Evening star., 1928-06-17

ing the property and liberty Of our
citizens, Is much more essential to pub
lie welfare than is the training OF o
mechanic.
yet It is true that Is States Of the
United States have no general educs-
tional requirments as conditions prece-
dent 10 the study of law.
One State requires only grammar
school education. or its equivalent, as
q preliminary to the bar examination.
The State OF Massachusetts, the seat
of many splendid institutions Of learn
inc. REQUIRES but two years In a night
high school or It's equivalent No
definite period of law study Is required
In nine OF our States. In one State,
only one year OF law study Is required
and in seven States but two years are
requisite. ~
urged as q proper standard for ad-
mission to the bar preliminary ed
ucation equivalent TO two years Of
study in q properly equipped and con-
Quoted law school.
II NAV be argued. and often Is, that
Lincoln. An honest and capable lawyer.
attended no college, no law school. But
II the requirements OF that time Tor ad-
mission to the bar had specfned what Is
now proposed. can any one believe tnat
the bsckwoods boy who educated him
self while earning q living a. Q ral-
daunted or defeated In his ambition TO
become a lawyer2 We are not all Ahra-
ham Lincolns.
Would Eliminate Bad Ones.
Nothing could be more deplorable
than to recruit all the lawyers OF the
country from the ranks Of the rich. or
even from what Is termed the "well-to-
do" class. A reasonable educational
standard. such as that proposed BY the
American Bar Association, will bar from
the ranks Of the legal profession no
young man or woman with courage ana
ambition. There are thousands OF that
kind already earning their way through
will serve to insure that those who be-
come members Of the bar have not only
adequate general and professional edu-
cation, but the spirit to accomplish what
is not easy. II will eliminate most Of
those who desire TO enter the profession
that they regard as get rich quick"
enterprise rather than an opportunity
for Lifetime OF honest and useful serv-
ice to their fellow men.
II is argued, too, that lawyers neces-
sarily acquire knowledge from expert
client who may be the unfortunate
victim Of the experimental period?
When We employ plumber we expect
him TO At joint that won't leak. We
will not tolerate the inundation Of our
parlors because green plumber did not
know how to install the pipes In the
bathroom properly. He must know how.
The time has long passed when the
lawyer can practice by ear. intuition.
impulse or the mere possession Of q glib
tongue. This Is true, no matter how
great q natural genius he may be. The
science Of the law Is too exacting and
the range Of human activities too great.
We hear the argument that the poor
cannot afford to engage an expensive
lawyer and that to meet the require
ments Of the impecunious there must
come to the bar practitioners who have
so small an amount invested in educa-
ton that they can afford or are obliged
to sell their services cheaply. But q
cheap lawyer Is an expensive luxury.
The fact Is that not infrequently the
so-called Cheap lawyer" charges more
for his services than the capable cne.
This Is true for two reasons. First, his
experience and practice are so limited
that he has no opportunity to acquire
any sense Of proportion as 20 the rels-
by him, and, second, he has not de-
veloped the requisite moral conscience
or ideal OF professional conduct 10 over
come his predatory desire to get the
largest possible fee, regardless Of the
services rendered
The deplorable truth Is that the poor
usually pay more for biundering legal
services rendered by incompetent law
yers than the well-to-do pay for good
services rendered by leaders Of the bar.
The American Bar Association recog-
nizes the fact that good lawyers are
not the sole requisite for the proper ad-
Aristotle said that which Is still true:
The best laws. though sanctioned By
every citizen Of the state, will be Of no
avail unless the young are trained by
habit and education In the spirit Of the
Constitution"
Teaching Constitution
The American Bar Association, there
fore, through its committee on American
citizenship, has been trying to re-estab-
iish the Constitution "in the hearts and
minds Of the people" They have been
endeavoring to bring about the teaching
Of the Constitution In our public schools,
as they say. mot literally by rote. but
its historical background. and partict-
larly the benefits and blessings that 1t
has conferred upon the American peo-
pile" The lack Of education on this Sub
ject extends from the schools up TO ~"
State Legislatures and Congress.
Quietly but effectively this organiEa-
ton Of $4,000 lawyers. including amonc
Its members the leaders Of the bar IN
every State. Is striving to improve the
administration Of law. The association
exerts an inestimable influence in the
enactment Of legislation: 1t seeks TO
bring about clarity, certainty and uni
formity OF laws. to make effective
throughout the nation the just iudg-
ment Of the courts. TO protect the people
against unworthy members OF tho legal
profession. TO bring about peaceful set
tlement OF industrial disputes. 70
simplify and expedite court procedure
and, above all. TO make the law an In
strument Of true justice to protect the
individual and the community.