Evening star., 1951-05-26
Corning Joins
Juvenile Court
Secrecy Protesi
Board of Welfare
Plans Appeal If
Conference Fails

SOHTSTSHCS T0IIS
School Supt. Hobart M. Cornins
said today the schools want tt
Join any movement to get re.
versal of the secrecy order issued
by Juvenile Court, Judge Edith
H. Cockrill.
He said he will inform Commits
sioner F. Joseph Donohue of the
orders effects on the schools so
the Commissioner can present
their problem. too. when he meets
Monday with Judge Cockrill.
Commissioner Donohue already
has been briefed on the effect
of the information ban on the
public welfare agencies.
The Board of Public Welfare
officially underlined that yester-
day by stating that I'VE cannot
give the service to the community
that we are charged with doing
If the court directive remains in
effect"
While expressing hope that the
Monday conference will provide
a remedy. the welfare board rec
commended to the Commissioners
that, If the conferences does not
iron out the situation, q ruling
from higher court should be-
sought as fast as possible to get
the opinion reversed.
Legislation Held Alternative.
And if that fails, the welfare
board said, new legislation should
be sent to Congress Immediately.
Both DIR. Croning and Fred
Kogod, vice chairman of the well
fare board and its presiding. Of
ficer yesterday, protested that the
judge should have forewarned them
before issuing orders cutting off
information to the agencies.
I'VE didn't know a thing about
1t in advance" DR.. Croning said.
"It seems rather peremptory to is
sue an order like that without FORE
warning. 1t does tie up our ma
chinery. If we don't get a relaxa-
tion of this order we will be very
much handicapped"
The schools previously got lists
OF children on probation, those
committed to institutions and those
released. The school attendance
department reported regularly toI
the court on the children under
the courts supervision but now
cannot do so because it doesn't |
know which children are on pro-
baton.
Court Move Forecast.
Mr.. Kogod protested that the
Judge should have given the well
fare board some warning and
should have given Corporation
Counsel Vernon West an oppor-
tunity to discuss the information
order with her before it was
issued. Mr.. West will join Com
missioner Donohue at the Monday
meeting.
II this meeting fails, Mr.. Kogod
said, the United States Court of
Appeals will be asked either to
reverse Judge Cockrill or grant
q stay of the order until some
other solution can be found.
Judge Cockrill said, in her
order, that the restrictions she |
was placing on information are
governed by statute and are not
discretionary, except in definitely
defined limits. Opponents of the
order have contended it is not |
the law at fault but her interpre-
tation of the law.
Mr.. Kogod said he does not be-
lieve the community should suffer
becauses "the judge jumped to
conclusions too fast"
Welfare Board Statement.
After hearing a report by We'll
fare Director Gerard M. Shea on
the effects of the order on the
Public Assistance Division, Child
Welfare Division and the Receiv-
ing Home for Children. the well
fare board issued this statement:
1.-THE Board of Public Welfare
Is greatly concerned about the di-
rective Of the Juvenile Court. Wei
already have knowledge that it isl
not only going to affect us, but
know that it is already affecting
the smooth operations of the
board. We cannot give the service
to the community that we are
charged with doing if the court
directive remains in effect.
"The board feels that this situ-
alton should be cleared up as soon
as possible and the information
necessary relayed to the board as
has been done previously.
1--WE hope that the meeting of
Commissioner Donohue and the
Corporation Counsel, Mr.. West. on
Monday will rectify the situation.
Otherwise, the board recommends
that a guiding rule be set up as
fast as possible to get the opinion
reversed. If this fails. then legis-
lation should be drawn up and
placed before Congress immedi-
ately." -.