Evening star., 1927-05-13

readily than we have now" said Mr..
Keedy. Even should the States
make notifications in 1t. the result
would not be jeopardized.'
Mr.. keedy predicted that one of
the first results would be the ulti
mate abolishment of the grand jury
as the accusing body IN criminal
courts. In most of tho Eastern
States the constitutions provide that
grand jury must bring in an in
dictment against the accused. where
as. most of the States west of the
Mississippi River, he pointed out,
have already done away with the
grand jury system of prosecution.
Needless Challenging.
Instead of having indictment by
grand jury, Mr.. Keedy contended, it
is considered by the committee as
more efficient and time-saving pre-
cedure to have an information pre-
sented to the court by the prosecut-
ing officer.
He cited the recent raySnyder
trial as an outstanding example of
the delay encountered in selecting a
jury in commenting on the needless
challenging of prospective jurors in
vogue in American courts. During
recent investigation in Great Britain.
Mr.. keedy explained that out of 100
felony cases, jurors were challenged
in only one case, situation that 1t
would be impossible to encounter in
this country.
Committee Is Hopeful.
The drafting committee is hopeful
that the new code, when it is finally
enacted into law, will introduce "a
certainty and effectiveness in criminal
procedure now lacking to marked
degree, but at the same time preserve
fully the rights of the accused.
Chief Justice Taft struck respOn-
sive note in his address before the
institute yesterday when he reminded
that members Of the legal profession,
working through the legislatures, are
in large part to blame in preventing
effective operation of the criminal
law" Constituted as it is Of the lead
ing yawyers and jurists in the coun-
try, the institute is wholly in accord
with the Chief Justices statement, as
it is opposed to the dilatory practices
of q certain class of yawyers that are
impeding the execution of justice in
the courts.
Sessions of the institute today were
devoted mainly TO consideration of
tn draft prepared by direction of the
council, on restatement of conflict
laws relating TO status, foreign cor
porations and property. Restate-
ment of the common or case law, 1t
was said, is primarily the main pur-
pose of the institute for the guidance
Of lawyers and judges generally in in
terpreting the maze OF conflicting
opinions encountered in the course of
court procedure.
Expenses Being Met.
The expenses of the Institutes
work in connection not only with the
restatement of the law, but also of
drafting the proposed uniform code of
criminal procedure are being met from
appropriations being made for this
purpose by the Carnegie Corporation.
Considered in the light of guidance,
this restatement of the law, crystal
iZing the outstanding decisions of the
court. will virtually be accepted by
courts generally as the correct inter
pretations Of conflicting opinions.
The institute in general is the biggest
thing ever undertaken through the
combined efforts of the leading law
yers and juristS of the country and
any final action taken bv it with re-
spect to wedding out the causes of
the existing uncertainty and unnec-
essary complexities of existing law
Is likely to be accepted by the courts
without dispute.
The present draft submitted to the
membership of the institute was com
piled bv Prof. Joseph II. Beale of
Harvard Univers. recognized as
one of the leading authorities in the
United States on conflicting laws, in
consultation with the following ad-
ViSers:
Harry A. Bigelow. University of
Chicago Law School; Joseph w.
Bingham. Columbia University School
of Law; John G. Buchanan, member
Of the bar of Pittsburgh, Pa;
Armistead M. Dobie, University of
Virginia Law School, Frederick F.
Faville. Supreme Court of Iowa;
Herbert +. Goodrich, University of
Michigan Law School; Learned Hand,
United States Circuit Court of APP
peals, Second Circuit; Monte M.
Lemann, member of the bar of New
Orleans, La; William +. Mikell, Uni
versity Of Pennsylvania Law School;
William II. Page, University of Wis
fongiu law School. AuctjD w Scet+ p