Evening star., 1928-06-10

IlCdlIy pTeCIuQeS All menJiOn OF - case
by the newspapers from the time thai a
prisoner Is indicted to the time when he
Is either acquitted or convicted They
said that American courts possessed the
came powers as British In this respect,
but they we're not in favor of their rigid
enforcement, as in Great Britain. The
part which the newspapers played In
bringing criminals to justice and In
keeping public opinion alive and the
courts up to the mark was essential In
the present condition of American JUS
tice, and rigid rule of silence when a
prisoner was put on trial would only
add TO delays and evasions. The sensa-
tionalism of the newspapers might Of
serious newspapers might-as I had
suggested-be glad to see silence i'm
posed on their yellow competitors, but
public opinion played large part in the
doing of justice In America, and 1t would
be dangerous to curtail 1t.
American Opinion.
had opportunities later of discussing
the same subject with other Americans.
and their opinions. If I rightly under
stood them, are somewhat as follows:
There are undeniably great evils which
admit of reform, and American courts
might prohtably adopt good deal OF
British procedure. and especially the
clean sweep of technicalities effected by
the British judicature acts. Also the
American bar might help by restraining
its members from taking advantage of
technical pleas in the defense of their
clients. Professional vested interests
we're in America. as elsewhere, formid-
able obstacle. But any large change
over from an elective to a permanent
ind fV,ata Tt4A fa
supreme courts might. to a limited ex-
tent. follow the example Of the Federal
Supreme Court by appointing perma-
nent judges, and on some of them there
were judges who, to all intents and pur-
poses, were permanent. But on the
whole the United States had taken its
stand on the democratic principle in
appointing judges as other officials. and
its evolution must be along that road.
Life Safe and Orderly.
The electors must learn that they
had a great interest in supporting
fearless and independent judges and
seeing that they did not suffer by
courageous and upright conduct on the
bench. This education was advancing,
and system of justice firmly based on
IL might in the end be a finer thing
than one imposed by the flat Of au-
thority. In the meantime the English
man must beware Of pushing his anal
ogies too far. The problem of doing
justice, especially criminal justice, was
far more dificult one In a vast new
country, with different systems Of law
and police In its States and large and
ill-disciplined population of foreign
newcomers than in an old and COM
pact little country like Great Britain.
-
these evils. like others, but in the
meantime allowance should be made
and the Englishman should beware Of
jumping to hasty conclusions from
what Americans tell him. Some Ameri-
can newspapers seemed to take a spe-
cial pride in the reputation for
wickednesS which their cities and To-
calities had earned. but I might take Il
that for % per cent Of the American
people life was as safe and orderly as
for the same percentage of Englishmen.
The travelling Englishman Is, am
sure, wise to heed these reminders, but
the administration of justice presents
one OF the Sharpest contrasts in the
British and American system. and he
Is bound to give 1t a place among his
impressions. In this, as In so many
other matters, he is struck by the toll
erarlce and patience Of the American
public. for 1t is certain that IL the same
state OF opinion or anything like it
existed In Great Britain, judicial re-
form would be on the banners Of all
the political parties. and there would
be an active competition between more
and less drastic proposals.
Religious Life in U. s.
There are many things In ones own
country which one only understands
by getting away from them; for An
Enlishman. one of these Is the in
huence of an established church. Com
ing to country where all the churches
are free and equal. he feels at once
the difference Of the atmosphere.
There Is no metropolis in the RELIGIOUS
lie OF America; there is no authority
to set a standard of orthodoxy. to
claim a favored relation with the state
and enjoy the monopoly of Official ap-
pearance on ceremonial occasions. The
word nonconformist ceases to have
meaning because there is no church 10
wnicn anybody Is expected to conform.
The whole country Is a free recruiting
ground for all the denominations and
IN consequence. one becomes aware of
stir and hustle and activity. a rivalry
and competition III the religious world
which are lacking in Great Britain
The denominations seem to be In
Vulnerable and nearly all TO obtain
handsome financial support which en-
aoleS them TO erect large and costly. If
not always beautiful. buildings. One
realizes by contrast how greatly a pre-
dominant established church quenches
tnls KIND OF zeal. The English people
excepting always jealous minority
OF nonconformistS-have the comfort
able sense that religion is provided for
them; the American people know that
they must provide IL for themselves.
There Is no form of propaganda so
effective as the collection of money and
the American churches and missionary
societies are not ashamed to be eficient
IN this art. They both get the money
and In getting 1t keep interest alive In
their faith and work. In return they
are expected to give their congregations
their moneys worth. The inexpert and
fumbling preacher. the merely good
man, who has no gift either as a
preacher or as an organizer. must not
expect the indulgence which he would
get as matter of course In England
from an American cOngreEation He
cannont tell his flock that they have a
sacred duty To attend his ministrations,
he must compel them TO come In by
his eloquence and hts activities and
MAKE mis- church part OF their social
life. II Is small wonder II sometimes
the commercial side OF II gets mixed
up with the spiritual.
have read In American newspapers
the same complaints about the ialling
of IN churchgoerS and the number OF
candidates for the ministry that I am
familiar with In England. and sup
pose there are grounds for them IN
certain parts OF the country, But taking
the country as a whole regular church,
going seems TO be far more a fiXcd
habit In the United States than In
England.
In England there is practically no
tundamentalist controversy. Scarcely