Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-05-16
LEADER OF BAR WARNS
BEWARE OF EXPLORERS
Annual address, Before Virginia
Lawyers Points Out Rcsponsi.
bility OF Profession.
TO DISCUSS CODE REVISION
Paper by Judge Martin +. Burks and
Address by II. st. George Tucker
Marks Session of Friday-As-
ISOLATION Fctcd ut Country Club.

on record, the Virginia State Bar AS
sociatiGn convened in Richmond yes
| terdn> for a three days session. The
wisdom y, the executive committee III
selecting central place for tho gath
eiing was amply indicated when The
applications for membership. tho larE-
CIT number Of applications on record.
Inc annual address OF the president,
feature OF the session yesterday mora
ing.
The association was called TO order
chairman Of tho executive committee.
and after q prayer by Rev. ); j. Ora
yatt, Mr.. IIcnley, introduced President
Cooke in the following words:
Many lawyers In Servicc.
We have much 10 be thankful 70,
many Of our members were engaged
in tho tremendous conflict which
struck at the very root of civilization.
others OF us had sons or loved ones on
foreign land. and a dark cloud was
hanging heavy over our heads. but
now that peace has been restored and
that. our. boys have come home or are
coming home. we trust that this will
DO one Of the most profitable as well
IS enjoyable meetings"
In his address President Cooke dis
cusscd tho war from The legal stand
point. and concluded as follows:
In these reconstruction times a
solemn duty rests upon the Bar OF
and file OF our nation arc not m!slcd
By people who seek notoriety and
power by doing away with this or that
limitation OF authority which comes
in the way Of the establishment OF
some imagined millennium which is
promised and b. which lazy folk or
wicked folk expect 10 get something
for nothing.
Beware OF vaEary E1ploiter..
We must not forget that this
country Ia an inviting field of
All OF the vagaries now being
advanced for handling human So
Cicty. from the philosophic auarchism
OF the !n,cllectuais 20 the dynamite
and torch philosophy OF tho /. w W.
We must remember that in The earlier
days of the republic we held this cOun-
accepted In good iai,h. and millions
Of sturdy people joined their fortunes
bcckon!nS hand offered freedom and
Opportunity. They came for the pur-
pose OF accepting. and did accept, gu.
citizens, loyal 10 its Constitution and
laws ana attached to its principles.
IL. these later years. however. our
hospitality has been sadly abused, /,
rs not always the oppressed that now
come seeking citizenship. but cumming
fellows with the purpose in their
hearts 10 break down the restraints OF
government With which they have
hardly speaking acquaintance, and
inaolently invoke the aid OF our own
laws 70 protect them III schemes,
whose purpose IS 10 set AT nauSht those
same Laws. Zach ono Of US can wildly
recall the dangers We .eit that our ma
ton was facing during tho times OF re-
cent distress. when we reflected upon
the influences that such men could
WELD with groups 81 foreigners who
were located in our midst and who had
not become assinnilated TO our body
polite. The anI!cties experienced
then are sufficient: 10 make us realize
tha; with ample territory yet avail
able 20 support w.llions Of American
citizens. there ought not 10 be 4 single
rood devoted 10 the support OF little
Russia. a little Hungary. or little
Germany.
Bar Must he Potential.
Our melting pot has been working
overtime during the past generation,
bur even with It's boiling at high ten
sion. II has not set assimilated all the
ingredients that the immigration Of
nee has poured into 1t. Its accomplish
ments have been great, but has been
rebelled at some Of the material which
II has been called upon to convert Into
American citizenship. The stimulus OF
cohesive comradeship that comes in
time OF grave national peril Is no
longer power TO hold in restraint GER
tain groups who have scant sympathy
for the institutions OF the country
whose protection they have sought
merely for material gain, nor must our
government shrink from Kidding US OF
those persons whose careers here have
g. N F,na yra taI