Evening star., 1912-08-27
Unseating of Negro Members
Before Bar Association.
COMMITTEE MAKES REPORT
William H. Lewis One Whose Elec.
tion Is Rescinded.
OPPOSITION BY WICKERSHAM
Members Decl--e Against Recall of
udges-President Gregory Reads
His Annual Report.

MILWAUKEE. Wis. August 81
be admitted as members was one of the
subjects before the American Bar Asso-
citation. which opened its thirty-fifth an
nual meeting here today.
The question arose in a special report of
the executive committee. declaring that
although it had been the settled practice
of the association to elect only white men
members" three negro members in
Guiding William H Lewis. an assistant
to the United States Attorney General,
had been seated by the committee in igno-
rance of their race. The committee there
fore rescinded its action and. allowing the
men to remain qualified as nominees for
membership. asked the entire association
to vote on the question.
Wickersham Champions Lewis.
Attorney General George W. Wicker
sham announced he would make a siren
uous fight against any attempt to unseat
Lewis and the other negro lawyers, de-
claring the committee had no power after
once seating the men, to take away their
memberships because of race distinction.
Mr.. Wickersham said he was not here to
generally. as that question was not in
volved
Many southern members, including Ern-
est I. Florence and Edgar H. Garrar of
New Orleans and George Whitelock and
John Hinkley of Baltimore. declared their
support of the committees action was
based entirely on a desire not to set a
precedent for the admission of negro
lawyers generally as prior to 1911, when
Butler r. Wilson, Boston, and William
Minnaa he nfh
members whose seats are contested by
the committee. We're admitted. the mem
bership was composed of white lawyers
only.
Oppose Recall of Judges.
Opposition to the recall of Judges and to
any legislat tion which will affect the pres
ent tenure of judges is expressed in spe
cial report, which has been prepared for
presentation to the association. Frank B.
Kellogg of ST. Paul, chairman of the
committee which prepare dth ereport. said
investigation showed "a most every repu-
table attorney in the country was opposed
to the recall of Judges
Seneca NJ. Taylor, st. Louis. brought
from ihe National Assembly OF Commits
sioners on Uniform State Laws q model
bill to be offered for adoption by various
state legislatures, which will prohibit the
marriage In other states of divorced per-
sons who have been prohibited from mar
rying in any one state.
President Gregory's Address.
At the opening of the session today
S S. Gregory of Chicago. president Of
the association, delivered his annual ad-
dress, in which he said
1T is quite obvious that we live in
time of much political and governmental
activity. No doubt the Importance and
gravity of controversy is often exaggerat-
ed by those who participate in it. In
the perspective of history, political and
popular conflict loses somewhat of that
shart outline and aspect of almost revo-
lutionary violence which 1t wears while
the battle is on. Still. making all due
allowances, when reflect that two
amendments to our national Constitution
are now apparently soon to be adopted;
when consider the radical changes In
their organic law, already secured in sew
eral states and contemplated in others;
when we remember the marked innOvd-
tions in political methods, accomplished
by the direct primary extended this year
for the first time to the selection of presi-
Dental candidates. 1t is not necessary to
look beyond the extensive confines of our
own land nor to consider changes else
where. scarcely less significant. TO estab-
lish the proposition that we live in an
age of political revolution.
Now we seem to have reached a time
when the very constitution and frame of
our government is under critical examna-
ton. The progressive tide. stayed by con-
stitutional barriers, threatens now to
sweep them all away: to spread itself
widely over field and valley. carrying
with ii o.d forms old institutions and old
ideas, bringing In its train. according to
contending views. either devastation or
blessing, but concededly involving sweep
ing and radical change"