Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-25
Bar Association to Vote on
Question at Milwaukee.
H. E. DAVIS TALKS OF CASE
Assistant Attorney General III Ad.
vised, He Says.
INTERVENTION OF NO AVAIL
Course Of Superior Not to Change
Plan to Draw Color Line
in Organization.

IN OTSou1Zdt1Ou.
That Attorney General wickersham will |
have a hard fight on his hands IL he at |
tempts to insist upon the retention in the
American Bar Association Of Assistant
Attorney General William H. Lewis,
colored. OF Boston, Is tho opinion express
ed by several Of Washington's lawyers
today. The report that the Attorney Cen
eral will go in person to the convention
OF the association in Milwaukee August
y to make plea for the assistant at
torney general. and that he is endeavor-
ing to line up the north and east against
the south in this matter has created
much interest in the case.
Henry E. Davis. former United States
attorney for the District OF Columbia,
who has looked carefully into the matter,
made the following statement to The
Star today:
History Of Case.
AT the Denver meeting of the
American Bar Association in 1901,
1 was member Of the general
council. At that meeting a woman
lawyer there may have been more than
one. but there was one at leas) applied
for membership in the association. and her
application duly came before the council.
which gave it serious and most respectful
consideration. In the course of such con-
sideration. it was pointed out that the
association. while having the objects de-
clared In its constitution, is nearly ana
Joyous to an organization on the order
of clubs, and that the admission Of
women to our body would be out of har
| mony with this conception; and certain
OF the southern members Of the council
| were quick to point out. that the admis-
sion OF women might, and in all probable
| ity would. be followed by ignoring the
color line and letting in attorneys who
| might happen to meet the literal require
ments for admission, without regard to
race or color.
las respects this suggestion, 1t was
| further pointed out that. many Of the
active and influential members of the as
ISOLATION, members whose attendance
upon the associations meetings have been
conspicuously regular and faithful. are
from section OF the country in which
the mingling of the races in anything ap-
preaching social association is most OBJ
Jectionable, and, indeed, intolerable: and
as the association was likely at times to
be in measure the guest of communities
belonging to that section-as has since
been the case-there might ensue a con-
dltion most detrimental to the interests
of the association, and one which, indeed
would exclude from its activities, If not
drive from its ranks. many Of its most
honored and useful members.
For White Lawyers Only.
1.-THE net result Of the elaboration at
Denver may. then, fairly be said to be
that notwithstanding the limitations OF
its language, the constitution Of the asso-
citation should be read as though member
ship In the body should be. and was. linn
tied to white male members Of the pro-
fession.
1t is an accepted fact that had his
race been disclosed at the time his name
was acted upon, Lewis would not have
been admitted to the association. and it Is
due to him to say that he is not credited
with any responsibility for the agitation
which has ensued in the premises.
think the whole matter may be summed
up thus: His admission-so far as the
action taken in the beginning may be
said to have constituted him q member
of the association-was. at the best,
most unfortunate accident. and the eff
forts since made to force his member
ship upon the association have not BEEN
characterized by either tact or q proper
appreciation Of the feelings OF the very
great majority of the members.
Agitation Unfortunate.
IF. as reported, 1t be the intention to
make his membership an issue at the
coming meeting Of the association at Mil
waukee, the result whatever it may be,
can only be unfortunate in the extreme.
A large body Of American gentlemen en-
gagged in the practice Of law have been In
the habit Of meeting annually for many
years under conditions most genial and
improving. and any action by any men,
Der OF the association which will either
prevent such meetings in the future or
else cause them to be held under other
and different conditions than heretofore
would be in the highest degree deplor-
able.
Lewis Ill Advised.
1T is quite beyond my comprehension
how any one could have brought himself
to advise Lewis as he has apparently
been advised. The obvious thing to do.
as it seems to me. would have been for
any one advising him, to say to Lewis.
as softly as might be. but yet with SUI
ficient distinctness: 1t is evident that
your membership in the association would
be so distasteful as to make your at
tempted insistence thereupon not only
undignified, but also at the expense of
your self-respect: wherefore. the thing
for you to do is very plainly to submit
to the situation as gracefully as you may.
and relegate the incident to the past as
promptly as you may. am sure that
q decade ago no other course would have
occurred to any one in the association"