New Britain herald., 1924-07-11

] 1+HHt@a h# aA AA A"AAN ANH"A NastNfAa' The attorney general, ln making
 these admissions, merely confirms
 what has been of common belief, But
 when he attempts 10 gile a definite
 rrason fer lowered standards it is
 douhtful whether he entirely hits the
 mark,
 "for fully a geRerali0n," he deelarr
 sd, Eve have progressively lowered
 the lone and standards of the bar through the ineYasing numbers of those entering the legal profession
 who are without the adequate teeh-
 nieal training and experience and without inc background Of liberal edu- cation, experience and associations
 which make for moral responsibility"
 This sounds too professionals il fol' lows ,he familiar line of argument of all old.timers in all pr0fessions-that The younger element entering Inc charmed circle is inadeluateiy trainr ed, inefficient and detriment to the calling, II Is the old cry against new conner competition,
 Mr, Stone might well he asked some questions like the following; When a "rieh malefaet0r" runs afoul of the law. whom does he rely upon to im- pose the endless teehniealilies 10 de- feat justice? The ripe and eXperl- eneed lawyer, of course. The youth" ful "inadequately trained" legal hack has no chance at all to he employed in beating the law,
 When great corporations attempt to eyade the law, whom do they employ. the experienced lawyer with reputation for "eloverness," or the recent graduate from law school?
 When man with some money Is enmeshed in criminal allegation. whom does he seek? The criminal lawyer" with a reputation, Of eoursc the man who has gained a reputation of being able to unearth technicalities and becloud the minds of the jury with irrelevant piffe; the lawyer Of such seasoned brilliancy that he can even fool the judge.
 And so on. The legal profession is one in which inadequately trained | persons have small chance Of being | successful. The attorney general and his listeners must be well aware Of the time 1t takes to work up a prac- tice, and nothing but ability can win out in the game of placing the shin gle on the door and waiting for cli- ents.
 If the attorney generals thesis were correct. the best lawyers and the least decline in justice would take place in those states where the re- 1urements to become lawyer are the highest But the facts do not bear out such a contention. In some of the states where nothing but a good moral character is needed to be- come a member of the bar, some of he best legal minds have developed. Indiana is such a state. Would any one claim that ex-Senator Beveridge, author of some of the heaviest tonnes m legal lore and whose volumes on he life of John Marshall are classic, lad any the less chance of becoming because his state had no ,ars up for entrants to legal practice? )r did this handicap Senator Ralston, vho could have been nominated for president had he wished the honor? !, las the east not had a recent oppor- unity to judge of the ability of Sena- or Walsh of wild and woolly Mon- i, ana? And what about the immortal lincoln. Can MT. Stone make more c 'ffective speech or write better? And $ ;et Lincoln never enjoyed a tenth # the legal and general education MT. !, Stone thinks is necessary to become a rood lawyer. MT. Stone doesn't make Lny allowance for native ability.
 The facts are that the decline of :, ustice is due to a certain class or ; awyers themselves to those sparkling minds in the profession who can make port of the law and make money ,ecause of their abilities to do just :. hat thing. As a recent critic, aptly r aid, they are the men who talk a bout law reform for public consump- | ion but don't want law reform be- ause there is vastly more profit to be | ad with conditions as they are. sa h