Evening star., 1938-02-21
MAVERICK LASHES
ATBUS|NESSM MEN
Tell Lawyers Guild Group
Would Sacrifice Country
Before Taking Loss.

Representative Maury Maverick,
Democrat, Of Texas. assured the Ma
tional Lawyers Guild today that the
business man will sacrifice his country
before he will lost his profits. He
added:
Il have nothing against capitalism,
but unrestricted business and COM
mercial practices can lead only to
anarchy In our national life"
Mr.. Maverick, the chief speaker Of
the third day Of the guilds second
annual convention at the Willard
Hotel. pictured the business man a.
the holder Of = psychology that the
business Of land ia co-sovereign
with the government OF land.
Attitude Toward Business.
Many business men have regarded
the Government as a sort OF neces-
sary evil. or at least secondary to
their interests" Mr. Maverick said.
All this idea became fxed In the
minds Of the business men, and law
yers spoke pompously OF private
initiative and capitalism, both Of
which he was helping destroy by de-
veloping big business and monopoly.
Throughout this period (pre-
Roosevelt) the lawyer was sitting on
the high place. From being an in
dependent thinker, he became an
automaton to hammer out the le-
galities and technical methods of put
ting over whatever his client wanted.
1T was customary OF the big COR
porations to hire some dignified old
stuffed shirt reactionary to be chair
man OF the board Of directors and to
call him Judge. He would continue
to put over the dirty work. with his
smugness and his dignified title for
mask"
Influence Of Group Today.
The influence Of the business man
today. however. Is nil. Mr.. Maverick
said, and added:
Il know Of no business organization
in America which has ever stood for
the protection of civil or any other
kind Of liberties"
Robert Jackson, Assistant Attorney
General, last night at the guilds BAN
quet called on the Nations lawyers to
lead the American liberal movement
and to help make the Nation OF
tomorrow" but at the same time Mr.
Jackson, Solicitor General designate,
who in his new post will be chief legal
pleader for the Federal Government,
temperately warned:
There must be no impairment Of
the substance Of tried and older rights
Of individuals or minorities, as We
struggle to extend the frontiers OF
justice to new fields Progress does
not mean an Abandonment Of the
hard-won gains OF past generations"
Senator La Toilette, Progressive, Of
Washington, the other chief speaker
on the banquet program, called for
increased governmental domination
Of the national economy. He said:
Private initiative, under the condi-
tions OF today, has shown itself un-
equal to the task before U.S. This has
been proved anew by the crisis within
crisis which has followed upon the
heels Of a $3,000,o00,oo0 reduction in
Federal expenditures during this fiscal
year. Unless we are to repeat the
tragic experience Of 1929-l933. Gov
eminent must again step in with public
capital"
Conservatives Criticized.
Both Senator La Toilette and Mr.
Jackson criticized the most articulate
lawyers Of the day for their conserva-
tism.
The speeches, for which Prof Thur
mand Arnold Of Yale University, au-
thr Of the "Folklore OF Capitalism" !"
was toastmaster, climaxed 4 day de-
voted to group discussion Of various
social and economic problems Of mod
ern America As they affect and can be
affected by lawyers.
Henry Ward Beer. president Of the
Federal Bar Association Of New York,
New Jersey and Connecticut, asked
that all non-lawyers be prevented from
practicing before the commissions and
boards Of the Federal Government.
He said:
he pity VI IL I'll Ii til6G Ooeplte
the terrific shortcomings Of these nom
lawyers and the enormous harm to the
public. they are actually licensed to
practice law before Government and
State departments. And they have
found In Washington the true mecca
for their activities. This Capital
Il infested with these interlopers, some