Evening star., 1940-04-14

Lawyers Urged 10 Use
Simple Language
By Dinner Speaker
Head Of American Bar
Makes Admonition
At 6. W. Law Bouquet

NSoa0o "o0AAAAotOl university Law
Association in particular, last night
received friendly suggestion from
one Of their leaders to stop trying to
befuddle the public with involved
legal phraseology.
Using many multisyllable words
himself, though only to illustrate his
point, Charles A. Beardsley, presi-
dent Of the American Bar Associa-
ton, urged his fellow barristers to
write and speak plainly, sensibly,
clearly and say what you mean"
The occasion was the George
Washington University Law Associa-
tionS 23d banquet, held at the May
flower Hotel in celebration of the
18th anniversary of the law school.
DR.. Marvin Speaks.
In addition to Mr.. Beardsley, other
speakers were DR.. Cloyd Heck Mar
vim, president Of the university:
Dean William v. Van Week of the
law school and Newell w. Ellison,
president of the association, who was
toastmaster.
Honor guests at the speakers table
included Associate Justice Owen j.
Roberts of the Supreme Court and
Mrs. Roberts: Justice Justin Miller
Of the District Court of Appeals and
Mrs. Miller. Representative Carroll
Reece Of Tennessee, Justice James
w. Morris Of District Court and Mrs.
Morris, Mrs. Marvin, Mrs. Van Week,
Alonzo T. Morgan, Mrs. Ellison and
Mr.. and Mrs. Charles o. Berry.
DR.. Marvin bore greetings from
the Board Of Trustees and the fac
ulty, stating he knew of no other
faculty in the Nation that is trying
to do more for the advancement Of
an educational program"
Praises Work Of Alumni.
He praised the work of the law
associations and the alumni, and
concluded by outlining three things
he wished to see done in the future:
Establishment OF four additional
chairs in law; erection of a new law
library with the volumes to I'LL it,
and continued support Of the alumni
so the Tooth anniversary also
would be success.
DR.. Van Week, dean of the law
school for the past 16 years, paid
tribute to the law association for
adding to- his schools prestige. He
pointed out that the George WASH
ington University Law School has
never been revolutionary, but tests
various methods before passing them
along as sound and then moving on
to something else. At present the
school. he said, is experimenting in
democratic education" the process
Of furnishing law instruction to per-
sons needing such knowledge to
make their living The dean also
reminisced, recalling the quips and
eccentrities Of some Of the better
known law faculty members.
Recommends Simplicity.
Mr.. Beardsley, the principal speak
er, was serious to some extent when
he chided the Nations lawyers for
trying to impress ignorant people
with their appearance of wisdom,
but failing to impre SIS the intelli-
gent" .t
He recommended that the lawyers
take as their model Of simplicity
. story told by q lad which ran
something like this: There was a
man named Elijah. He had some
bears. They lived in a cave. Some
boys threw stones at Elijah. Keep
on, he said, and I'll turn the
bears on you. And the bears will
eat you They did. He did. And
the bears did"
why" Mr.. Beardsley asked, don't
lawyers try and gain the admi-
ration and gratitude of a long
suffering public by using simple
language?"
He also took his associates to
task for the manner in which some
of them draft legal documents. Law
students, he said. should be taught
this phase of the profession before
hanging out their shingles. To let
them learn craftsmanship through
experience, he said, is tough on
the clients" 1t would be the same,
he continued, as letting a surgeon
learn only by active practice.
Recites Some Of Terms.
In this connection, Mr.. Beardsley
recited some of the standard terms
usually seen in legal documents and
then criticized the members of his
profession by quoting a stanza, to
wit: They never write In verse
or prose; simply lay their words in
rows. Not the words that Webster
penned; merely lay them end to
end"
During the course Of his introduc-
tions, Mr.. Ellison expressed che law
associations thanks to President
Marvin, Dean Van Week and other
faculty heads for taking steps to
better the law school facilities
Between courses, the more than
300 guests were led in song by Prof.
Hector G. Spaulding. The music
included parodies with legal twist.
Glee Club Entertains.
Before an after-dinner dance,
sponsored by the Student Bar Asso-
citation, the guests were entertained
by the university glee clubs. The
program for the dinner, arrange
ments for which were in charge of
Mr.. Berry, assisted by John Nc
Intire and Mary M. Connolly, listed
brief history Of the George Wash
ington University Law School.
It recalled that the school was
originally established in 1926, but
continued for less than two years.
1t was re-established rs years ago
in 1865-the first law school and for
flve years the only law school in the
District. 1t was also the first in the
country to have its program of part
time instruction approved by the
Council of Legal Education, in 1923,
and the first In the District to mod
ernize by adding full-time teachers
and adopt the case method of in
struction.
In addition to those at the speak
ers' table, others attending the ban
quet included: