The Green Bag
99
And the court building in Halle bears the solemn inscription :—
and haste-even on the part of the judge —by the words :—
Ein deutsches Recht für alle gleich.
Man kann in Ruhe etwas tun, Man kann im Tun etwas ruh'n.
One people and one ruling hand, One law for all the German land.
A quiet man can something do; He can be calm and active too.
Ein Volk, ein Kaiser, ein Reich,
But it is especially in Provincial Tri bunal III in Berlin that the authorities have called poetry into the service of a public in quest of justice. From every wall we are greeted by neat sayings which
help to make the time shorter for citizens in waiting. We find, for example, a couplet which seems to incline rather to the mild theory of the possibility of reforming the criminal than to the hard
doctrine of warning example, and which runs:—— Strafe soll sein wie Salat, Der mehr Oel wie Essig hat. No prisoner and no good salad spoil; Let each have less of vinegar than oil.
Much severer is the bureaucratic rhyme that we meet later: Lieber was gutes nicht belohnen Als was schlechtes wo verschonen.
Rather not reward the good Than not punish where you should.
A very cutting rhyme is the one:
A somewhat dubious estimate of our administration of justice is given in the touchingly frank comment: Der Lehrer in der Schule Der Richter auf dem Stuhle, Der Kaufmann bei der Ware, Der Priester vorm Allure, Der Maler vor der Leinwand Vertragen keinen Einwand. The teacher in his school, The judge upon his stool, The merchant with his wares, The priest at altar stairs, The painter at his picture, Will hear no blame, nor stricture.
Remarkably well equipped, also, with quaint judicial rhymes is the new court
building in Rudolstadt. Every window frame and closet door is adorned with curious couplets for which Attorney Klinghammer of that city is responsible. Some of these quaint aphorisms are very much worth preserving. We find, for example : Kreuch' bald ins Bett‚ fang zeitig an, Du musst eyn klares Köpflin han.
Allen Recht zu than, würde mir nicht bangen,
Wurden alle nur was Rechts verlangen. I'd work for right to all with main and might, If each one wanted only what was right.
And the warning lines are addressed to witnesses: Ja soll ja, nein soll nein, Nein nicht ja, ja nein nicht sein, Der, der and'res reden kan, Ist kein Christ, kein Biedermann.
Yes must be yes, nay must be nay. Yes never no, nay never yea; Who speaks not truly, never can Be Christian, or be honest man.
We are warned against all nervousness
Go tumble early into bed If you would keep a lawyer's head. Führ deyne Sache gut oder schlecht, Der Menge machst du's niemals recht. D0 your work well, or do it ill, The mob will blame, do what you will.
Geh’ deyne Wege scharf und grad’, Du bist kein Winkeladvocat. Seek out an honest way and true;
No pettifog attorney you. Schwankst zwischen Neigung du und Pflicht. Horch aufl'. was deyn Gewissen spricht!
If two opinions split the way, Hear what your conscience has to say.
