USA > Indiana > Lake County > The First Hundred Years (1938) > Part 35
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UP TO THE LAWYERS
The Hammond Times jumped on the lawyers and court procedure rough shod, when the president of the American Bar Association criticized the attitude of the press in regard to crime and the criminal. It seems the president of the American Bar Association has just found out that something should be done for swifter justice, when in fact the courts are giving us more for our money than they have been doing. The Crime Com- mission of Chicago, headed by Frank J. Loesch, has accompanied wonderful results in the way of justice. In fact, here in Lake County, Indiana, we do not perform in the outrageous slack and disgusting manner that they practiced at the time of the lawyer Fancher murder trial or the Toleston bank bandit trial. There is still plenty of room for improvement, but public sentiment has had its influence as it always has had when the public has sense enough to know right from wrong and has the courage to de- mand justice. Just of late in this county in connection with our courts, we have had an exhibition of the most profound gall and unreasonableness that has been in evidence for some time. And we suppose as long as the people will stand for it they will get
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it. Editor of the Hammond Times gives them a piece of his mind in this fashion :
In his recent appeal for a more orderly type of criminal procedure, William L. Ranson, president of the American Bar association, implied that the American press is to some extent culpable.
For a leading member of the legal profession to draw such a conclusion either by inference or direct statement, is not exactly cricket.
Mr. Ranson knows, or should know, that the press is not responsible for shyster lawyers who connive with the under- world and persistently seek to delay the course of justice.
He knows, or should know, that the press has been ex- tremely vigilant and aggressive in its assaults on a criminal code that all to often plays into the hands of murderers, rack- eteers and crooked politicians.
Any criticism of the rank and file of American newspapers will come with poor grace from any segment of the legal profession so long as the lawyers themselves do nothing to purge their profession of the subversive elements that are tend- ing to block the war on crime.
LINCOLN
Last week most everybody had something to say about Abraham Lincoln. We have been quoting our martyred presi- dent every week for the past two years at the head of our column. "Let us have faith that right makes might! And in that faith let us to the end dare to do our duty as we under- stand it."
There are a lot of good people who have the faith but they are moral cowards and dare not take a stand for what they be- lieve to be right. If that were not so the world would be better off today.
I can remember when Lincoln was severely criticized for his religious belief. He did not follow the beaten path and had some ideas of his own and he was called an infidel or atheist, or something worse. Now they hold him up as a saint and a model man for us all to imitate. I think he was a wonderful man. What made him so was his determination to learn, to study, to know the truth. He formed his opinions through study, research and investigation-investigation until he was satisfied he was right. Then he would act upon his convictions-"Dared to do his duty as he understood it."
The majority of people do not express themselves until it is safe-that is: when others are of the same opinion they can
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afford to take a stand. Lincoln was a man who formed and led public opinion. He did not do the bidding of the riffraff and the mob as most of our public men are doing today, because the mob has more influence in public affairs than the mass of the people do. God give us men ! We need them today. We especial- ly need them in our form of government. If there is not enough men and women of the right stuff in this United States we may have some other form of government.
IT IS ABOUT TIME SOMETHING WAS DONE ABOUT THIS
Martin Dies, writing in the Sunday Herald and Ex- aminer, says: "Fifty thousand alien criminals are now illegally in the United States." "Foreigners cause one-fourth of our crimes due to laxity of laws, and three-fourths of our demon- strations and riots." "Hauptman is an alien illegally in this country, causing the great suffering of a good American family and costing this country a million dollars." "In New York one thousand communists have been on the relief rolls-two hun- dred in Chicago."
The majority of the disturbances in this country are led by foreigners-many of them aliens. We are feeding and car- ing for them and they are trying to destroy us and are demand- ing that the government provide more for them. Many of these aliens fled to America to escape arrest at home. Some coun- tries have found it cheaper to send their habitual criminals to us than to support them in prison. The men who run the alien and smuggling racket are themselves criminals and they bring in these aliens for criminal purposes.
