Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-19
Former President, in Address
ing Commission, Speaks Of
Looseness in Many States.
DOESN'T FAVOR AMENDING
CONSTITUTION OF THE U. S.
Convention Comes to an End This
Afternoon and Members Will At
tend Bar Association Tomorrow.

addressing the convention Of commits
sioners on uniform state laws, in. an
nual session at the New Willard Ho-
tel, today gave strong words of en-
couragement to the commissioners in
connection with their announced inten-
ton to frame a uniform marriage and
divorce law for enactment by the leg
islatures of all the states.
The looseness with which marriage
laws have been treated in many of the
states" Mr.. Taft said, requires that
you make an effort Of the strongest
kind toward uniformity, for the sake
of the sanctity of the home and the
necessity of it's preservation. 1 am very
sure, because of your success in other
difficult fields. that you can and will
bring about betterment of conditions.
Il am not in favor of any amendment
to the Constitution of the United
States, not because it does not need
amendment, for in the light of our
acquaintance with its workings we
might make some minor changes which
might facilitate its operation.
But I am not in favor of tinkering
with that great government instrument
when there are so many cranks and SO
many movements looking toward its
total abolition
Therefore. through you, and your
work In making uniform the state laws
OF the country, We q be for such enact
ments as will prevent mans being
married in one state and not in another,
for that 10 the ridiculous effect of some
Of our state laws"
Advises "Due Caution"
Mr.. Taft joculariy told the commits
sioners he hoped they would approach
the subject with due caution.
Il am not sure" he said, but what
you should have some representatives of
the other sex to assist you"
Mr.. Taft characterized the con ference
OF commissioners as the child of the
american Bar Association" and said
that as president of the Bar Associa-
ton he appeared before them to claim
as part of what the Bar Association is
doing, notwithstanding the fact that
you are now an official body appointed
by the governors of the states"
continuing, he said, in part:
In the Bar Association, everything
you do we take over with pardona bic
pride.
There is SO much wind nowadays,
mere are so many organizations formed
Ior the purpose of exploiting it's Of
ncers, there are SO many breezes that
never dow any one into any harbor of
usefulness that when we find some
one body really doing something, as
you are, it is refreshing When one
goes over the laws that you have
agreed upon and recommended to the
legislatures for passage by ali the
states 1t Is a remarkable record.
Praises Their Success.
You seem, SO far. to have been most
successful with laws relating to COM
msree. Such laws are laws in which
uniformity will have most effectuai
operation. The Supreme Court now
recognizes bankruptcy as statute
that ought to be given to Congress to
define. There are others like that in
which your work would tell. 1 con-
graduate you that you have agreed
upon a uniform partnership act for all
the states, and am glad to know that
you are now working on the working
mems compensation act.
There has been some hesitation in
Congress as to tackling the latter sub
belief-a perverted view (Mr. Taft
laughed)-that the courts should not
be relieved Of settling compensation
cases on the ground that the legal pro-
fession needs the work. but I hope.
eventually have uniform compensa-
ton law"
The convention of commissioners on
uniform state laws will come to a close
late this afternoon. and its members
sions of the American Bar Association
which convenes then. 1t is expected
that the commissioners will finish the
consideration and discussion of the
compensate law this afternoon.
The local committee having in charge
arrangements for the Bar Association
convention announced today that mem
bers of the Washington bar who are
members of the national association
and expect to attend the annual BAN
quet Thursday evening at the New
Willard Hotel are used to notify at
once Frederick f. Wadhams, treasu-
ger, at the New Willard Hotel, of their
intention to be present.