Evening star., 1940-05-26
Judicial Conferences
Will Aid Justice,
Groner Predicts
H,
Jurist Speaks at Dinner
Closing Meeting Of
Bench and Bur

Out OF the Federal judicial con-
ferences of bench and bar, which
Congress has ordered held annually
in every circuit Of the country, will
come improvement in the admins
tration Of justice, Chief Justice D.
Lawrence Groner of the District
Court of Appeals predicted last
night at dinner at the Mayflower
Hotel, which closed the first such
meeting here.
Justice Groner said the National
Government had extended its pow
ers until 1t reached into every Sec
tion of the land and into the per-
sonal affairs of every citizen, and
the Federal courts had broadened
their work accordingly.
"Once. in years past, the citizen
looked to the State courts to safe
guard his rights" the jurist added
But today he looks to the Federal
courts, rather than to the State
courts, for the protection of mis-
property and his rights"
Justice Groner spoke of delays in
court procedure amounting almost
to denials of Justice"
Decrease in Delays Forecast.
He expressed confidence that these
conferences, first suggested by for
mer Attorney General Homer S..
Cummings and embodied in an act
of Congress passed last summer,
would decrease these delays, expe-
dite and make more efficient the
administration Of justice in the Fed
eral courts.
This is a matter that concerns
every citizen in this broad land of
ours" Justice Groner declared. ut
involves his protection under our
Constitution-his right to liberty
and freedom"
An undercurrent of the critical
situation in Europe flowed through
the laughter and fellowship of the
dinner, which was attended by other
justices of the Court of Appeals,
justices of the District Court, dele
gates from the District, Federal and
Women's Bar Associations and the
American Patent Law Association
and invited guests.
The tick of the clock" said JUS
tice Groner, "is beating out the mo-
ment that shall decide the fate of
the ancient world" He added:
If it is decreed in the fortunes of
war that democracy and freedom
shall bend the knee, that autocracy
and oppression shall triumph in
Europe, if these priceless heritages
OF ours which date from Runny-
mede, shall become vanishing shad-
ows, then we will not be dismayed.
With the patience which leads to
clear thinking, with the faith that
leads to courage, we will repay our
debt to our ancestors by handing
down to our children, even to the
third and fourth generation, these
priceless rights to which we were
born"
Goldsborough Speaks.
Quoting a Supreme Court justice
OF many years ago, Justice Groner
emphasized that the judiciary, more
than the other two branches of our
Government. is dependent. not on
force, for its DEGREES, decisions and
judgments, but ION the confidence
of the people in the rectitude of its
proceedings"
Justice T. Alan Goldsborough of
the District Court told the assembly:
The major need in the world today
is the deductive concept of social
relationship; of the fact that the
state is created for man, and not
man for some cruel, ruthless, de-
vouring juggernaut miscalled the
state.
In judicial process, whether the
controversy is between individuals
or between corporations-that is,
under any combination of circum-
stances-the judge should bear in
mind, should never forget, that his
judgment should be based, in the
last analysis, upon justice to the in
dividual"
The POSTMASTER, Assistant Attor-
ney General Norman M. Littell, re-
minded the judges and lawyers that
"We inherited our democratic in
stitutions-we did not make them"
There is in each of us tonight"
said Mr.. Lfttell, "a flame burning
sense of justice which centuries
of Anglo-Saxon freedom have Gre
ated. This flame is burning at white
heat as we contemplate the destruc-
ton of everything we have held
sacred"
He predicted that America would
keep its heritage inviolate 'only
as we fight for it."
"If we strengthen the administra-
ton of justice" said Francis w.
Hill, jr, president of the District
Bar Association, who called the
meeting to order, I'VE strengthen
our form of government"
There was music by the United
States Marine Band Orchestra, with
Second Leader Henry Weber con-
Quoting, and solos by Lynn Allison
and Gene Archer.
The dinner concluded two days
of sessions at the Court of Appeals
chamber, during which means of ex-
pediting and improving the proceed
ure of the courts were discussed
and there was free interchange of
ideas among the justices of the
trial and appellate courts and dele
gates from the bar. .
The Dinner Committee included:
Charles E. Pledger, jr., chairman;
District Bar Association, Jerome
Barnard, Howard Boyd, j. Edward
Burroughs, jr.; William J. Burrows,
Arthur B. Caldwell, Philip Gold
stein, Alexander M. Heron, James
r. Kirkland. E. Courtlandt Parker,
Ralph D. Quinter, jr.; Haven B.
Page, Walter M. Shea, j. Harry
Welch and John j. Wilson; Federal
Bar Association, Col. Heber Rice,
William r. Valance and John T.
Vance; Women's Bar Association,
Mrs. Elizabeth M. Cox and Mrs.
GRANGE Brown Stiles; American
Patent Law Association, Edward r.
Beale and Elmer Stewart.