"In 1934 a survey among Federal prisoners showed 8564 who were not citizens in addition to 3066 foreigners only lately naturalized. Sixty-six per cent of the people arrested in New York had foreign names."
You do not have to go to New York to see this condition. You can see it right here in Lake County, Indiana. Who it is that are filling our courts, prisons, poor houses and the county jail. If it were not for the foreigners most of the lawyers would be out of a job. There must be some influence to prevent strict laws governing this alien business or something would be done.
The saying "We have given away so much of our liberties we have none left" is too true here.
WOMAN'S CONGRESS
The third annual Woman's Congress at the Palmer House, Chicago, last week, sponsored by the Chicago Tribune, was the outstanding women's meeting of the year. Seven or eight
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thousand earnest, intelligent, determined women gathered in the interests of the better life for all. The varied program covered such topics of national interest as Social Welfare, Education, World Peace and problems of government. Lady Nancy Astor, member of parliament from England, gave them an address over the radio. Then followed the noted speaker, Glen Frank, presi- dent of the University of Wisconsin, and other noted speakers. Secretary of State Cordell Hull, spoke by radio from Washing- ton, D. C.
Mrs. George B. Simmons, the new farm woman who was discovered at the grass roots convention two or three months ago, is making a national reputation by giving the New Deal her opinion of being told what to do from Washington. Miss Wil- liams, former Democratic committeeman from Tennessee, told them that "an open mind is very desirable for good politics." She said it was difficult to get the best citizens to work in a political party and to assume the responsibilities of office in the parties. There again we need openmindedness to realize that government functions through the modus operandi of the poli- tical parties.
Mrs. Simmons said : "I want our children to learn to work hard and well so that they can feel the joy of capability and accomplishment. I want them sometimes to know the ecstacy of their second wind. I want them to have the freedom to which their father and I were born, the sense of rightful possession, of equal opportunity and the belief that Heaven itself is the only limit to the ambition of a free-born American citizen." Mrs. Simmons has a lot of natural gifts and good common sense.
Senator Barkley defended Roosevelt's administration and did a good job of it. These people are big enough to have dif- ference of opinions yet not "get mad" about it.
Justice Maxey said : "Americans believe that no legislation can make incompetence equal to skill or indolence equal to in- dustry, nor convert theories, instead of labor, into wealth." And he added : "The best panacea for want is work." Let that soak into you! There is the truth !
Mrs. Catherine Williams, representing the Catholic cause, gave a strong address, showing their co-operation for a better life and the bringing about of the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man.
These women are certainly showing a great capacity for good, intelligent things and we probably will realize sooner or later that the brains are not all in one sex. The men will have to improve themselves or take a back seat.
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MRS. MELLUE VILMER WOODS
MRS. WOODS PASSES
Mellue Vilmer Woods has passed to the great beyond, from which no passenger returns, at least in the flesh and blood. She fought the good fight, her course had run and had earned the well done thou good and faithful servant enter into the joys of thy Lord.
After a long illness she passed away on Tuesday evening, February 18, 1936. A short funeral service was held at the Dr. Malmstone home and then to the Methodist church at Crown Point on Friday, February 21, and was buried in the family lot at Maplewood cemetery, Crown Point. At the rising of a bright sun the next morning we thought of the first sunrise over Maple- wood cemetery.
"Earth to earth
And dust to dust Here the evil and the just ; Here the matron and the maid, In one silent bed are laid Age on age shall roll along On this pale and mighty throng Those that wept and those that weep All shall with the sleepers sleep."
