Evening star., 1928-05-09
APATHY DECLARED
BUSINESS THREAT
Strawn Warns C. of c.
Against Inertness Toward
Problems of Country.

A warning that apathy OF business
men toward the problems OF Govern
ment Is threatening the destruction OF
both business and Government stabil-
ity in the United States was given TO
the convention of the Chamber OF
Commerce Of the United States today
by Silas II. Strawn of Chicago, presi-
dent of the American Bar Association.
Centering his attack on three bills
designed 10 limit the power Of the ju-
diciary--the Caraway, Shipstead and
Norris measures-Mr. Strawn made
plea for cooperation Of business In
preventing the passage Of laws which
tend to destroy all limits Of power and
dignity OF our courts and 10 subvert the
Constitution of the United States"
"The greatest peril OF this country
today" be said. rs the indifference and
apathy Of our business men toward the
problems OF Government. local and ma
tional. The principles enunciated by
our Constitution and upon which this
Nation was founded are immutable.
The danger is that the maintenance Of
these principles. the ideals of the found
ers of our republic. may go by default
ergies of our citizens. who are too deeply
engrossed in production and aecumula-
ton"
Sees Regulation Problem.
Mr.. Strawn predicted that the age
OF the big unit" has just begun and
that in the future "the problem of our
Congress and our Legislature should be
not how combinations OF capital and
labor may be disintegrated and destroy
ed, but how they should be regulated
and controlled so as best to serve the
people"
mo business man can be expected
10 know all that Is going on in the
Congress or In the Legislature" he said
but he should know about such legisla-
ton as Is directed toward not only the
destruction Of his business but also the
very stability OF our Government"
The function OF the lawyer. as he out
lined II. Is to help the business man to
understand legislation which affects
him. The American Bar Association, he
said, would fail In It's purpose II 1t did
not do everything 1t can consistently
do not only In the promotion of iegisla-
tion which Is helpful to business, but
in preventing the passage OF laws which
are intended 10 harass. nag and annoy
business and which tend To destroy and
limit the power and dignity OF our courts
and 10 subverse the Constitution OF the
United States"
Hits Caraway Bill,
Speaking of the CaraWay bill. which
limits the power of Federal courts by
compelling a Judge 10 submit his charge
TO the jury IN writing and prevents him
from expressing an opinion as 10 the
credihility of witnesses and the weight
Of testimony. he declared This bill,
In the judgment OF the association, 10
revolutionary and tends To destroy the
dignity and effectiveness of judicial pro-
cedure in the Federal courts.
Turning 10 the Shipstead bill on the
power of courts 10 grant injunctlons III
labor disputes, he said the American
Bar Association has no quarrel WIN
labor. "Its dominant purpose Is 10
promote the orderly administration oil
Justice and preserve the power and dig
nifty OF the courts" he said, because
IL realizes, ag must every good clti.en'
that the courts are the last ana I'M.
pregnable bulwark between ofaer ana
chaos ., 81.
| more far reaching and revolutionary
than the shipstead bill" and said II
Was intended 10 destroy ail JURISDICTION
of the Federal courts predicated upon
diversity of citizenship III, -,
"sro LAWYER, or 10 any citizen who
has oiveu the subject any thougntlus
consideration, II would seem almost lnv
connnrehensible that the Congress
sho,iid attempt 10 destroy confidence III
the investment Of foreign capital III tne
United States, and Ia limit, II not 10
naraIvZe the efforts OF business men "
nhtaintnQ capital with which 10 carry
on their business and flnanee thelf utih~
ties and industries
Norris Biii Criticized.
THE Norris bin was criticized also by
| BENJAMIN Loring Young ol Masahollna
| setts Who termed II - Revolutionary
sten in Jurisprudence" He criticized the
Senate committee, which he declared
| gave no public hearing llntil aflHr the
| bin had been fav0rably reporten,
"This is an example OF the kind at
procedure that does not JUSTIFY ITSELF
| In the eyes nf business men" ne said
Mr. Young also criticized Congress Tor
| nassina conflicting laws, "unsound In
! FORM and unhound In substance
/ A plea for corporation In the esthba
lishnient of national agricultural
policy was made by Roy Johnson deb"
| ignated as O. master farmer" 0f North
| Dakota A standard OF living connafs
| able 10 that of the average city dwellei
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