The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921, 1921-03-30
AGED CHIEF JUSTICE
BREAKS AN OLD RULE
AND IS INTERVIEWED
Judge Frank A. Monroe, On
Bench Half Century, Talks
Of Men and Matters
PROHIBITION AND BLUE
LAWS UN-AMERICAN
Saws These Laws Are an In
fringement on the Liber-
ties of the People

llGS vi I11G L NOiCAS
Chief Justice Fran kA. Monroe, OF
the state supreme court, on the bench
perhaps longer than most judges Of
courts in the United States and looked
upon as one Of the ablest jurists in the
nation. recently broke the old rule ana
gave an interview on general topics
to a reporter Of the New Orleans
Times-Picayune which was published
in the last Sunday edition of thai
newspaper. It is reported in full. as
follows:
Forty-nine years on the bench and
still a-going.
This-probably the greatest period
of service of any living jurist-is the
record of Frank Adair Monroe, chief
Justice of Louisiana's supreme court.
Forty-five years Of consecutive judi
cial service, twenty-five of which were
spent sitting on the states highest
bench and eight as ranking Judge OF
that body, and apparently good for a
number of years mora Of vigorous
4 service-such, in brief, is the story OF
the states chief justice.
For fifty-two years Louisiana h IS
known Frank A. Monroe as lawyer
and as a judge, principally as the lat.
ter. Only a small circle OF friends
have known Frank A. Monroe the man.
Granting interviews is something
quite out OF the ordinary for the chief
justice. Very few public men of equal
experience and prominence in Louis
lana affairs have had so little oh on
icled of them in the newspapers.
Being very busy man, Justice Mon.
roe first objected and interposed lack
OF time as an excuse. When assured,
however. with some degree of persis.
tency, that Louisianians would be in
terested in his view on life today,
Justice Monroe resigned himself for
the ordeal, dropped his pencil on his
desk, lighted a cigar, leaned back il
his chair complacently and chattei
freely with the reporter for an hour.
In that time he discussed frankly and
freely the prohibition question. the
so-called modern feminist movement
the present public educational system
the qualities essential for conspicuous
success, the moral trend of the times.
Sunday blue laws and variety of
others interesting and timely matters
emphasizing his remarks with an oc-
casior3l wave of the hand, flash OF
the keen blue eye, or by a kaleido-
scopic change of the grave judicial
countenance from stern grimness to
an occasional ripple of laughter as the
subject would change from the grave
to the more frivolous.
The law proyerbially is a jealous
mistress. and but few servants there
are who prove THEMSELVES more de-
voted than the chief Justice Despite
! his seventy-five years, Justice Monroe
still puts in his full twelve hours each
day and often seven days each week
at har work And when the court Is
sitting, the chief justice often burns
the midnight Oir' as of yesteryear in
his small. unimpostng library in his
quiet cozy little home at 1881 Philip
street.
In this little library sometimes in
the small hours of the night is judi.
cial decision prepared, blazing a path
in the states Jurisprudence, brush
ing aside at a single stroke some in.
consistency or conflict in the state
laws, putting at naught the fond la,
bors of a whole Legislature, setting a
precedent to govern the lives and con.
duct of millions yet unborn, or deter.
mining ultimately and beyond appeal
a question of freedom or imprison.
ment, fortune or poverty or life or
death that may create a sensation
throughout the length and breadth OF
the commonwealth.
+ AS Judge Monroe sat at his desk
coming the lawyers briefs looking
up authorities, scribbling on a scrap
tablet in a case he and his colleagues
have under Amusement, which will sci
q precedent that viii make or break
scores of North Louisiana oil men tc
the amount of billion dollars, one is
mpressed-almost awe-strickan-
with the Importance and stupendous
ness Of the work of supreme cour;
justice
You can lay it down as a funda
mental proposition" said Chief Justic:
I Monroe, in discussing so-called mora
legislation, that the state cannot re
form the character of its citizen.
through its Legislature"
This brought up the question of pro
Inhibition, and over his countenanct
cSept a frown. Shifting himself Il
his%hair for the first time during tn.
interview. and placing his cigar asid
for thu moment, Judge Monroe pro
I ceeded deliberately and with measur
ed, but unequivocal words to criticiz,
! the Eighteenth Amendment.
+! BE sure that you dc not misunder
! stand me thnnoh /, the chief instic.