Evening star., 1919-09-21
STATE SECRETARIES
meet TOMORROW
Association to Discuss Need
enf Uniform Laws on Vari-
,siAc=1-
.l.s7a GUS Subjects.
SCHEDULE OF SPEAKERS


The Association of American Secre-
taries of State will open its annual
convention here tomorrow at the New
Ebbitt House. The association will be
in session Tuesday and Wednesday
also.
The keynote of the convention will
be uniformity in state laws, and CO.
operation by the states in the en-
forcement of the laws. 1t is becom-
ing more and more a matter of vital
interest to the country as a Whole 10
have the laws In the various states
uniform, especially as to marriage and
divorce, the chartering of corpora
tions, deeds. conveyances and Wills
The secretaries of state, representing
the various states in the Union, Will
discuss the best means for bringing
about uniformity in laws dealing with
these and other subjects.
Organized in 1915.
The association was organized in
Cincinnati in 1915. Representative
Stuart F. Reed, then secretary Of state
of West Virginia, was the founder OF
the organization and its first presi-
dent. in which capacity he served until
he was elected to the House of Repre-
sentatives Mr.. Reed still takes a keen
interest in the affairs of the association,
however, and was largely responsible Tor
the convention meeting in washington
this year. He has been active in the
Arrangements for the convention here.
Prominent members of the Senate
and House and of the cabinet are ex-
pected to attend the meetings OF the
association and to make addresses.
Among those slated to be present and
to speak are Speaker Gillette. the
Vice President, Secretary Baker of
the War Department., Secretary Lane
of the Department Of Interior. Rep
resentatives Champ Clark of Missouri,
Cannon of Illinois, Kitchen of North
Carolina and Fess of Ohio. The present
president of the association is A. P.
Langtry, secretary of state of Massa-
chusetts- Mr. and Mrs. Langtry are
expected to arrive here to-day.
Extension of Courtesies.
The secretaries and their wives will
be taken on sightseeing trip to-
morrow evening, through the courtesy
Of the Washington Board of Trade.
Tuesday afternoon the secretaries
and their wives will be the guests of
the Washington Chamber of Com
merce. They will take boat trip to
Mount Vernon, leaving Washington
at 2:30 pm. About an hour will be
spent at Mount Vernon. after which
the party will be given buffet
luncheon, served on the boat.
That the meetings of the associa-
ton this week will be fruitful of
valuable recommendations is the pre-
diction of persons who have followed
its former conventions. The officials
Of the various states will have an op-
portunity to discuss matters affecting
the management of their offices, as
we'll as to discuss the best methods of
bringing about uniformity of state
laws.
Questions for Discussion.
Among the questions which are ex-
pected to be discussed are:
Uniformity as to methods, scope and
purpose of corporations as chartered
In the several states.
Uniformity as to the Authorization
of documents intended for transmits
SION to foreign countries.
Uniformity in matters relating to
deeds. conveyances and wills, where
the owner resides in state other
than the one wherein the property is
situated.
Uniformity as to licensing lawyers,
physicians and members of other pro-
fessions or vocatfons, and uniformity
as to courtesies in recognition when
persons in these professions go from
one state to another.
Uniformity in automobile 1egisla-
tion, especially as to the beginning of
the license year, license fees and state
courtesies.
That regulations common to one
people, living under one flag, should
be adjusted without abolishing or
abridging principles Of local self-gov-
ernment is the sentiment of the asso-
ciation.