Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-10-28
HIGHER VENERA1|ON
FORLAW THEME Of
DEDICATION SPEECH
Justice Stafford, at Court
house Exercises, Reviews
Tribunals Aid to World.

ItOuoV IAVS VtoVoS stVstS"S
Tribunals Aid to World.
Following the formal and impressive
rededication exercises Of Washing
tons reconstructed courthouse yester-
day the court today entered on an
other chapter in its history.
In his speech at the dedication yes
terday Justice Stafford said regard for
the law should be like generation for
religion and the temple Of Justice
should be ha1lowed like the home OF
religion.
Justice Stafford Reviews claw"
Justice Stafford then reviewed the
history Of the law from the earliest
conception Of justice to present day
a great people that did not venerate
the law, and predicted that without
some reverence for law. the authentic
voice of our millions OF self-governed
men. we may pile our wealth In
mountains, but we shall be as a rope
of sand"
1.-THE first thing to be noted" said
Justice Stafford. "is that the ceremony
which brings us together 10 not
dedication merely: 1t is a rededication.
fact that on the selfsame spot justice
is administered from generation to
generation. So strongly did our Eng
lish brothers feel 1t that only with the
greatest reluctance DID they remove
their courts from that certain place
where for many centuries they had
been held, the celebrated hall of West
minister; and some even contended
that 1t was unconstitutional, q VIOLA
ton of Magma Charta itself. to do SO.
49, ~
transformed into the Christian church.
The early Christian. rs rule, did not
demolish the old shrines; he breathed
into them new spirit. and made use
of all he found there that was not in
consistent with tho brighter and ID
York Cathedral they still show you
the remnants Of the heather altar
that connects their service with carly
Anglo-Saxon times.
Lauds Desire for Continuity.
"The feeling that thus prompts mon
to preserve the symbolic continuity OF
their spiritual life Is q true feeling,
based on the soundest philosophy. For,
after all. 1t Is not to the present form
of faith. alone. that the temple Is
erected, but also to that primitive.
permanent. catholic instinct Of wor-
ship which antedates all forms and
may outlast them all.
$50 1t il when we are dealing with
another great and universal senti-
The forms and meth
DDS through which men will seek to
make justice their own will. no doubt.
vary in the future as they have in
the past. Laws will pass away; con-
situations themselves will be altered
or supplanted: but the sentiment Of
Justice win not be lost. It carries in
NJ or 10 IN
its bosom; and 1t IL to that sentiment
itself. rather than to any present-day
Of its aspiration. that we
dedicate this place"
Pays Tribute to the Dead.
The speaker dwelt feelingly on the
absent ones called by death from
among bench and bar. and asserted
that memory will never paint . pic
ture Of the old familiar rooms and
leave them out" He described them
some with . touch OF humor that
up the dusty ways, some with
q golden eloquence that held US will
Ing prisoners. some with worldwide
learning, and some with the habit of
silent, sleepless toll
Former Justice Covinston's Talk.
Former Chief Justice J. Harry Cow
lngton spoke. In part. AZ follows: 4
This 10 an suspicious occasion and
one which should afford both happi-
ness and Inspiration d, TO ALI of US
gathered In Its celebration. Here, in
the nations capital. the most Inn
portant federal trial court. the Gu.
lumbia. 10 at last provided with an as
pes. needs ana sntirsiy S.atsins s'i IL
!mpersonal dignity. It. IL . genuine \
10y to know that henceforth Judges,
OF the bar and those others
who as litigants and witnesses have
necessary or compulsory recourse to
in !, Washington are to
pass their days OF attendance in ap-
1T II in some sense with q feeling
Of personal pride that avail myself
Of tho privilege accorded me Of TAX
Ing part in the formal opening cere.
mony Of q courthouse which. a. in
cident to my service a. chief Justice
OF the great court which occupies 1t,
! had the fortunate opportunity OF
urging Congress to reconstruct and
beautiful and serviceabIe form.
Occasion Significant.
/. 1T seems to me. however, that this
day has In II something more than q
selfish Joy OF mere physical comfort
or the qualification Of small personal
pride. Brought facs to face with the
outward symbols OF our judicial sys-
TEN. we should deeply reflect upon It's
a. the keyatonA of our