Omaha daily bee., 1916-02-06
COMPLAIN OF TOLL
TAKEN BY LAWYERS
English People Aroused Over the
High Salaries Paid Attorneys
Holding Public offices.
GROW RICH AT PUBLIC CRIB


being largely practiced by the rich. and
urgently preached 20 the poor wherever
members Of the legal profession are en-
pioyed by the government in positions
involving professional practice their IL
nancial rewards are far beyond the scale
Of those received by other government
officials. however difficult dangerous or
brilliant may be the service OF the less
fortunate branches OF officiaid0m.
The three highest legal officials OF the
government. and considerable body Of
Judges, draw larger salaries than the
prime minister OF Great Britain. The
highest officials Of the navy and army,
whose duties often involve physical hard
ships and the risk OF death, are poorly
paid In comparison with those who rep
resent the government in tho courts To-
day the people are beginning 10 ask why
this should be. and members Of the
democracy IN politics Hs well as laboring
men are asking the question insistently
Il has become a burning topic with the
democratic organs OF the press Why
should the lord chancellor whose duties
are largely ornamental. be paid more
than five times the stipend Admiral
igeIlicoc receives. Is frequent query.
The office OF lord chancellor Il the
most shining target for attack. That
office Is now costing the government
$4,000 a year. II commands salary Of
5000 and a pension OF $4,000. Lord
Bucigmaster is drawing the salary, and
three living predecessors. Lords Halls
bury. I,oreburn and Haldane arc receiv-
lng pensions.
salary Makes Him Rich.
Lord Halsbury held tho office for ten
years and has been retired for ten
years. Consequently he has drawn $50.
20 for ten years service Lord IIalsbury
- 20 years old. and although ETH Wig
orous cannot hc expected to continue
long ON the pension roll. Lord Loreburn
held office for seven years and has been
retired little more than thsee years. 40
that no has been paid ss55.Oo0 He "a GO
years old. Lord Haidane was IN offIco
two years and has drawn pension some
thing more than year. lie Is Just under
81 years OF age.
Lord Buckmaster has sat on the WOOL
sack In the House Of Lords a little more
than ono year. Current gossip among
politicians has It that he is keeping the
wooisack warm for Mr.. Asquith. who.
according to belief. will succeed thereto
when tho war Is ended A primo minis
ter who conducts the cabinet through
great European war. hardly could be
Frudsed any reward entaiiing dignity.
case and good income. Lord Buck
master is 81 years old. and before his
elevation Oor elevation Ia the ont word
English writer's consider commensurate
with the process OF raising a statesman
70 the kcepcrship Of the Great Seal and
mo kings conscience) he was not popu-
lariy rated rs one OF tho greatest lights
81 the British bar. II the understanding
Tor the resersion OF the office 70 Mo.
Asquith be true, Lord Buckmaster nav
enjoy long life with an assured Income
u s27ep0 for comparatively brlof servicee.
These Arc Wen Paid, Too.
Even more lucrative than the dignity Of
she lord ehancellorabip are the posts OF
attorney general and solicitor general.
These law officers. as they are called.
have been paid salaries OF $4,000 and go. :
""' respectively but their duties include
practice In tho courts, and for court APP
pearances they receive fees, 80 that The
salaries have been regarded as retainers.
During the fiscal year iols-is the attorney
1enerai cost the government about sso,oOe
for salary and fees. and the solicitor gem
efal about $4,000 Sir Rufus Isaacs. now
chief justice. who visited the United
States last summer as one OF the commit.
tee TO arrange the Anglo-French loan
vas attorney gcnerai part OF that year
ana SIR John Simon. now home secretary
part o. the year. Sir John simon wa
solicitor general part OF that year and
Sir stanley Buckmaster lnow lord chan.
cellor) part Of the year.
During the year mentioned Sir John
slmon's receipts from the government 9oi
hs services were. in American money
just about 100000 This was a socore
year. and tho average for the preceding
ten years was much lower. Sir Ruff.
isaaes gained very handsome fec FOL
appearing as counsel representing In,
government In the Board az Trade inquir,
into the Titanic disaster.
The two present law Officers. sir +. r
Smith and Sir George Cave. have volun
sarily arranged a considerable reduction
ef their incomes curing the continuance
Of the war. The attorney general Ia {,
aecept $4,000 salary and the solicitor gen
erai $1,000, a reduction OF 5000 each. Tn
scale Of fees has been lowered 10 tina
each viii suffer loss Of $4,000 from IN
estimated taklngs Of their offices. and IN
treasury VIII gain those amounts. Neithe
ono win be extremely undcrpald. judge
BY tho revenues OF. American official
holding similar positions. with which com
perlsons have been made by English writ
ers. Sir Frederick Smith Ia a young mar
and he Will draw from the government
about $4,000 year. while Sir George Cav
may count upon $4,000. In addition the
viil be rewarded by the prestige and hel
% their future private practices. which
term OF holding high legal office IL sup
posed 70 insure.
Forty Tnanaand n Year.
Tho chief Justice OF England. now Lor
Reading. is paid $4,000 a year. and IA
retired chief justice. Lord Alverstons
who died early IN December. drew pen
sion Of tso.ooo, The six Judges who con
stitnte the lords OF appeal IN ord nary d
the House OF Lords. and correspond Z
the American supreme court more neari
than any other British judicial body. ar
Eaiariod AZ 5000 a year. The lord chan
ceilcr Of ireland and the master Of IN
rclls are paid AZ that rate. Tho lord ad
Yocate for Scotland and the attorney Ron
erai FOR Ireland arc on the pay roll a
fisqoa OF judges who receive ssies
tsere r. an imposing array They includ
The chief justices OF scotland and Ire
land Ia If1oiand fha five aaaocfata tus