Mellue Vilmer was born, lived, and was educated at Crown Point. At 16 years of age she began teaching school in the coun- try, often walking four to six miles to the school on Monday morning and returning Friday evening to her home. The last half of her teaching was in the Crown Point schools. Altogether she taught for ten years. In that time she helped to care for and educate her two brothers, Louis and William, who preceded her in death. Her father died when she was three years old. She married Sam B. Woods March 15, 1882, and came to Hickory Ridge farm as its mistress and manager of household affairs. She had had no previous experience in the management of a farm home but she proved to be master of the situation. Her deter- mination, management, frugality and thrift stood by her through many a trying situation. Many hired men boarded and bedded : from 15 to 20 men to cook for at thrashing meant good man- agement, and hard work. Always we had our share of company and family reunions to try the strength and business manage- ment of the housekeeper. As a mother to her three children, Harold, Wilma, and Margaret, she gave her best thought, action and attention. There was nothing in her power to do but what was done for her children. Her whole life was devoted to them and the grandchildren received the same consideration and at- tention. Mrs. Woods always took an intelligent interest in public
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affairs and tried to post herself on the questions of the day so as to be an intelligent voter for the best interests of the country. She was an enthusiastic member of the Women's clubs where she often took an active part, and found great pleasure in meet- ing and getting acquainted with other women. She had opinions of right and wrong and she stood by those opinions regardless of what others thought or the consequences to her. The question of wrong determined her actions as one of her friends wrote after her death, "She went by rule and that was the Golden Rule."
It would have made her very happy to know of the many friends that called and the many beautiful bouquets that were brought and sent for the last chance of expressing their respect and love.
COMMUNISTS ACTIVE
According to the newspapers the Communists are getting in their work in the colleges. A thorough survey was made and they estimate that about two per cent of the student body are believers in Communism. Not only the students in the colleges but some of the preachers are going that way. We think we can see a reason for this. With this wonderful country and its possibilities we have in the United States, the young people see a condition that they cannot understand. Regardless of the great wealth of production of farm and factory, thousands are out of work and are on a troubled public for a means of existence.
They naturally want to know why this is. Their college education does not tell them what is the matter or give them a remedy for the bad conditions. They will teach them a whole lot of things that is of less importance than the science of govern- ment for their future welfare and happiness which does not satisfy them. When they look forward to going into a badly managed world with no chance for an honorable existence, along comes a Communist with his wonderful story of prosperity and happiness under Communism. He has had no particular edu- cation in a broad practical way so as to grasp the situation and know the advantages of our form of government. He knows there is something the matter and in his ignorance he accepts Com- munism as a remedy.
You can say about the same thing of the preachers with all their education and training. My observation has been the rank and file of them have very little knowledge or applica- tion in the real business and science of government. Their effort has been to teach people the right way of dying rather than the right way of living; and there is a demand on them especially with the young folks. For an explanation of this situation : Instead of them going to the bottom of things and
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finding out what is wrong in our government-that was sup- posed to be equal rights for all, special privileges to none, they do not know better than to go over to Communism for a remedy. And then societies that are organized for the betterment of things by full grown men must not broach the vital subjects that are of the utmost importance for fear that there might be different opinions among the members causing a rupture which would injure the peace and harmony of the society.
We seem to have forgotten, or never knew, that form- ing and maintaining a just and honest government is one of the biggest jobs that civilized government is called upon to do. When our schools realize the big important things of this life and teach the young the art of self government, and when our preachers as a whole educate the people to a high standard of citizenship, where they will be a power for the determina- tion for a good, honest just government, we will not need to worry about Communism in this country.
WORK-NOT SOMETHING FOR NOTHING-MAKES LIFE WORTH WHILE
Whenever the whole people of this United States will go to work and work as much as the farmers have been working (and are now working) and produce as much per man from their labor-of useful goods-and get the product of their labor distributed, we will have good business, which means prosperity. There is nothing the matter with the country. The country is "all right." The wrong is with the people. They want light exercise and high living-or, in other words, they want some- thing for nothing. They want the government to support them instead of their paying taxes and supporting the government. The people who are working and supporting the government are getting mighty tired of supporting a lot of dead beats. And we see that Congress has come to its senses and begins to realize that there is a limit to the amount of spending.
