Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-27
NEWL|N HONORED
BY DISTRICT BAR
Attorneys Urged by Speaker
to Keep Pace With Chang
ing Conditions.

If law Is to remain supreme 1t must
maintain, solve and correct the problems
that seem most vital to the people, de-
clared Quincy E. Newlin, president Of
the American Bar Association, at the
dinner given in his honor last evening.
by the District Bar Association at the
Willard Hotel.
The youth of the country, he said. in
asking the reasons for the rules and
dogmas of the law questions why, if the
rule or dogma does not correct wrongs
and respond to the conscience OF the
people, it should be the law and why
It should not be disregarded.
The lawyer should be able to answer
these objections, he asserted, and should
keep pace with progress and know the
conditions which have brought ABOUT
many complex and difficult questions OF
law
Mai Julius I. Peyser, president of the
local association, presiding, introduced
Proctor l.. Dougherty, president OF the
Board of District Commissioners. who
welcomed the guest and painted a word
picture for him of the extent OF the
Federal and municipal improvements
which are TO beautify the National
Capital.
O'Don0ghue Cites Failures.
On behalf of the Bar Association,
Daniel w. O'Donoghue, extended well
come to Mr.. Newlin. He dwelt on the
failure of the law to keep pace with
strides made in medicine, industries
and finance and asserted that this has
come about because the law has failed
to digest the development of conditions.
Human nature, he declared, cannot be
adjusted to law, but law must be adj
iusted to human nature. There is need
of traffic laws which will not make
criminals of one-fourth of the popula-
ton when one excludes babies and
residents of homes for the aged"
The prohibition law needs to be
amended, he said, and lawyers should
band together to oppose the "orgy of
statutory law" being INDUCED in by
National and State Legislatures.
Mr.. O'Donoghue suggested that the
law should be simplifled, reStated and
brought up to date. Judges, he said
should be better paid and lawyers bet
ter educated in general matters as well
as law.
Sargent Is Guest.
Among the guests were Attorney Gen.
eral Sargent, Solicitor General Mitch
ell, Mrs. Mabel w. Willebrandt and other
assistants to the Attorney General; JUS
tees Robb and Van Orsdel of the Court
of Appeals; Chief Justice Mccoy and
Associate Justices Stafford, Bailey and
Gordon of the District Supreme Court,
Chief Justice Booth of the United States
Court of Claims and number of mem
bers of Congress. Miss Elizabeth c..
Harris, president of the Women's Bar
Association, and Miss Rebecca l..
Blaine of the Patent Bar, with Mrs.
Willebrandt, were the only women pres
ent. About 200 lawyers attended.
Dinner arrangements were in the
hands of the following committee:
Jesse c. Adkins, chairman; Fred S.
Tyler, secretary; j. Miller Kenyon
treasurer; Daniel w. O'Donoghue, Levi
Cooke, Paul E. Lesh, Stanton G. Peelle,
julius /. Peyser Charles H. Bates, Will
liam E. Dyre, Charles " INLAY, H.
Prescott Galley, Lucian H. Vandoren,
Richard E. Wexford, Alexander H. Bell,
ST., Joseph A. Burkhart, Henry I. Quinn,
Roger j. Whiteford, Frank j. Hoga<
John Lewis Smith, Frederic d. Nc
Kenney and Edward F. Colladay.