Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-17
Uniformity of State Laws.

For some years belief has grown steadily
stronger that measures should be adopted
to unity laws and practices of the states
in certain regards in order to prevent
the anomalous conditions now existing
owing to the wide differences of state
laws Attention was attracted to this need
most cOnspicuously a few years ago, when
an effort was made to secure uniform
divorce law throughout the United States,
to cure ScandalouS and morally danger
GUS diversity. The conference Of governors
summoned by President Roosevelt two
years ago was the first move on broadly
national lines in this direction of state
unification, the immediate purpose of that
meeting being to advance the cause Of
the conservation of resources. While
little was accomplished in direct results
as result Of the conference, the moral
effect of a great meeting of governors
in Washington was unmistakabe, and
since then several plans have been pro-
posed to establish such conferences as a
regular feature of the national organiza-
ton.
Today begins a conference on uniform
legislation, called by the National Civic
Federation. Over four hundred delegates
are in attendance. 1t is planned to dis
cuss the entire range of interstate laws.
and to emphasize the need of uniformity
of legislation. In way this conference
will be a clearing house of ideas. invita-
tons having been issued to all the i'm
portant national organizations which are
at work to secure uniformity in special
lines 10 be represented before the con-
ference, in order that this body may OBJ
tain a comprehensive view Of the needs
of the country In this respect.
AS matter of practical procedure this
is probably the most effective method that
can be adopted. This present conference
will express the demand not for any
particular line of uniform legislation, but
for the adoption of the broad principle
Of unity of state laws in certain matters
which are essentially of an interstate
nature. Thus in a way the present con-
ference is body of specialists. seeking
uniformity in general and offering to the
advocates of all special lines the best
opportunity that has yet been presented
to put their own projects in the way of
success.
The list of subjects legitimately falling
within the range of state unity is long
and impressive. 1t is proposed, for ex
ample, to unity the state laws regarding
fire protection and insurance.; those in
regulation Of common carriers which. do
ing an interstate business, are subjected
to both state and federal laws: those
affecting the manufacture and sale of
foods and drugs, already regulated on an
interstate basis by federal enactment;
those affecting the marital relations,
which are not now under federal regula-
ton. Other propositions will be discussed
with reference to the propriety of NOV
ing for state uniformity. especially in all
instances where the United States has
already established standards. in con-
formity TO which it is desirable that the
state laws should be written.
This conference may become powerful
agent for the cure of conditions which
are increasingly cause of difficulty and
retard the country's progress. The prin-
ciple of interstate regulation by the gov
eminent is now firmly fixed as a part of
the national system, and sooner or later
it will be necessary for the states to con-
form to standards which have been estab-
hshed by the votes of their own chosen
representatives in Congress, and to which
they thus have subscribed.