The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-11-17
1.-The New Russia, No. H.
COMMON SENSE
RUNS RUSSIA'S
LEGAL SYSTEM
0ratory and TechnicaIities
OF No Importance to
SoVietS.
BY JULIA BLANsHARD

BY JULIA BLANSHARD
stan Writer for NEA Service and The
Times, Sent to Soviet Russia Especially
for This Series.
Copyright, 1881. NEA Service. Inc)
If you we're arrested in Russia
and hailed into court, you could not
hire high-priced lawyer.
II you insisted on hiring a law
wer, he would not be a private one
He would come from a corporation
whose maximum fees are set by
the state.
If you we're an ordinary Russian,
you probably would plead your own
case in court. For oratory and
technicalities are of no importance
IN new Russia's scheme Of justice
Common sense replaces legal prece-
dent. Jury trials are unknown.
In Moscow 1 saw a murder de-
fendant plead his own case. The
courtroom scene was utterly differ
ent from an American court. Huge
red banners hung on the wall. On
a platform behind a long wooden
table, covered with a red cloth, sat
three proletarian judges--The wom-
an in the center was a Judge by
profession. The two men flanking
her were factory workers, serving as
legal advisers.
Makes Good Beginning
The murderer, brought in by
Red guard, stood in front of the ia
Bile. The woman judge told him that
the man and woman on the bench
at the side had seen him knock his
neighbor down. He had never got
ten up. The state will give you a
lawyer If you wish one" she con-
cluded. He didn't.
He began his story by saying he
was a worker, the son of a worker
This, apparently, is the best possible
beginning. He never had hit any
one before. He had been drinking
heavily. He hadn't meant to hurt
his neighbor.
When he finished, the three prole-
tartan judges asked him about his
work, his family, where he lived.
Then they adjourned to an ante
room to make their decision. They
returned in not more than fifteen
minutes.
Six Months in Prison
THE prisoner must spend six
months in prison and then be on
probation for another year, the
woman Judge announced.
The guard led the shaking man
out. He could appeal the case.
But six months go by. His wife
could visit him in prison. He could
work and earn money just the
same.
IF he had killed a political Off
cial in a dispute, he would not have
gotten off so easy a citizen ex-
planned to me. only murders that
are against the interests of Com /
munism result in the death SEN.
tence. No others do"
To keep justice moving swiftly,
Russia has a system of legal
consultants who decide minor cases
without referring them to court
Every crowded apartment house has /
a house board to decide neighbor-
hood difficulties.
Housing Is Big Problem
There are tables for free legal
council at all the recreation parks
and in public buildings. In addi-
ton Moscow has from sixty to
seventy district courthouses with
rooms for legal advice, before cases
get to court. They are largely pa
tronized.
Housing is our biggest problem,
the woman lawyer in charge of a
preliminary court told me. IF some
one dies OF moves out, everybody in
The house quarrels about their pros
pective rights to that extra room.
Basement jewellers have first choice.
Families with children come next.
Inefficiency Is Misdemeanor
The largest number of cases after
housing come from inefficiency in
work. That is a miSdemeanor, for
ineff1ciency slows up the Five-Year
Plan.
Men who pretend to marry girls
Just to stay with them brief time
and then desert them are given
their choice of really marrying them
or going to Jail.
What happens to political pris-
oners no outsider living. in Russia
can tell Exile, Imprisonment or
death! But the Soviet government
regards other criminals as they do
sick people who must be cured"
for a useful social life.
Next How Americans live lii
Russia. A privileged class that gets
many things Russians can't have,
but the latter do not resent it as
Americans and American dollars are
needed for the success of their
Five Year Plan.