FARM PROBLEM IS THE TARIFF PROBLEM
In this year of 1936 we will have-and now have-con- troversy and education. Someone has sent me "The National Public Forum" and "Vital Speeches of the Day," by some of the leading moulders of public opinion. What is printed there- in is good-some especially good, and representing both political parties. I am going to quote that which I think is more par- ticularly vital for our best interests.
From John W. Davis: "Surely the idea that nothing can
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go well unless government has a hand in it is one of the most insane delusions that has ever vexed the mind of man. As a matter of daily observation the things that go best are precisely those with which government has least to do. I believe it can be demonstrated to a mathematical certainty that the distress tormenting the world today is due more to the folly of govern- ment than to any and all other causes combined! If this is the case, and I believe it is, it behooves us to be mighty particular whom we select to run our government."
Mr. Davis speaking about how our public servants are selected, i. e., Hiram Hokum behind the public desk, refers to him thus: "A man not much reputed in his home for wisdom, but a faithful party servant, has now entered into his reward."
Merle Thorpe, editor "Nations Business" gives an account of a mistake made down in Washington. He said they were running out of the combinations of letters and had to dupli- cate some of them. As a matter of fact we have two CCC's- the Community Credit Corporation and the Civilian Conserva- tion Corps. The situation is fraught with danger. For instance : A man wanted to join the Civilian Conservation Corps. He addressed his letter to the CCC and by mistake it went to the Community Credit Corporation and they sent him a check for ten thousand dollars. That was not so bad, but think of the other poor fellow who had some commodities, and who wrote to Washington asking for a loan. He addressed the letter to the CCC and it went to the Civilian Conservation Corps. He woke up forty-eight hours later one thousand miles from home chop- ping down trees.
Senator Norris of Nebraska says, "Agriculture is the funda- mental industry of civilization, and the greatest problem that confronts Congress and the American people today."
James P. Warburg, economist, says, "If the Republican party of 1936 has nothing more to offer than a return to where we left off in 1932, then the American people will indeed be confronted with an abominable choice.
I would like to see the Republican party produce a can- didate whose primary attributes are integrity, courage, reason- able intelligence, steadfastness of purpose and principle, some knowledge and experience in practical affairs and-most im- portant of all-an abiding conviction that the president of these United States is the servant of the people and not their ruler. .. I should like to see the Republican party say something more than that it believes in sound fiscal policies and a reduced cost of government.
The American farmer has had his fill of plausible, but un-
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filled promises. The farm problem has always been and re- mains, the tariff problem.
"Reducing the tariff is difficult and dangerous-particul- arly if done hastily. Subsidizing agriculture is costly and un- economical; and establishes a bad principle.
"Eventually-by gradual stages-we shall reduce the tariff. And so shall all the other nations. Until then I know of no com- plete answer to the farm problem. If the Republicans do so much the better. But, if they have no real answer, there are millions of farmers who will respect them more for saying so than for attempting to out-bid Mr. Roosevelt and his 'gentle rain of checks.'"
Do you get what he says? "The tariff problem is the farm problem." Until we reduce the tariff he does not know what we can do for the farm problem. Mr. Warburg knows what he is talking about on the farm problem. There are a whole lot of others talking who know nothing.
Ex-president Hoover gave a talk at Lincoln, Nebraska, on "The Freedom of the Farm." But he knows little about it. Sec- retary of State Cordell Hull, who talked from Washington over the radio, speaking of trade. and commerce said: "It is funda- mental that nations must trade with each other on a substantial scale. . .. This living unto ourselves is impractical. An honest exchange of products between nations promotes peace and prosperity."
We think we know one thing-The protective tariff that was going to promote prosperity did not do it in the long run only for a very few. The American workman did not continue to have a full dinner pail.
EVERYBODY HAS THEIR PART
Everybody wants to ride the public chariot including the farmers. The idea is we might as well be getting ours when the getting is good. Read what this fellow says :
The AAA decision has dumped the American farmer on the taxpayer's neck and neither the democratic nor the republican party will ever pry him off, the magazine Fortune for March contends.
