Evening star., 1938-05-14
LAWYERS URGED
TODEFEND BENCH
FROM ATTACKERS
Dr.. Lewis Says Judiciary Is
Helpless Under Fire in
Plea for Dignity.
LAW INSTITUTE TOLD
EDUCATION INADEQUATE
Problems of Today Are Held
Related to Shortcomings
Of School System.

Declaring that the bench is helpless
under attack. DR.. William Mather
Lewis, president Of Lafayette College,
Easton, Pa, last night told the Ameri-
can Law Institute that 1t Is up q
the legal profession to defend the ju-
dietary.
Speaking at the annual dinner at
the Mayflower Hotel before a dis
tinguished audience, DR.. Lewis, for.
merly president of George Washing
ton University here, said:
Fortunately for the Nation, but
less fortunately for the men who give
high-minded service on the bench,
members of the judiciary. unlike other
Government servants, have no con-
stituents nor political support and are
therefore the target for those whose
eye is forever on the ballot box. II
would appear to layman that orp
Of the outstanding functions Of an
organization composed of lawyers of
high character is to support this de-
fenseless arm Of the Government to
the end that justice shall prevail
and the dignity and effectiveness Of
the courts be safeguarded."
Questions Adequacy Of Education.
The institute, which Is concluding
its session today. was told by DR..
Lewis that in seeking solutions for
the problems of today it is well to
consider the adequacy of our educa-
tional system" adding that evidence
is not lacking that we have been
more interested in increasing the num-
Der Of years of compulsory schooling
than in increasing intellectual COM
petence"
The dearth Of far-seeing states
men, industrialists, financiers and la
Dor leaders at the present time he
continued. may be traced to the type
OF education which has been demand
ed in the machine age Complica-
tions in political, economic and So
clal organizations have increased much
more rapidly than the ability of the
human mind to control them. Mr.
row specialization has blinded our
eyes to the broader implications of
life-and the rapid tempo of our time
gives us half-baked laws, crude
literature, infantile art"
Bespeaking less loose thinking"
the educator said that those who
know history, realize that the pro-
gress OF civilization. while up and
down. has still been steadily forward.
Those who clamor for the millennium
who would scrap the present order.
who bellttle the past-are not aidiSg
but retarding that progress at tie
present moment"
Humor Added by Hoax.
hoax engineered by the president I.
OF the institute. George Wharton Pep
per, former United States Senator
from Pennsylvania, took the diners
away from consideration of more
serious matters, after the conclusion
of DR.. Lewis address.
Announcing that the next speaker.
who was just about due to reach the
hotel, was Sir John Popham, lord
chief justice of England, Mr.. PepHr
proceeded with f1owery introduction
in which he did not fail to mention
that the jurist, in youth, had been a
highwayman
Just at that moment however.
message" was brought in, informing
the guests that the distinguished
judge, unfortunately had died some
800 years ago.
AS a substitute. Prof Barton Leach
OF the Harvard Law School, who IL
famed as an accordionist, gave a pie.
gram.
The institute today is giving further
consideration to proposed drafts of
model statutes.