The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-02

American Bar association in resol
 The resolution was adopted after stormy debate, in which former Sem ator James Hamilton Lewis coun- selled against nasty action and moved that the matter be referred to com
 mittee for investigation. lie de- clared that Judge Landis should be accorded a proper hearing before be- ing condemned.
 The resolution was drawn late to- day by the executive committee of the association and was presented by hampton l.. Cameron of Philadelphia, former president of the organiza- ton,
 The resolution read as follows. "Resolved; That the conduct of
 kenesaw M. Landis m engaging in private employment and ac- Gcpting private emolument while holding the position of a federal judge and receiving a salary
 rom the federal government
 meets with our unqualified con
 dcpination as conduct unworthy
 of the office of judge, dcrogntory to the dignity of the bench and undermining public confidence in the independence of the judi ciary."
 In upholding the honor of the profession of the law" MT. Carson said In presenting the resolution, 'of what use is 1t to prescribe canons on ethics if we know that the man un- der whom the judicial ermine rests has soiled that ermine by yielding to the temptation of avarice and pri- vate gain?
 Here is a federal judge who re- ceiVed $7,5oo a year yielding to the solicitations of commercial interest sapping his judicial strength by talk ing S42,o00 a year from baseball 1 players.
 It is simply dragging the ermine in the mire. It may be that i'm peachment cannot reach him but one thing cannot escape us, that is. that rom every Judicial circuit and every par In the country rises the whitening scorn of protest against the man who would stain their honor. | ITO ignore this thing would have been to leave this convention hang Ing our heads in shame at the exc crable conduct of this judges | Defended by Lewis | Rising to defend Judge Landis as man convicted by the resolution without trial former Senator Lewis declared It did not become the dig 1 nity of the American Bar association to take nasty action.
 i AS member of the bar in Chi {, cago, having practiced before the judge in question, I cannot permit myself to consentsto a resolution pro- posed for such hasty actioi,". the for mer senator said q know Judge .andis, and have differed with him | poth Tn public and private but | 1 cannot permit an attack upon his character or his probity as man
 who can be allured by money.
 While this man is on trial, 1t does not become this body to pass a reso- luton which condemns him without nearing. You have read in the public press that he has accepted this baseball position and has ac- cepted this salary It may be that these things are true, but whether true or not. we should not present to the world a resolution which vio- lates fairness.
 T move you. sir, that the matter be referred to committee which may serve due notice upon the all leged culprit and give him oppor- tcnity for reply. Let justice be done though the heavens fall" l R. D. Robinson of Galesburg, H., | voiced his approval of the resolution by declaring that If man in Judge Landis' court had violated the ethics of the court as Judge Landis has done, he would be sent to jail for 90 days without trial by jury" Another member of the Chicago bar. John M. Harlan, declared the American Bar association was on | rf q nd tA1 ~ the associations opinion on Judge Landis' dual position before con demning him.
 Urges Publicity
 There is no practical doubt that Judge Landis is the national com missioner of baseball,"% he said. There may be some doubt about the salary he receives but the American Bar association owes 1t to itself if we have esprie de corps and pride in our profession, to tell the Amer ican public whether the association thinks 1t right for judge to receive a salary for service off the bench. Judge Landis is not the only judge with ability Many judges, pressed by the high cost of living and with meagre salaries, would be glad to accept outside appointments. 1 If the association thinks 1t all right they would be glad to Know about it. fl Tn justice to these others let us announce whether it is proper or not"
 Stormy debate ensued interrupted lfrequently by outbursts of applause as speakers in all parts of the con l vention hall arose to support or de- nounce the resolution. United States Senator George Sutherland of Utah cl airman of the meeting, finally l nranosed f%A motion of Mir Lewis