Evening star., 1922-03-19
BY. G. GOULD LINCOLN

BY. 1s AlNIoLNs
~ ETTING justice in the United
States is tough job just at
u I present. The, There is no inten-
reflect upon the judges and jurors Of
the country. The fact Of the matter
Is that under existing conditions there
are not enough federal judges to go
around-to handle all the civil and
criminal cases that come before the
federal district courts. An eXamiHa-
tion of the dockets of the courts as
Of June 80, 1921-and there has been
no change for the better in the in
terval, it is said-shows that there
was the astounding total of 46,S45
civil cases pending before the fed
eral district courts. 1t shows, too,
that there were pending before these
courts 26.S02 criminal cases. There
are eighty-six of these federal dis
tricts and 106 district judges.
DISTRICT SUPREME COURT
ALSO FAR BEHIND.
These totals, however, do not in
clude the cases and judges in the
Supreme Court of the District Of Co
lumbia. which is comparable to the
federal district courts in the States.
Before the District Supreme Court
there were pending 1924 civil cases
and 2,724 criminal cases. There are
six judges of the District Supreme
Court.
These figures give the basic argu-
fny a nj ed
judges bill, by which it is proposed
to add from nineteen to twenty-five
federal district judges, assigning
them to various districts, but at the
same time giving the Chief Justice of
the United States authority - shift
the district judges to any district
court where, in his opinion, the busi-
| ness of the court requires additional
assistance for the time being. The
House has passed a bill for this pur-
pose and the Senate is now wrestling
with a similar measure. In the House
bill twenty-five additional district
judges are provided. The Senate
judiciary committee, however, cut the
number to nineteen.
AS pointed out by Senator Cummins
of Iowa, who has charge of the
| Judges bill in the Senate, the Ameri-
can people are in the habit of claim
| ing that they stand very near the
front in the civilization of the world.
But, he added, in respect to the ad-
| Ininistration Of justice it can be
| fairly stated they are marching in
! the rear rank OF all civilized peoples.
| "There is not country of which !
have any knowledge" Senator Cum
minis said, (which SO imperfeCtly ad-
ministers justice through tho courts
Of the country as the United States
and it will shock all senator's, I am
| sure, when the facts are fairly be-
| fore them"
PERSONS HELD FOR CRIME
LANGUISH IN JAIL.
| Because Of the existing conditions
! thousands and thousands Of persons
accused Of crime must lie in Jail for
a year or two, provided they arc un-
! able to givo bond for their appear
ance awaiting trial in criminal cases
before these courts. SO far as the
| trial of civil cases is concerned. the
|
whenever possible to criminal cases.
are deplorably In arrears in the de-
| termination of these cases. In the
western district of Missouri, for in
stance. an entire year passed without
a single civil case having been tried
and settled, because the judge-and
rightly eo-gave the right of way to
! criminal eases.
i. Tho totals given for civil cases do
not include the bankruptcy cases
| pending, which number. in the fed
eral district courts 57,305. and in the
District Supreme Court IS. While the
| bankruptcy cases arc in the hands
| of referees and commissions. never
theless the courts must, in the end
| dispose of them.
The enforcement OF the national
| prohibition act is responsible for a
| considerable number of the criminal
| cases pending. In fact, on June so,
! 1921. there were 11.737 of these cases
Involving violation CT the prohibit
ton act before the federal district
courts and c66 before tho Supreme
| Court Of the District of Columbia
I DRAFT-EvASlON CASES
MAY NOT BE TRIED.
| There were on the same date pend
ing in the federal district courts a.
| 5S1 cases arising under the draft law,
| calling men into military service
I-during the war, and 553 of these
| cases in the District Supreme Court.
i These draft cases were not included
in the other totals already given, for
! the reason that, according to officials
| Of the Department of Justice, it is
expected that very few of these cases
| will ever be pressed to prosecution.
But the courts must get rid of them,
one way or another-by dismissal, if
in no other way. They help to clog
! tho dockets Of the courts.
The proposal TO increase the number
| of federal judges is meeting with
I some opposition in Congress, not
withstanding this imposing array of
| civil and criminal cases which are
awaiting disposition. In the first
place, some Of the senators insist
! that the judges. in some cases, are
not performing their tasks as speedily
as possible. Then, too. others insist
that not the number of judges but
the method: by. which delay after de-
! lay is brought about in the trial of
cases through attorneys taking ad-
| vantage of technicalities is the real
| fault:
OPPOSITION TO THE PLAN