Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-05-12
Summers Tells Bar
Federal Powers Must
Be Curbed After War
Nominations of Officers
Submitted at Meeting
Of Association

Charging that this country ha!
had "a bad attack of federalitis,
Chairman Summers of the House
Judiciary Committee, in an address
before the District Bar Association
last night, called for powers to be
returned to the States and smaller
units of Government when the wal
is over.
"Of course, in times like these
we've got to concentrate emergency
powers in the hands of the Execu-
tive to deal with emergency situa-
tons" he said. But the big thing
we've got to watch out for in Ameri-
ca is that when we get through this
emergency there is enough strength
in the States to take back these
delegated powers
The Texas Representative was the
principal speaker at meeting in
the Mayfower Hotel, honoring past
presidents of the local bar. Heading
the past presidents and responding
to the tribute paid them was George
E. Hamilton, dean of the District
Bar, who presided over the associa-
ton so years ago.
OPA Money Speaks.
Also sharing the spotlight on the
program was John L. Laskey. chief
attorney for the District Office OF
Price Administration, who eX-
planned the penalties which may be
invoked against price ceiling vio-
lators and outlined the ways in
which lawyers can aid in making
the OPA program success.
In his attack on Capitalization
of power in the hands of the Fed
eral Government, Mr.. Summers en-
phasized that now is the time of this
country's greatest crisis. Americans,
he said, should be conscious of the
danger to our democracy-both from
without and within.
When we look around this coun-
try and see the number of people
who do not believe in democratic
government, it is enough to rouse
every man and woman in America
who aspires that their children be
free" he declared.
Weak Lose Freedom.
No people who have lost the ca
pacity to govern have ever been able
to remain free, Mr.. Summers said.
We must preserve a government
which the people can operate, he
said, adding: In that lies the phi
,osophy of what we used to call
States rights
Il don't know what this is all about
up here Gin the Federal Govern
nent and you don't either" he
remarked. It's utterly beyond hu-
man comprehension
Mr.. Summers praised the lawyers
of this country for having in great
crises of the past rallied the peo-
pie and led them back to the dis
charge of neglected responsibility.
Federal bureaucracy is not an in
gention of the Democratic party,
Mr.. Summers said, pointing out that
ne was making speeches attacking
growing Federal control in the days
Of Republican administrations.
''NO Time for Politics"
The quicker We get down to real
fling that we've all contributed to
this mess we're in, the quicker we're
going to set rid of it." he said
This is no time to be playing poll
tics. The greatest dangers of the
ages are impending - both from
without and within. Great prob
lens and great difficulties are ahead
Of US and Democrats and Republic
ans have got to work together"
The House judiciary chairman
cautioned against overoptimism re-
sulting from Allied successes in
North Africa
L have never believed in the wis
dom of the psychology that we're
bound to VIM he said. We haven't
won this war at all. We don't know
what's ahead Of US
If we had realized before Pearl
Harbor that we could lose a war,
there wouldn't have been any Pearl
Harbor," he observed. We've been
a bunch of egotistical fools"
Mr.. Summers was introduced by
George Maurice Morris, member
of the District bar and president of
the American Bar Association.
Annual Reports Made.
Annual reports from several COM
mittees high lighted a business SEES
sion that preceded the program at
the meeting
The association adopted two rec
concentrations made by its Commit
tee on Congressional Legislation,
headed by Edmund Campbell IMAM
imously Endorsed was House reso-
luton 694, which would permit
garniShment of salaries of Federal
employees The meeting, on . di-
vided vote, went on record against
House resolution 674, which would
provide for appointment of a public
defender for the District. Mr..
Campbell said the committee rec
commended this opposition because
it felt the present system for defense
of INDECENT persons was working
satisfactorily.
Mr.. Laskey, as chief attorney for
the District OPA, asked for the &C
tive assistance of every lawyer in
carrying out price ceiling and ra-
tioning programs. He suggested
that members of the District bar
serve as members of local ration
boards. legal advisers to the boards.
members of price panels or as hear
ing officers in license suspension
cases. The association, at his re-
quest, voted to recommend a list of
lawyers, from which three will be
chosen to serve as hearing officers.
Past Presidents introduced.
introduced as honor guests were
the following past presidents of the