Evening star., 1940-01-17
District Bar Elects
Francis Hill Jr.;
Member Since 1917
Dorr Regime Praised;
Leadership by Lawyers
And D. c. Vote Urged

Francis w. Hill. jr., 44-year-old
member Of the District bar since
1917, was announced last night as
the winning candidate for the presi-
dency Of the District Bar Associa-
ton to succeed Seton Darr.
Mr.. Hill, who lives in Kenwood,
Nd, will serve until June, 1941,
under a recent amendment to the
associations bylaws. He was an
nounced as the winner at the an
nual meeting Of the association at
the Mayflower Hotel.
Other successful candidates for
offices in the balloting yesterday
were Frederick Stohlman, first vice
president; AL Philip Kane, second
vice president; Wilbur Gray, secre-
tary, unopposed, who has held this
post number Of years, and Milton
King, treasurer, also unopposed.
The three candidates who won
places on the Board of Directors
were A. K. Shipe, William E. Rich
ardson and Samuel M. Boyd.
Mr.. Hill defeated former Munich
pal Court Judge Michael M. Doyle
by a vote of 563 to 287. After the
announcement of the returns, q mo-
ton introduced by Judge Doyle
making Mr.. Hills election unani-
nous was adopted.
Alumnus Of Georgetown U.
Born on farm near Upper Marl-
boro. Md, Mr.. Hill was educated at
st. Johns College in Annapolis and
at the Georgetown University Law
School. where he received his bach
elor of laws degree in 1917 and his
master Of law two years later.
From 1919 to 1923 he was an as
sistant corporation counsel of the
District and for the past three years
has been the treasurer of the Bar
Association. He is a member OF
the law firm of Garnett, Barbour,
Pickett & Hill, with Offices in the
Tower Building. He is former
president of the Barristers, men,
ber of the American Bar Associa-
ton and Of the Chevy Chase Club
He is married and the father of
two daughters, Daviette, 5, and
Frances, 11a years old.
A resolution highly praising Mr.
Darr, a vigorous, liberal member of
the bar, for his services in the past
year was passed and the assembly
gave him loud applause.
Urges District Suffrage.
In personal message as retiring
president, Mr.. Darr urged that the
association work for suffrage for
the District, a matter. he said,
which has never received the no.
tice of the association as far as he
knew.
Il consider it to be the duty Of
the organized bar to approve and
work for suffrage in the District Of
Columbia as being American and
fair" he said. Lawyers have al
ways been the champions of democ-
racy. Here in the District of Co
lumbia is afforded an opportunity
for us to show that we are cham
pions, sincere believers in and lovers
of free institutions. and that suf
frage is the greatest of these" His
suggestion drew applause.
Mr.. Darr also recommended the
appointment of a special committee
to make an immediate study of the
so-called Seal reorganization plan
in order that the association may
present its views to Congress. In
the past year a committee made
study of the Griffenhagen plan,
but when it was ready to report, the
plan had been so changed that the
question became a moot one," he
said.
Sees Tagging Behind Times.
The retiring president sharply
criticized the loss of leadership" by
members of the bar and charged
Athat they have failed to keep abreast
of changing economic and social
conditions
Mr.. Darr struck vigorously at law
yers' inclination Ito condemn every
thing new and smugly claim it is
the work of reds and radicals, and
dismiss it accordingly"
Time marches on" he declared,
while we, with apparent resigna-
ton, gaze with dull eyes at spec
tacle which. If continued, will ulti-
mately result in our complete ex-
tinction."
He said that governmental agen-
cies with quasi-judicial powers have
taken over jurisdiction, which
before their existence, was exer-
cised exclusively by the courts. He
hit at the courts as well, declaring
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