Evening star., 1939-10-29
Civic Problems, Civic Bodies
Importance of Rehabilitation;
Court Consolidation Plan ExpIoined

the bureau and it's great need.
Any community program for the
extension of this work must in
clude the education of the public
OF its Importance and value as
crime preventive and human
ltarian service.
There is financial angle also
to this problem of rehabilitation
which affects all taxpayers be-
cause crime is costly luxury.
1t is Wasteful both in wealth and
human life and human effort.
This problem should receive a
careful study by every citizen
group which has truly the welfare
OF the community at heart.
Community Influence Dissipated
Through Unwise Endorsements.
AS has been said so often in
this column voteless and un-
represented community has very
little influence either as to meas
ures or the selection of officials.
And this small influence is dis
sipated frequently through hasty
and illadvised action.
OF course when vacanacy
occurs in one of the more i'm
portant District Offices many of
the organizations Immediately
pass resolutions of general
character urging that only local
people be considered for appoint
ment. Some organizations are
more specific and recommend a
candidate and in many instances
without regard to his fitness for
the position.
Among such candidates, so
indorsed, are those perennial
applicants for Office who get their
friends to launch a campaign
for them Immediately. Some do
not even wait for their friends
to get busy but start a personally
conducted effort in their own
behalf.
To avoid being stampeded into
supporting for Office those who
are unqualified is one of the most
troublesome problems confronting
the civic organizat tions and is
second only to the similar one Of
avoiding the approval, without
proper examination, many half
baked proposals. 1t was to such
problem that Justice Bolitha J.
Laws shaped his address last
Monday evening to the Society of
Natives of the District of Colum-
bia.
He called attention to the small
number of Washingtonians ap-
pointed to the more important
local Offices. He, in part, at
tributed this condition to the
tactics followed by local organiza-
tions and individuals.
He told of having been called
into consultation on different oc-
casions regarding the filling of
such vacancies. He had been
amazed at the people recon-
mended and equally amazed at
their indorsers.
The advice the judge gave
should be found helpful and
strengthening to civic groups and
leading citizens. 1--WE must" he
said, choose men of ability, men
Of energy. men who have proven
their stuff. Merely passing reso-
lutions of a general nature favor
ing the appointment of District
residents is not enough. We must
draft, if necessary, men of Wis
ion for specific jobs.
1--WE must not say that we
want none other than District
residents chosen, for many men
of great ability have been and
can be brought from the outside"
This latter thought was, of course
more applicable to some of the
judicial positions though the Sc
lection of DR.. Rutland, by the
local physicians, was given as an
illustration.
Until the People of the District
possess those fundamental rights
held by all other Americans they
should make their small influence
count the most through display
of real wisdom in approving both
men and measures.