The Washington times., 1920-01-25

ter than That OF the man WIN only
common school education. In the face
OF these facts, the young man in col
iege should not allow himself to be
tured into the belief that merely
passing is sufficient.
Gr~st ysisnse Of Literature.
One beginning the study OF Anglo
American law IL apt TO be appalled,
by the great volume OF legal litera-
ture. BY reason OF the doctrine OF
judicial precedent. which doctrine
makes each decided case "A guide TO
be followed in subsequent decisions.
the opinions OF the appellate courts
are carefully preserved and publish
ed.
The consequence Is that the litera-
ture of the law, always voluminous
becomes more and more appalling az
tune goes on. Lord Coke lamenting
as he does in the preface OF one OF
his reports. the great volume of the
law. enclaims, Thus you have fifteen
books of treatises and as many vol
umes OF reports" This was In the
Seventeenth century.
While Lord Coke was disturbed in
contemplating the fifteen books Of
treatises then eNtant. his disciples OF
this age must confront a literature
where, instead Of fifteen books. $1,000
books do not make anything like a
complete law library. They must
confront a situation where, in the
United States alone. 10000 opinions
contaiDing nearly forty million
words. are produced each year by the
appellate courts.
This fact also has a moral. II
indicates that no man can hope to
acquire all the information embodied
in legal literature. but that his prep
aration SHOULD consist in sssimilat
ing and making his own the great
principles which run through This
mass OF material. and in developing
that keen power OF discrimination
and analysis which goes to make ur
a legal mind.
Unique Opportunity.
The city OF Washington offers a
unique opportunity for a young man
to acquire a legal education and al
the same time support himself and
pay the expenses of his education. In
almost every law school there are
men who earn a part or all of their
expenses. and it is a matter of com
mon remark that these men are
among the very best students.
In Washington there are more po-
| sltlOTS III WHICH HfCH VI tbIs SUI Cal
earn their livelihood and pursue law
study at the same time than in any
other place in the United States. The
extent to which young men and wom-
en- of the United states are availins
themselves or this opportunity ap
pears when we note that the ratio OF
law students to population in the Dis
trict OF Columbia rs twenty five
times greater than the ratio Of law
students to population through the
United States az a whole. This alb
normal ratio is obviously due to the
fact that a great number of persons
from out of the city come here for
their legal education.
Those in charge of legal education
should not lose sight of the facE that
the public as well as the individual
student has an interest in having
thorough and careful instruction
given. The attorney as an officer OF
the court is engaged in n public serv-
ice. The people of the country pro-
vide a great and costly machinery for
the administration of justice. Nc
bungling lawyer should be permitted
to impair the efficiency of that great
and costly machinery any more thar
an incompetent sailor should be per
mitted to command a public ship.