New-York tribune., 1920-01-18
Cure Red
Peril Offered
By H. W. Taft
Constructive Effort to Com
bat Menace Is Urged at
Dinner of the New York
State Bar Association
DIR. Butler Gives Advice
No PermaneEcy in. Radical
Ideas, He Says; Socialist
Theories Impracticable

Bolshevism and the national unrest
were foremost topics at the annual
dinner of the New York State Bar AS
sociation held last night at the Astor.
Henry w. Taft, president of the as
sociation, who acted as POSTMASTER,
and Professor Nicholas Murray Butler,
head of Columbia University. who was
the chief speaker, both seized upon the
prevalent tendency to radicalism as
the livest issue open for discussion.
Mr.. Taft urged constructive effort to
combat the menace. DR.. Butler de-
clared that there was no permanency
tion of socialistic theories to an every
day world is quite impracticable."
The dinner was the final function of
the forty-third annual meeting of the
association. Previously Nathan L..
Miller, of Syracuse, was Elected presi-
dent for 1920. succeeding Mr.. Taft.
Frederick E. Wadhams, of New York,
was again chosen secretary, and AL
bert Hessberg was reelected treasurer.
Francis NJ. Scott was chosen vice-presi-
dent of the New York district.
Rule By Minority Sought
The most amazing thing about
Bolshevism, Mr.. Taft said, was that it
sought to pcrpetuate its rule, not by
the consent of the governed, but by
the will of small minority sustained
by force.
1--WE hear much in these postwar
days of Americanism," he said. "But
mere emotional response to noble SEN
timents of patriotism will not avail to
protect the body polite against as
saults upon our institutions unless
they be followed by enlightened con-
structive effort. Insidious influences
sometimes emanate even from pulpits,
colleges and public prints. The parlor
Bolshevists add gloss of respectable
ity, of culture, of religion, and even
OF spurious patriotism to the efforts
of both the ignorant alarmist and
the disloyal agitator. Too often they
confuse the soviet ark with the May
flower
Private property may be temporarily
endangered or destroyed, as for ex-
ample by the terrorism which holds
Russia in its grip, but it cannot be
permanently, or even for long over
thrown, DR.. Butler said. "It does not
seem to me that there is any real
basis for the agitation, sometimes sup
ported by academic writer's on law and
politics, to overturn our legal and
political systems. Both have stood the
long test of many-sided experience, and
both. will be adequate to deal with the
economic questions of to-day and to-
morrow provided they be worked in a
spirit OF open-mindedness, broad human
sympathy and constructive progress"
Law Equal for Rich and Poor
A denial by Chief Magistrate Nc
Adoo OF the charge that rich clients
have advantages over less wealthy citi-
zens in New York courts featured a
discussion by the association yester-
day afternoon on the administration
OF the law in respect to the poor. Sec
retary of State Hugo read paper on
Corporations in the State of New
York" in which he advocated reforms
in the state laws governing corpora
tions.
Magistrate McAdoo set forth the
opinion that in actual fact the poor
man was better off than the rich, Sc
1ar as the New York courts were con-
cerned.
"A rich man invariably comes into
court with counsel, and if he appears
with naughty, patronizing manner, as
often happens, l think the magistrate
is rather adversely affected than other
WISE" he said. IA poor man who says
to the court, 4 want you to protect nn1
AaSHto, Is dPC 10 get .1ull measure
running over. In some quarters tn,
gangster and the corner loafer ma,
have an influence against which th
magistrate must constantly guard, bu
that is not question Of poverty o
riches; it is simplysa question of keen
ing the mind free from appeals whic
have no right to be heard except +
the open court"
Magistrate McAdoo urged that tn
machinery. for bonding q man or
woman who is presumably innocen
should be simplifed.>
That the chargeable fee be regulate
by the amount of bail.
Magistrate McAdoo also compla;ne
that many of the city courts were i
ventilated, out of date buildings. Il,
signed to give the foreigner the wron
impression Of American Justice.
eScretary of State Hugo said th,
members of the legal profession conl
render valuable service by direct
their energies to the Improvement !
the corporation statutes. H. said
desired no radical. changes. for Ne
York never has shaped her statutes Z,
the purpose of acquiring revenue
Offering cheap charters and o-cais,.
broad powers" to nonresident mr.
motersx Nevertheless. he declared i
state should not, by error in a Co o
trary direction, drive legitimate dome
tic enterprise to foreign states. as
! now being done to some extent,