Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1920-07-17

Force and right govern everything
in this world; force till right Ia
ready. -Joubert.
The merger OF the WeStmoreland
and the Commonwealth clubs OF Ricl,-
r,ond, so-callcd. continues to attract
the attention Of tho public and TO ell.
gage the business Of the courts. Judge
ernest II. Wells, sitting for Judge
Beverly Il. Crump quickly passed the
buck 40 to speak announcing that
The court was without jurisdiction.
Just why Judge Crump, who is an all.
thority on constitutional law, should
have stepped aside in order that such
All opinion should be rendered, is n
mystery.
1t has been finally ascertained that
the State Corporation Commission is
the proper tribunal before which to
decide the questions at issue and from
This tribunal there is an appeal to
the Supreme Court Of Appeals Of Vir
ginia. 1t looks as though lawyers arc
'at sea" as to the law themselves
"Hcn Hon Edwin p. Cox. at one
time Il member Of the law, is unable
|" determine as to which tribunal he
should appeal in case of this i'm.
portancc then certainly, tho law.
makers have mixed matters consid.
crably i'll their efforts to put now
legislation upon the statute books of
virginia. Ghcs, gentlemen wanted
an injunction and where else should
they apply for an injunction. but to
court in this jurisdiction?
The long and short" of the whole
matter is that sornchC!y has blunicr.
cd. historian wrote ut ono time In
speaking Of the fallen Grccian and
Roman Empires, "Thc glory tina,
was Greece and the grandeur that was
Rome. These thoughts come to
mind, when we contemplate tho high
plane upon which the Wcstmorclond
club has been conducted for more
than quarter of century. From
the time that Attorney James Lyons
held sway there and Col. 10 Lane
Stern served his apprenticeship there
u?der the learned barrister down to
the present time. only those Virgin
ians, who had reached the zenith OF
fame and who had assembled to the
top round of social and political
achievement We're admitted within
It's sequestered confines.
But this is q day Of commercials
ism, when money and the matter of
getting more money is the primary
thought and purpose Of the leaders
Of today. Gluged by this standard.
those gentlemen, who are strenuous
IN bringing about this merger are
right, but those other members, who
cherished memories Of the days when.
worth makes the man and the
want Of it the fellow" oppose all
propositions for the enrichment Of
other club and the letting down Of
the bars OF exclusiveness to the in
diyiduals OF today are right also.
Stately jurists and respected states
men must rub elbows" hereafter
18th the MAN regardless of his
siasuing OF his ability.
Can a union Of action be brought
about on this basis? 1t is like the
Lennes and the Trotskys roaming
through the palaces of the Cars at
st. Petersburg and Moscow. Ii is
like the Eberts and the Fchrenbachs
sitting in the palatial edifices Of the
Iohenzollelns and the Bismarcks in
Germany. 1t is like the Valeras and
the Carsons lonnging in the private
apartments OF King Edward v of
England. The exclusiyeness and priv
acy is wanting i'll this Republic. But
''the most unkindcst cut OF ALL"
while not so intended was the rape
of the name, "Wes1morcland." Tho
Commonwealth Club name which
was cosmopolitan is to be eliminated
and Hamlet with Hamlet left out
substituted therefor, while the pro-
ceeds from the sale OF this valuable
landmark will swell the Golfers OF
the new club ana eliminate all in
dobtodnesS or either organization
provided either ever had any indebt.
cdness.
or course, these sad days to tho
Wostmoreland may have been brought
about by the radical action Of the
great Commoner and his associates,
when they banished from the coun.
try in general and Virginia in parti.
cular the coup that cheers and enc.
briatcs.'' Hon. William j. Bryan did