Evening star., 1944-12-10
d. {. Bar Hears Talk
By Marine General
All Annual Dinner

National figures In the legal pro-
fession last night heard a general
of the Marine Corps warn that the
Pacific war still has long way to go.
The speech was made at the 73d
annual dinner of the District Bar
Association at the Mayflower Hotel
The speaker was Brig. Gen. Ger
aid G. Thomas, chief Of staff to
1t. Gen. Alexander A. Vandergrift,
Marine Corps commandant. Gen.
Thomas as a colonel won distinc-
ton at Guadalcanal and added
other decorations to the Purple
Heart he wears as a gas casualty at
Belleau Wood in 1918.
John j. Carmody, association
president, presided at the dinner,
and William E. Leahy was toast
master.
Before introducing the guests at
the speakers table,, which extended
the length of the ballroom, Mr..
Leahy paid tribute to the two JUS
tices Of District Court who died
recently, Chief Justice Edward G.
Eicher and Justice Oscar r. Luhring.
Speed Deceives Observers.
In his address Gen. Thomas said !:
"One Of the outstanding charac-
teristics of modern war Is speed.
This factor may serve to deceive the
casual observer. AS he follows in
his daily news the rapid strides by
which armed forces seem to conquer
space, he may conceive them to be
all-conquering - destroying every
thing within their path.
Such is not the case. A more apt
comparison would be that those
movements are like flood waters
seeking and exploiting weakness and
shearing off from strength-that
strength being passed and sur
rounded, later to be undermined by
corrosive action.
When this movement halts, the
distant observer sees only an entic-
ing picture-holds his breath and
eagerly anticipates the next surge
that will see the wars end.
Now your field commander also
holds his breath, but for an entirely
different reason. He sees that line
on the maple sees the vast area
his forces have conquered, but his
satisfaction Is tempered by thoughts
Of the hostages he has given to for
tune.
THAT line on the map is probably
a fragile thing-that area all periph-
cry, no body. Days, weeks and often
months must be devoted to giving
strength and substance to the two.
Rest, replacement and adjustment
Of troops-bringing up Of supplies
fuel for ships, planes and vehicles
food. clothing and ammunition for
men, and weapons. When this task
Is completed. and not until then, an
other surge is possible.
"We have gone long way In this
war, but we still have far to go.
There Is much-much hard fighting
yet to be done"
There were more than 900 lawyers
and their guests at the dinner.
Justices introduced.
Among those introduced were JUS
tice Rutledge of the Supreme Court,
Fred M. Vinson, director of eco
nomic stabilization: Justices Ste
phens, Miller and Edgerton of the
Court of Appeals: Justices Adkins,
Proctor, Let's, Laws, Goldsborough,
Pine, MCGUIRE and Gordon (retired)
of District Court; Judges Richard
son, Cayton and Hood Of the Mu-
nicipal Court of Appeals.
Henry A. Schweinhaut of the JUS
tice Department, recently nominated
to District Court, and Judge Nathan
r. Margold of Municipal Court,
whose nomination to District Court
Is expected to be announced shortly
we're applauded by the lawyers when
introduced.
, Also at the speakers table were
Municipal Court Judges Barse. Nc
Mahon. Casey. Raedy, Nelson, Clag-
EFT, Fennell and Quinn and Juve-
nile Court Judge Bentley.
Also Solicitor General Charles
Fahy, Justice John ]. Parker Of the
Sd Circuit Court Of Appeals: Col
Walter B. Zimmerman, chaplain OF
the Army; United States Attorney
Edward M. Curran, Corporation
Counsel Richmond B. Keech and
Tom Clark, head Of the criminal
division of the Justice Department.