The Washington times., 1923-02-08
By JUDGE SIDNEY N. REEVE.
who for twelve years has passed Snus-
ment ON psychopathic and iuvenlle
cases in tho Los Angeles

memt on psych0patn1C @Hu
cases i'm the Los Angeles
superior court.
written especially for Cosmopolitan
News service.I
los ANGELES, Feb. 8.-Today
q woman, charged with crime STANDS
before a Judge with the same rights
AZ man to defend herself, limo.
cent until proved guilty. But II
guilty she must receive the same
penalty for her crime as man.
Much has been said from many
angles about the modern Wonl-
an" Her voice Is heard on all
questions of Importance; she IL
factor in business, competing sue
cessfully with her brother man; she
not only has the vote, but she ls.
taking active part in governmental
affairs, holding office and making
laws.
For a long time the cry was for
equal rights" That has been
attained. And as woman takes her
part in these things SO must she
pay the consequences, the same a.
man, when she transgresses and
violates the law.
Courts Hardened To Tears.
The courts must necessarily be-
come hardened to tears. There
are always in every case the tears
of women members OF mans tam
lily, and the tears Of feminine De
PENDANTS Whether a woman IS
considered beautiful by the public
is Of little importance to the judge.
Fine clothes, the lip stick and rouge
do not and cannot conceal the true
woman. Sometimes the public press
speaks about the wonderful beauty
of a woman charged with crime
when, to the Judge who sees her
every day, there Is nothing beaut1-
full about her.
I can recall instances of women
who have been before me for SEN
tence, young women dressed in the
latest fashion, the best tricks Of the
cosmetician used adyantag eonsly,
and vet they stood In the court
room hardened and versed irf crime.
These women were not beautifufs
for beauty comes from Withn NJ
Beauty LIN Suffering. =
Another instance think OF is
the case of a middle aged woman,
q poorly dressed woman, her face
drawn from life of hardship, who
for her children had on the impulse
committed crime, taken that
which did not belong to her. AS
she stood before me, charged with a
first offense which she regretted
exceedingly, / could see beauty
about her. She was a woman who
had suffered and done wrong for
her children. Her eyes were ap-
pealing, and / will concede that
beauty of that kind can reach the
heart of a judge.
Some defendants are merely
young girls alone in the world and
striving to attain pretty clothes
and a good time, but with no one
to advise and direct their ways.
These girls once placed on proba-
ton, with a good motherly proba.
ton officer to help and supervise
them in their work and pleasures
will often make good. Their first
offenseS have been a matter OF
drifting into an easy life to obtain
the beauties they could not afford
rather than the result of a natural
criminal tendency. When such as
these obtain leniency from the
courts, 1t is not their beauty which
buys them probation, but their
youth and the fact they have not
had chance. The same condition
exists with regard to our young
men and the thought Of their good
looks does not enter into the public
mind.
Three Cases Contrast.
Recently / had three women be-
fore me in one day for sentence.
One the public considered pretty,
but a girl of intelligence who had
become an habitual offender; one a
woman to whom life had not been
tender, and who in a moment of
depression and rebellion had COM
mitted an act which brought her
into the criminal court; the other
woman, who had committed the
same offense over and over, and
who it was plain to be seen was
subnormal and without moral re-
sponsibility.
The first one was sentenced to
the penitentiary, despite her good
looks. The second was given pro-
baton and a chance under the care
of those who could assist her in
her difficulties. The third was Sent
to q hospital for mental observation
Thus it goes, and the courts try to
dispense justice without being aided
or hindered by pretty faces. The
old saying, beauty is only skin
deep" can we'll be applied to our