The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-08-31
BbC0NVENT|ON
 bPER OPENS IN CINCINNATI TODAY
I Speeches Yesterday EIihu Root Urges Bar to Play lm- portant Role In Creating
 Public Opinion
By Associated Press

sectional meetings devoted largely to occupied delegates and visitors who poured into Cincinnati today for the forty-fourth annual convention of the American Bar association. Prom 2 inent barristers from all sections of the country were present for the bus mess meetings auxiliarly to the pro gramme of addresses which begins tomorrow before the general conven- ton.
 Elihu oot, former secretary of state, made two brief addresses today in which he urged the bar to play an important role in creating public opinion and in educating young law yers in the fundamentals of the law.
 Modification of the principles of law is going on at greater speed and in larger scope than ever before" Mir. Root told todays session of the legal education section of which he Is chairman There are decisions on both sides of every question you can imagine. Changes in the administra- tion of law have forced themselves even to the attention of the public. The application of law is so widely different from that of 50 years ago that some guiding line must be found.
 We must seek for the principles of common law which is being slowly modified by thousands of statutea anu decisions of courts of last resort. We have come to the point where we must have done with desultory dis cussion and come to conclusions. We must have system of education re- curing the background of the law which explains the true method and scope of law"
 The former secretary of state urged that the bar association exercise strict supervision of lawyers of the coming generation so that the legal profession might have competent men to administer the law.
 Miss Annette Adams of San Fran cisco was one of the speakers before the criminal law section. urging swif& prosecution of those charged with crime.
 The effect of example to the pub lie and of reform for the criminal is lost if there is long delay between nts arrest and his final conviction aDd incarceration" Miss Adams de- clared. Innocent men too, should. hay ve an early opportunity to estab. fish their innocence."
 forged finger print were explained by Milton Carson of Los Angeles who told the lawyers the first thing to prove whether finger prints were in rolved in crime was whether the print was made by a human hand. lie explained how finger prints could be forged. disposing of the popular theory, he said, that finger prints were infallible proof.
 Delegates to the convention in con ference today made reports of the activities of their local and state bar associations. The association of attorneys general and the commits sioners of uniform state laws con- ciuded their session today prior to the general convention tomorrow.
 Examination Urged
 Alter lengthy session tonight the conference of delegates adopted resolution by George E. Price or Charleston, West Virginia, provid- ing that the bar association should examine representatives appearing in cases before the United States treasury department The resolution was prepared at the suggestion of the department, MT. Price said, and recommended that states and local bar associations assist the depart ment in investigating the character and qualifications of those appearing in cases before the department of it's bureaus.
 The resolution also provides that the giving of advice on the income tax pc regarded as the practice of law This provision was adopted after considerable discussion as an amendment presented by Julius Hen " Cohen, of New York
 Notable figures in the bar asso- ciation, including Chief Justice will liam Howard Taft, who arrived to- night, Elihu Root and Fred Lehman, former solicitor general of the United States, attended banquet tonight to Frederick E. Wadhams, treasurer of the association. MT. Wadhams was presented loving cup in recognition of 2O-years ser vice as treasurer.
 Harry M. Daugherty United States ' Attorney General, arrived tonight and is on tomorrows programme, although he said upon his arrival that he might be called back to . Washington at any time because of lhe West Virginia n.ine disorders
 The criminal law sections elected the following officers tonight: Floyd P. Thompson, Rock Island. H., presi- Qeuts W.<O- Hart, New ~OrleanS, wee president; Edwin NJ Abbott, secre- tAry-treasurer and Thomas J. O'Don- nell, Denver, and Annette Adams. San Francisco, council members.
 After the election, an address was made by E. w. Sims, former United States district attorney of Chicago and . paper by James R. Clark. Cincinnati, was read by Thomas Nor row, first assistant district attorney. 4r. Clark discussed the auction ot unanimous verdicts and offered the conclusion that all verdicts should De unanimous. Civil cases in Ohio all low ( three-fourths verdict, he said, but although convictions were more difficult. he favored unanimous de- cisions.
 John G. Price, of New York, was elected president of the Association of Attorneys General of the United Statea
 Attorney General Morgan of Wis consin was elected vice prsidant and secretary treasurer.
 The president named Clifford Hil. ton wisconsin. Byron S. Payne, South Dakota and Jesse NJ. Barrett, Nils. soori as his executive board.
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