The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-01
COMMITTEE GUSTS
 NEGRO ATTORNEY Wickersham Goes to De-
 fense of Assistant IS VERY INDIGNANT
Committee Says None Other Than Member of White Race Has Ever Been Member of Bar Associa-
 tion-Appeals to Members

Washington, February 29.-A decision by the executive committee of the American Bar association to oust William H. Lewis, a negro, and an assistant attorney gen. eral of the United States, from member ship in the bar association, has aroused Attorney General Wlckersham to the de- fense of his assistant. In a spirited let ter sent to each of the 400 members, the Attorney General charges the executive committee with an arrogance of power un- warranted by the bodys constitution "in order to gratify race prejudice
 The Attorney General points out that Lewis was elected after he had been reg ularly nominated and invited to join by the association. He calls attention to the fact that the committee which elected Lewis went out of office and was sue ceeded by another committee containing two new members. It was the new com mittee, he adds, which took action.
 Wickersham Wrathy
 "The object of the association" the At- torney General continues lis stated in the constitution to be to advance the science of jurisprudence, promote the adminis- ltollOii Ol JuSliOt, upiiOio tut llOHOI tue profession of the law and encourage cor dial intercourse among the members of the American bar !"
 Any person, fulfilling certain require ments." MT. Wickersham adds, lis eligi- be for membership
 The action of the executive commit tee, he declares, can hardly be consid- cred to tend to uphold the honor of the profession of the law and encourage cordial intercourse among the members of the bar It certainly does not tend to promote the administration of jus tice."
 Mir Wickersham enclosed with each letter a postal card addressed to George Whitelock, secretary of the American Bar association, protesting against the committees action and requesting its revocation. He asked every member dis approving of the course to sign the card.
 Correspondence Published
 Copies of correspondence between the Attorney General and Secretary White lock also accompanied MT. Wickershams s letter.
 On January 24 the Attorney General wrote to MT. Whitelock:
 "I am especially moved to make this protest because MT. Lewis is an assist ant attorney general of the United States, holding as l do, the commission of the President of the United States. issued to him by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. It may be that some of the members of the as- sociation prefer not to have colored man as fellow member. But the con- stitution of the association makes no such discrimination"
 Only White Members
 Mr. Whitelock replied that none oth- or than member of the white race has ever been elected to memb ership in the association and added that as the committee had elected Lewis in the be- lief that he was of the white race, 1t was felt it could not uo less than re- scind it's own action inadvertently taken. Tho committee had not de- cided, MT. Whitelock added, that a ne- gro was ineligible for membership.
 The attorney general replied that '1n the face of such outrageous ac- tion" he would appeal to the members. Lewis was appointed by President Taft last year. Ho has been in charge of Indian depredations claims in the department of justice. Frequently he has been a White House caller and in attendance at the White House recep- tions.