Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-10
Five Lawyers Prefer Fee Sys-
tenn in Compromising Su-
preme Court Auditor.
ONE ADVOCATES SALARY
ON GROUNDS OF ECONOMY
Discussion of Report That Investiga-
ton BY Congress May Result
in New Method.

Of six Washington lawyers interviewed
today BY reporter for The Star on the
proposal to change the present fee sys-
tenn Of paying the auditor OF the Su-
preme Court OF the District to salary
system, FIVE are opposed to such
change. They are William f. Ambrose.
John B. Larner, Henry p Blair. Alex
ander II. Bell and Leon Tobriner.
The sixth attorney. Walter C. ciephane.
thinks the office should be placed on a
salary basis. similar to that of the judges.
and that the taxpayers Of the District
should bear the expense of 1t. instead
Of the litigants paying the auditors fees.
as Is done at present.
Following a report that Chairman
johnson Of the House District committee
intends to bring about, IL possible, an
invcsttgatio by Congress of the respec-
tive merits OF the fee and salary systems
Of paying the auditor, on the ground that
his fees constitute too large an emolu-
ment the subject continued today TO be
one Of general conversation in legal cir
cles Ore lawyer made the point that the
discussion draws attention to a belief thai
the judges are not sufficiently paid. COM
pared with the Sl0.000 in fees which the
auditor receives some years: but. he
added. the discussion also shows that the
auditor does, perhaps, much more detail
work than any OF the judges. inasmuch as
he Is assistant to a number of them.
No Reason for Change.
81 see no reason for making the sug-
gested change Henry P. Blair said.
THE present fee system has worked very
satisfactorily. The occupants of the
auditors Office have been lawyers of
conspicuous ability. They are entirely
removed from practice when they accept
the position and must decide questions Of
the highest Importance. The office should
| be made attractive to them, as they are
In advisory capacity to the courts. The
position requires undoubted ability and
| learning and SO far as my practice H.
concerned 1 have never had any reason
| to comp ain of the fee system.
| II have had a sreat many eases before
the auditors Office" John Il. Larner said.
| II have never had any reason 10 COM
plain of the fee system, and my fees at
that office have always beer most reason
able
| II did at one time entertain the idea
Of having special auditors for each case
to divide the practice. in other words.
among The lawyers Of the city: but
| abandoned TX because IL would not
work out, / think. to have the auditors
interested in private practice. The
working OF the fee system has been
highly satisfactory to me. and I have
had a good many cases before the
| auditors office, too"
William E. Ambrose declared that the
auditors Office has never been better
managed during his eighteen years Of
practice at the bar than il is now
conducted.
| From the character OF the work In
| voived," Mr. Ambrose said. II do not
| see how the ONCE could very well be
placed on a salary basis. The auditor
| must have the incest legal knowledge
and he NQSlQf qlRn q hill
ity. / am pretty certain that if we
should destroy the present system OF
the Office we would destroy its use
fulness to lawyers"