Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-02
HIGHER ETHICAL STANDARD
draft OF CANYONS BY AMER1,
CAN BAR COMMITTEE.
Code to Be Sent to Each Member OF
Association-Final Report
in August.

At A. meeting Of the committee on code
Of professional ethics of the American Bar
Association held yesterday afternoon at
the Shoreham, steps were taken In the
movement to establish and maintain a
higher ethical standard in the legal pro-
fession This committee has formulated
a preliminary draft of about seventy
canons Of professional ethics. These
canons relate to the duties OF the lawyer
I'm his relation to the public. to the pro-
fession. the judiciary, to clients and to
each other.
The proposed code Of professional
ethics will be sent to each member of
the American Bar Association and to the
respective state bar association commit
tees, requesting suggestions and criti-
cisms Of the committees work. After re-
ceiving such suggestions and criticisms
as may be made. the committee
will again meet to prepare it's final re-
port for presentation at the next annual
meeting of the American Bar Associa-
tion which takes place at Seattle. Wash.
in August, with the recommendation that
it be adopted.
group of canons the general duties OF
the lawyer as set forth In the oath adj
ministered on admission to the bar in a
number of the states as therein required
by legislative provisions, notably In
Washington, Alabama. California. Idaho.
Indiana. Iowa, Georgia, Minnesota
North and South Dakota, Nebraska and
Wisconsin.
Justice Brewers Views Endorsed.
THE work of the committee represents
three years of careful elaboration. In
framing the, proposed canons, the COM
mittee approved the suggestion of Mr..
Justice David j. Brewer Of the United
States Supreme Court. that the subject
be divided into two heads, as follows:
..One. the preparation Of a body of
rules to be given operative and binding
force by legislation or the action of the
highest courts OF the understanding
that these courts have. as doubtless they
have In some states, the power to make
and enforce such rules These rules
should be few in number. clear and pre-
else in their provisions. SO that there can
be no excuse for their violation
ethics which shall discuss the duties OF
lawyers under the various conditions of
professional action Continuing. Mr..
Brewer says: This will open wide field
for discussion and the temptation will
be to cover too much ground. Yet there
must be no mistake nor uncertainty In
the statement Of the ethical considera-
tons which should ever control the action
of the profession The bar will lose its
place unless it is leader not merely In
brain strength. but also in moral power.
The world is ever demanding better and
better men as it's leaders. We cannot
AFFORD to turn backward. but must ever
look forward and upward.
Among the members of the committee
in attendance were Henry st. George
Tucker. Virginia. chairman; Lucien II.
Alexander, Pennsylvania, secretary: JUS
tice David ]. Brewer. Judge Alton B.
Parker. New York; Frederick V. Brown.
Minnesota: ]. NJ Dickinson. Illinois;
Thomas H. Hubbard. New York; Judge
Thomas Good Jones. Alabama; George
r. Peck, Illinois; Francis Lynde Stetson.
New York and Ezra r. Thayer, Massa-
chusetts.