The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-12-10
LOCAL NEED Of
LEGAL MD BUREAU.
Business Men Gather Data On
Plan To Protect Work
ing People

establishment of a legal aid bureau
In Birmingham, for the purpose of
furnishing legal advice and aid to
citizens who are unable to pay for
it, will be considered by the directors
of the Chamber of Commerce at their
regular monthly meeting Thursday
week, December 90
This matter was taken up by the
directors some time ago and Score
tary-Manager o. l.. Bum was author
lied to secure information from other
cities as to the plan of establishment
and operation of these bureaus. Mr.
Bum found that in 80 cities of more,
such bureaus are maintained by the
Chambers of Commerce, the bar asso-
Citations and other organizations, and
they have been found to be a distinct
asset to city, in that they curb the
activities of Ambulance chasing
shyster lawyers, prevent the employees
of manufacturing establishments from
being imposed on, to their own de-
triment and that of their employers,
and generally extend the machinery
by which justice is made available
for the poor and humble in every
community.
The National Alliance of Legal Aid
u
Taft is honorary president and Albert
+. Bigelow of Boston, active presi-
dent, has extended an offer of CO.
operation to the Birmingham Cham
Der of Commerce in the establishment
of a bureau here. Practically all the
legal aid societies of the United states
are affiliated with the national al
lance, and the benefit of the expert
ence gained in other cities is avail
able for Birmingham.
Success In Nashville.
One of the southern cities which
has found legal aid bureau of great
practical advantage is Nashville, and
the secretry of the Chamber of Com
merce of that city advises Mr.. Bum
securing the whole hearted co-opera
ton of the Birmingham bar, the
manufacturers of birmingham who
are large employers of labor. and
the employees themselves, who are
most directly benefited by such serv-
ice. In some cases, even citizens who
are able to pay for legal aid have
not the judgment necessary to select
the proper attorney, says the Nash
Vile secretary, and allow themselves
to fall into the hands of shysters who
mistreat them,
There are at this time some rs
or 80 legal aid organizations in vari-
Gus cities of the United States-some
of them on very elaborate plan
and with a considerable budget,
writes the Nashville informant. 1T is
possible, however, to conduct a legal
aid bureau on small budget and yet
produce results we'll worth while.
From Chamber of Commerce
viewpoint, legal aid bureau is a
necessity. 1t gives the chamber an OPP
portunity to render service to it's
members who are frequently annoyed
with unlawful garnishments being
run on their help. 1t gives the surest
line of approach to the cooperation
of the working element of a commu-
nifty.
Garnishment Pionage.
I'm those states where garnishment
laws exist, great many of the work.
ing people, through carelessness or
Ignorance, have, permitted Judgments
to be rendered against them that
could have been justly defeated, but
once rendered become legalized and
a source of great trouble to them in
the future. There are cases on record
in Nashville where judgments have
been rendered and garnishments
issued from time to time catching just
enough money to pay all or part of
the cost of the garnishment, and in
no way redAcing the principal of the
Judgment. This practically means
peonage for the debtor. If the judg-
the garnishment issued legally, there
is, CT course nothing that legal aid
bureau can do to assist in the matter,
but it frequently happens that gar
ishments are not legally issued, are
not even served, and the cost of same
is charged against the debtor. In cases
of this kind it is possible for the
legal aid bureau to secure relief, and
these cases are by no means rate. By
handling cases similar to these, it re-
lieves the employer from the neces-
sity of appearing in magistrates
courts and the employee from taking
time from his working hours.
I'm cases of loan sharks, the legal
aid bureau can and does correct this
great evil. 1t takes but little time
for a legal aid bureau, where proper
ly conducted, to correct great many
of the evils now existing, and the
loan shark and magistrate who are
pressing an ignorant debtor no sooner
learn that the matter is in the hands
of the legal aid bureau than they
are anxious for q compromise.
"The method used in Nashville is
as follows: The Nashville Bar assocfa-
ton has agreed to furnish without
charge all of the legal advice and
work necessary to conduct the organ
ization, with the stipulation that a
case must be examined thoroughly
by the secretary of the bureau and all
facts in it reduced to writing and