Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-05-11
AWPROB|LEhI
DISCUSSED BY
DEAN G. WELLS
at G onvocation This
Morning Of Unusual
Interest.

s.-#N E2z-N- -L[ 49,
Law in Life was the subject OF
an excellent address given by Dean
George F. Wells OF the university law
school at the regular convocation OF
the University Of North Dakota this
morning. President Thomas F. Kane
presided. and in place of the usual
scripture reading he read the Amer
lean Creed" which is recommended
to be memorized by all university
people. and used at assemblies. Then
instead OF h usual custom of having
the c~onvocation join in >~repea:ing the
Lords prayer. President Kane led in
PRAYER. making a petition for the
safety of the nation and for the boys
who are going from the state and
from the university to 'enter the serv-
ice OF the country. He prayed that
measure Of devotion to the cause of
democracy and who have dedicated
their lives to the service might be
permitted to return again to this land
to enjoy the freedom their valor will
win, and to help build up the best
things in h world.
Dean Wells spoke in part as fol-
lows: ~
1T is not my purpose to discuss
the study of law i'll its relation to the
profession but rather In its application
W AZ - "a SSSlS lAldH. 1llGEe are
two or three words in our vocabulary
that have been much overworked in
the last dozen years-"practical," "ef-
%tlicient' and preparedness" Our
life is a very practical problem a
problem h a not all know how to
answer. The powerful achievements
OF some of the leaders in life come
IS answers to this problem, and all
come in recognition Of the applica-
ifipn of Ia W in 1ifo fhA Iau,e ~ A.n<,-n
the laws of cause and effect, and the
law Of h land. Nothing just hap
pens. 1t is a very true statement that
"as a man thinketh in his heart SO is
he" Everything abides.. Every hing
that man thinks and does remains,
and everything that a man thinks TO-
day is the result of all that is past.
We have the inexorable law: "Results
will follow
One of the great governing laws
of life is the Law Of habit We have
all so thoroughly accustomed our
selves to habit that il we have ac-
CURED the habit of work it is easier
Tor US to work than to remain idle.
w are circumscribed by the laws
that regulate the life of all. We live
under a government of laws and not
of men, Please God it shall be the
world policy when the war is over
and that the swa: Of one man over
the people of a nation may be done
away.
Few Understand Law.
standing of law. and We. nothing
comes so closely in touch with the
lives of all people every day. Resi-
dents OF a free country have law con-
stantly with them from their advent
into. the world until their demise, and
law protects the infant before its
birth. and protects the wishes Of a
man after his death. Each lawsuit
is a determined search for the truth.
And yet the attitude OF the people
toward the courts is too often a
wrong one for they look upon the
courts not as the administrators Of
the law but as the embodiment of it.
This is one Of the most essential
things to remember in our nation.
We must keep democracy safe for the
world. and make sure that the boys
who are fighting for democracy may
have something worth while to come
back to. For this purpose we should
leach the fundamentals of Law and of
government in the public schools. We
should begin to do this in the primary
grades. and should teach the children
that there is no government except
III law of the land. and teach them
the beneficence OF the law. They
should be given some knowledge OF
:he things in legal situations with
which they will later be constantly
to realize that the laws and their
making and changing are in the
hands Of the people, and that if un-
just laws are on the statute books
that the remedy lies with the people
themselves.
Respect is Necessary.
"A deep respect for the law mus,
be at the basis of good citizenship
The strength Of the nation depends
not so much upon the thinking Of the
nation as upon the feeling of the ms
ton. for where there is no heart
there is no life.
1T has ben said that the average
American soldier has no: progressed
thinks OF this n can realize why
it is SO important that we teach the
children in the grades the funda.
mentals Of law and government.
From h standpoint Of self inter.
est 1t is essential that a man have q
knowledge. / do not urge a whole.
sale rushing into the study Of law
nor do I say that every man can bt
his own lawyer. But any man Will
- o"S~ "ACAeS Vi low E"Oulu ~
able to avoid many serious pitfalls
he would know his rights and woult
thus be able TO protect himself. TIL,
law of contracts. for instance, affect,
about seventy-five per cent Of life'l
business, whether n Is in the mer
camille business or not. Many youn,
men and women who have no though
OF practiclng law are. taking up tn,
study in order that it may assist then
in the line of business which the,
expect to enter. In every business
there are many law trained men, ant
such men are in ever increasing de
mand. This is going to apply espe
lcially to the women, who because O
the changing conditions are going I,
occupy a larger place than ever be
fore In the business life, Of the world
The granting of suffrage to wome,
which will soon be nationwide, as /
should have been long ago. viii n1ac,