" 'Only a major European war might change this situation,' it states.
"The magazine blames protected industry for the burden, stating industry forced agriculture to operate on an economy of abundance while manufacturers set up an economy of scarcity behind high tariff walls."
That is the situation exactly. The protected interests kept
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their prices up so high with the help of organized labor, that it got the price situation all out of balance, made a few men im- mensely rich and most everybody else, especially the farmers, poor. Now comes the organization of the American Liberty League whose members, most of them, are the tariff-protected, favored class, who made their millions at the expense of the masses, holding up their hands in holy horror at the favors the farmers are getting, when they were the fellows that brought on the trouble and made it necessary to boost the farmers' con- dition so they would be able to do business with the protected favored class.
Let the government take off the advantage the Liberty Leaguers have and let them go to work, as the farmers are at work, manufacture their goods and throw them on the market as they want the farmers to throw their production on the market. Then the farmers can stand on their own feet and won't ask any favors.
The American manufacturer and the American farmer and everybody else have got to go to work and produce the same as everybody all over the world is doing. Get down off from their high horse and do business or the first thing they will be finding out they won't have any business."
CLIENTS OR PAUPERS?
Here is a fellow writing in the "Voice of the People" in the Chicago Tribune on the above subject, whose head is located right according to our opinion :
Chicago, February 27 .- H. R. says: "Many men who went on relief were once in the $6,000 to $10,000 a year class," which is very true. About 40 per cent of our relief rollers are from the building trades, who earned from $15 to $20 per day, double pay for Saturday and Sunday work. They come under this class.
Now, what did they do with all this easy money ? Some used to go to work in a taxi. Many of them had two cars. They lived better than King Solomon in all his glory and their wives made the Queen of Sheba look like a beggar.
Now this in itself is not bad. I am not jealous. But what gets me is this: A week after the building boom crash they flock to the relief stations and cry for charity. And the $30 to $35 per week clerk, on whom they looked down, has to help support them.
Should any one feel sorry for them? I can't see why. Are
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not the building trades largely responsible for this depression ? A $3,000 home cost $10,000 to build, owing to the unreasonable pay of plumbers, carpenters, etc.
M. B.
HIGH COST OF LAWYERS
H. C. L. formerly stood for high cost of living, but a better application now would be high cost of lawyers.
When everyone was making easy money back in the whoop- ey days lawyers got to asking fifty to a hundred dollars a day for court service and some of them now have not heard of the depression. I know a man that was expecting to get into Court. He saw a lawyer in regard to his charge for service and the lawyer wanted thirty-five dollars to take the case and look after it, but when it got into court it would be fifty dollars per day, and most of these courts take a long time to do a little. What business will stand fifty dollars a day ?
Judge James H. Wilkerson of Chicago gave his opinion of some of the lawyer charges which he would not allow. Com- menting on this the Chicago Tribune says: "Legal fees have grown to be 'grossly exorbitant' as a result of business condi- tions over the last 25 or 50 years, Federal Judge James H. Wil- kerson said yesterday in the course of hearings on requests ag- gregating more than $1,600,000 in connection with reorganiza- tion of the Middle West Utilities Company.
"Lawyers now receive fees all out of proportion to what leaders of the bar a generation or two ago received, even taking into consideration the rise in cost of living and other changing conditions, the court continued."
One firm has been paid $30,000 a year for a receivership. Now they bring in a bill of $155,000 more. It is a case of dog eat dog and hog eat hog. If we are our brother's keeper some of these fellows want a big price for doing it.
ALWAYS WITH US
An article on the above written by Frank A. Garbutt was clipped and sent to us by a man living in California. Read and ponder :
The incompetent will always be with us. Where nature would destroy them, man makes it easy for incompetents to exist and breed.
In a democratic government demagogues obtain ascendancy by catering to the vote of the incompetent and ignorant. To
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