Evening star., 1951-06-14
Women Voters Ask
Judge Cockrill 10 Help
Alleviate Difficulties
By Miriom Gutenberg

The District League OF women
Voters today joined other COM
|munity groups in protesting what
has happened to the Juvenile
Court.
In a letter to Juvenile Court
Judge Edith H. Cockrill. the
league expressed dismay that "the
spirit of the court has been SO
radically changed as to nullify the
progress of many years y
The league appealed directly to
the Judge to use the means at
her disposal to alleviate the pres
|ent difficulties.
The controversy Swirling about
the court became public with the
disclosure that the judge had is
sued orders shutting off court in
formation from other social
agencies. Since then. two court
officials have resigned, the Juve-
nile Court Advisory Committee
has voted to dissolve and Spokes-
men for the TOO social workers Of
Washington have threatened to
stop recommending the Juvenile
Court as suitable place of en-
Iployment'' for their colleagues.
Decided to Address Judge.
The league moved into the con-
ltroverSy as one of the organiZa-
tions which worked for passage
of the Juvenile Court Act as well
as one of the few groups whose
members have been permitted to
visit the court during the past
year.
Mrs. Robert w. Lambert, SUBJ
chairman of the Leagues Juvenile
welfare Committee in charge OF
1.-THE Juvenile Court. said the
leagues board discussed the court
controversy at its last session ano
decided to address the judge di-
Irectly. The text of the letter
signed by Mrs. Lloyd s. Luther
lpresident Of the league, follows:
j "As one of the community
groups which played a vital part
lin sponsoring the Juvenile Court
IAct Of 1888, the League of Women
Voters of the District of Colum-
Ibia has followed the present con-
ltroversy with deep concern. We
ARE dismayed that the spirit OF
the court has been so radically
changed as to nullify the progress
|of many years. If it is necessary
Ito change the law we hope il
Twill only be in such a way as te
guarantee full cooperation be.
tween the court and other vel
.lfare agencies.
1--WE know you must share oul
regret that the current situation
has developed in a way SO de-
lstructive in it's effect on the chill
Idren of the community. We look
Ito you as the responsible head o1
the Juvenile Court to use the
means at your disposal to allie.
viate the difficulties which nov
Impede the effective functionins
'Iof the court"
Prince Georges Officials Protest.
1 In another development, Primo,
Georges County probation ant
parole officials today were bitter
lily protesting Judge Cockrilps re-
fusal to give them information
! about District boys charged il
} the county with auto theft.
] According to Roy d. Bright
senior probation and parole Off
Ger In the county, Parole Office
5 John Collins went to Juvenile
i. Court here earlier this week il
search OF information about thre'
boys.
Mr.. Bright said he was positiv
one had been on probation her
: and had reason to believe tn
|other two boys also had been o,
probation. He said Mr.. Collin
/ simply was trying to find ou
: whether the boys were good pro
: bationers. whether their parent
I had co-operated and whether pro
baton in the county would be tn
: wise thing for the boys. The in
S formation was refused.