Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31
Polk Counselor Of the Department Of State

a submarine torpedo is used instead of
bow and arrow.
Reason and justice, then, quite as
much as traditional rules that have
been written by text book writer's or
by duly constituted and recognized
tribunals, are to he considered in for
mulating the attitude of the United
States i'll the various controversies
W hich are now arising.
international Law, as a separate
branch of the legal profession, has not
had a large following in the United
States until recent years. The isolation
of the United States in the earlier pc
riod of the republics history produced
this result But now this nation is less
aloof from other countries than it ever
was before. Means OF transportation
and communication have reduced weeks
to days and days to minutes. Our trade
is expanding. We are becoming a cred
itor instead of IA debtor nation.
Our association with other nations
in the great society of nations is more
intimate than ever and daily growing
more intimate. Hence, we all of
must turn our attention more closely
to those conventions and rules which
regulate the conduct of the society of
nations, not merely in time of war, but
in time of peace as we'll.
Particularly is this true in regard
to our commercial relations. Already
it is observed that the legal advisers
of commercial interests which find
markets abroad are turning their at
tention to international law. A notabl
example is in the case of counsel for
certain exporters whose goods have
been condemned by the British prize
courts. | have found in my relations
with these lawyers that they are pro-
found, learned and skilled interna-
tional lawyers.
1T is altogether proba Bile, then, that
we are to see a larger section of the
American bar devoting its attention to
international law, and the develop
ment in that section of a considerable
number of specialists in that branch of
the profession. In my opinion, this is
matter to which the young lawyer
and the law student NAV well give Sc
rious attention"
Mr.. Folks career has in it many
points of interest indicating the man
ner in which a typical young American
rises in his profession to place and
power. He is a native New Yorker
born September Is, 1871. His father
was DIR. William Mecklenburg Polk dean
of the medical school at Cornell Uni
Verslty for many years. and one time
president of the Academy of Medicine.
DR.. Polk and his father, Leonidas Polk.
the lighting bishop"-grandfather of
the counselor-saw service under the
Confederate flag during the war be-
tween the states.
Leonidas Polk was the first Protes-
tant Episcopal Bishop of Louisiana.
Early in the war he accepted COM
mission as major general from Presi-
dent Jefferson Davis and was given
command of all the territory between
the mouth of the Red River on both
sides of the Mississippi to Cairo, Ill,
on the Ohio. with headquarters at Mem
phis. He became lieutenant general in
October. 1862. after brilliant service in
the field, and was killed by a Federal
shell while accommodating on Pine
near Marietta. Ga.
The soldier blood of the family mani
tested itself in Frank L. Polk when the
war with Spain came on. Mr.. Polk was
a member of Troop a Cavalry. New
York National Guard. before the war.
and went to the front when that or
ganization was mustered into the fed