New Britain herald., 1927-01-05

Connecticut, imparts the necessity of
 of purpose, and as in private affairs, a basis of personal respect and friendship. It is only upon such a basis that the office of attorney gen.
 eral can be xpected to be adminis- tered with the effectiveness which is demanded of lawyer in private life. In giving these views, l am in dulging in no personalities. During both my present and past terms of
 office, the gentlemen who have oc- icupied the position of attorney gen. eral have commanded my entire respect and confidence. l cannot,
 however. feel that my own good for fortune to my successors.
 Feeling as I do, that the relations of an attorney general to the gov
 ernor should be upon a very close
 and personal basis, I recommend
 strongly that his selection be by ap- pointment of the governor in the
 same manner as the judiciary is se- lected, rather n by vote of the electors. I go further than this. At the moment many of the adminis- trative departments are authorized.
 under the law, to engage their own
 counsel. The result is that many
 different and uncoordinated legal
 minds are brought to bear upon the
 policies of the state. The result is also distinct and obvious econom- ical loss by reason of the diversity of this advice and the number Of different lawyers who are engaged
 To correct this situation, ] strong ly urge that the attorney generals s
 office be made a department of the state, with provision for adequate
 assistance, both legal and clerical. and that the department be charged with providing such legal advice to the various departments as may be from time to time required.
 In connection with this, the
 authorization to t, different depart
 ments to secure legal advice inde- pendent of the attorney generals s office might well be limited to situa- tions of great importance, and then
 only upon the concurrence of the attorney gener himself.
 While I am on the subject of law and legal advice. it may be appro-
 priate to add that I do not feel that the administration of law and the maintenance of order ever properly involves a question of policy. The only right policy of a state founded on law is to enforce the law, and
 the only wrong policy is the failure
 to so act. The safety and well-belng
 of all citizens depends materially
 upon the suppression and adequate
 punishment of all criminal offenses in so far as the resources of the state and the limitations of human
 ability permit.
 It is, however, obvious that neither dsrespect for the law nor the diffi-
 culty attendant on it's enforcement ar, lesscned by keeping alive statu- tory crimes which have become archaic either because they no long CT meet modern conditions or be-
 cause they no longer represent the
 will of the electorate. The legisla- ture has a solemn obligation to pro- vide for the repeal of all such stat represent the wishes of tho law abid-
 utes. Only in so far as our laws ing majority will they merit the
 wholesome respect which is essential to their proper enforcement.
 Insurance Commissioner
 With the increased use of the automobile. the business of insur- ance has increased out of all pro- portion to the growth of the popu- laton. Insurance companies have
 come into being and disappeared;