Evening journal., 1919-02-04
ARGUEFOR INCREASE.
IN PAY FOR JUDGES.
Prominent Lawyers Urge
Legislature to Grant
Higher Salaries
PROPOSE TO RAISE
1T TO $1,000 YEARLY
Stan Correspondent.


STATE HOUSE. Dover. Del, Feb. A.
Much Of the time Of the afternoon ses-
sion OF the Legislature yesterday was
taken up In the presentation by men,
bers OF the New Castle County Bar As
ISOLATION and laymen Of arguments IN
favor OF increased pay for members OF
the State judiciary as provided In a bill
introduced by Senator Robertson In the
Senate. The joint committees on
judiciary OF the two houses held a
meeting in the House chamber to hear
The arguments. Practically all the other
members OF the two houses also at
tended the hearing. The bill would
increase the chancellor's and court JUS
taces pay to $500 and the associate
Judges TO s7200 year.
Josiah Marvel OF Wilmington, intro
duced the speakers and explained the
nurpose OF the hearing Among those
who spoke were Herbert II. Ward,
! Major Edward G. Bradford. Jr, Robert
II. Richards, former Senator George w.
Sparks, Joseph Chandler, former Judge
Daniel o. Hastings, Caleb 2. Burchenal
and Andrew c. Gray.
Former Attorney General Herbert II.
Ward. was the FIRST speaker Mr.. Ward
pointed out that there were two rea-
sons why the Increases should be grant
ed. they being expediency and Justice.
On the point Of expedlency, he declared
Chat the people OF Delaware should have
the best men In the State upon the
bench, and he added that we have good
men upon the bench now. He pointed
out. however, that only men with SUI
foient incomes TO supplement their sal
aries could afford to accept a position
upon the bench. Mr.. Ward said that
every governor has been up against Ihe
proposition In appointing judges TO nnd
good lawyers who would accept the
honor. because they could not AFFORD
20 do so. He declared that u would
be sacrifice for a good lawyer to ao-
cept position on the bench even at the
salary OF $500 year.
Speaking from the viewpoint Of ius-
fice, he pointed out that when men are
appointed 10 the bench they are asked
10 forego every other means OF max
ing livelihood, as they cannot hold
stock in corporations, cannot engage 10
any enterprises and cannot earn penny
at their professions. They are praeti-
cally asked TO abandon every other
means Of earning a livelihood. He also
pointed out that the judges are ap-
pointed for twelve years, and that
man OF forty years would be lfty-two
wears Of age upon his retirement from
fhe bench, and he would then be thrown
upon his own resources without
clientaee 10 fall back upon. He ex-
plained that $500 Is not a)large salary
as judicial salaries so. making comparl-
son with English judicial salaries and
-fae salaries paid to judges In Pennsyl
Sarila He stated that the Federal
Judges also are poorly paid. although
they are 20 receive an increase. He
urged the legislators 10 act fayorably
upon the measure.
Major Edward G. Bradford. Jr., was
the next speaker. He said that II gave
him great pleasure 10 add his hearty
TO what had been so well
expressed by Mr.. Ward. He stated that
he had heard II argued that the dis
trict judges OF the United States Court
only received $1,000 year, and pointed
but that their salaries were about 10
be increased TO $500. Referring 10 the
fact that the low salary paid the dis
frict Judges had been advanced as an
ergument why the Delaware State ludic-