Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-12
HELP HOOVER PICK
JUDGES, NEW PLEA
Attorney General Mitchell
Takes Message to Ameri-
can Law Institute.

One of the things President Hoove:
is most earnest about is that the mel
he appoints as Federal judges shall be
of unquestioned integrity and ability
Attorney General Mitchell told the
members Of the American Law Institute
in an address at the seventh annual
banquet of the institute last night at
the Mayhower HoSel.
This is one of the hardest problems
President Hoover has to solve" con-
tinued the Attorney General. He needs
all the help he can get.
zone of the most important duties of
the Department of Justice is to assist
him in finding the right men. I ap-
peal to the members of this organiza-
ton and to judges and lawyers every
where to help him. You may rest as
sured that II help will be thankfully
received"
Attorney General Mitchell was one
Of three speakers at the banquet, which
wound up the sessions of the institute
THE others we're Newton D. Baker,
Learned Hand of the United States
Circuit Court, second circuit.
George w. Wickersham, former At
torney General and president of the
law institute, who was reelected at
the meeting here, presided and COM
mented briefly on the remarks of the
chief speakers.
II know that the Attorney General
speaks by the cards." said Mr. Wicker
sham. IT know that President Hoover
intends to select the most competent
indeed, for all Federal Offices"
Deal in Uncertainties"
Mr.. Baker discussed the tendency of
modern philoSophic and scientific
thought to deal in uncertainties and
suggested the possibility that the old
order of civilization is about to col
lapse. Judge Hand emphasized the i'm
portance of obeying the laws of the
land, even while believing they should
be changed.
Attorney General Mitchell began his
remarks by telling of a call he made
upon President Coolidge at the White
House after Mr.. Coolidge had selected
him for Solicitor General Of the United
States.
''As we were sitting on the portico,"
said the Attorney General, President
Coolidge made one of his cryptic re-
marks. He said to me, I don't think
the Solicitor General has much time
to make speeches. was not Just
sure what he meant, but took the
hint, and saw to it that while I was
in that Office Mr.. Coolidge did not
pick up his morning paper and read
any speeches by me.
New cabinet officers are always in
vfted to make speeches at public
affairs so that the people may look
them over. But have not been in
ONCE long enough to have done any
too busy with my new job to find time
to prepare q learned address,
The Attorney General said he had
been In ONCE long enough, however, to
learn that the problem of selecting the
right sort Of men for positions on the
Federal bench was one of the most I'M
portant and difhcult which faces the
President.
Quotes President.
Mr.. Baker devoted his address to a
discussion of the tendency of modern
civilization, referring particularly to
President Hoovers speech at the Asso-
ciated Press luncheon In New York in
April, when the President raised the
question of whether there was q SUBJ
sidence Of the foundation of American
civilization.
"The greatest loss In the World War"
said Mr.. Baker, was not the loss of
property nor the loss of life, but the loss
Of faith. Men everywhere today are
doubling whether 1t Is possible to set
up any sort of political structure that
wiz provide safety for mankind. Mod
ern philosophic, scientific and religious
fhNHI0ht P0a1VTa If
tainty and going into the preferred
realm Of uncertainty.
eff the youth of today find them
selves in a world Of thought that is
based on uncertainty, how can we ex-
pect them to build stable social sys-
tenn? have come to the conclusion
that our children are disregarding our
generation entirely. They are saying,
We don't think much OF the civilization
you have built
Perhaps our civilization Is collaps-
ing like the Tower of Babel and giving
way to an entirely new order of things"
Rights Of individuals.
Judge Hand said that laws intended
to preserve the rights of the individual
have been largely disregarded in this
country for a decade. During the war,
he said, many persons were accused of
1AScsoA am ouiIlAdA Ol1S4loce anu pun
ished without regard to the law, while
the public seemed to applaud such IL
legal acts by the law officers and the
courts. Today in New York, much the
same policy Is being followed with re-
gard to persons on the police blacklist,
he declared, with the result that many
persons rounded up are later released
for lack Of charges or proper evidence.
Legislation is not always the will of
the people" said Judge Hand 1T is
frequently the will Of compact minor
ity. There is nothing more nebuIous
and fugitive than the common will.
THE time may come when we will
welcome, even demand. changes in the
law, but We must remember we have a
duty to perform. We must be careful
how we attack the law, lest we lay hold
Of a fundamental principle, a corner
Gtone Of mir civilization. >,