bureau OF cultivatiHg public
sentiment SO as to prevent the legal
e.id bureaus from becoming tainted
with political partisanship and should
appoint committee to advise and
cooperate with the, legal cid bureaus.
Such bureau, he said. had been au-
thorized in Philadelphia.