Evening star., 1950-09-18
Bar Group Head
AssaiIs Trendt 10
Service State
Urges Lawyers to Ask
Congress for Study
To Curb Federalism

~ SNID SOSIOIISIJI
The President of the American
Bar Association today called for
the creation by Congress of a
special commission to decide what
steps may be taken to reverse the
trend toward what he termed the
service State"
Harold j. Gallagher of New
York, once law partner of Wen
dell Willkie, spoke at the opening
Of the joint annual meeting of the
Canadian and American Bar aSso-
Citations at Constitution Hall. He
warned an audience of more than
5000 lawyers and judges against
a trend toward socialism. which,
he said. is more of a threat to
our liberties" than communism.
"We are witnessing" he said,
the twilight Of our State govern
mentS. In our lifetime, the Federal
government has been converted
into the major power in the lives
of our people.
Charges Absentee Government.
"An absentee centralized gov
ernment has thus been substituted
for local self-government. Great
responsibilities have been vested
in a central State which is already
heavily burdened and which has
a bad but clearly deserved repu-
tation for inefhciency and extrava.
gance."
The danger of communism has
now been made clear to the people.
Mr.. Gallagher said, but the dan
ger OF the worldwide swing to-
ward socialism" has not.
"Our danger from within is
more subtle, is little understood
by our people. and is, therefore,
more of threat to our liberties"
the assembly was told.
The association president called
on this country's 100000 lawyers
to unite in urging Congress to
create a commission of distin-
guished and impartial experts to
recommend laws and amendments
that would:
1. Restore local self govern
ment by returning to the States
the responsibility for handling
affairs that can best be handled
on local level.
Aid States independence.
2. Give the States exclusive
power to collect certain types Of
taxes so as to give them financial
independence.
3. Withdraw from the Federal
Government control over matters
involving social welfare and re-
store it to the states or to private
enterprise to the degree possible.
4. Re-examine all existing laws
which tend to promote the
specialization of business and to
hamper individual initiative"
In the present time of emer-
gency, Mr.. Gallagher said, cer-
tain special governmental controls
are necessary. But he added:
After the real emergency has
passed, we should stand stoutly
in defense Of freedom and be
quick to insist that emergency
measures, designed to meet war
needs, shall be given no more
than temporary life and shall be
permitted to make no permanent
inroad upon our liberal institu-
tionS."
Young Will Speak.
Other events scheduled for the
opening session of the four-day
convention were speeches by A. N,
Carter. president of the Canadian
and District Commits
sioner John Russell Young, wei
coming the lawyers to the city.
The Assembly, with five sched-
uled meetings, will confine itself
largely to the formal and cere-
monial part of the program. The
main business of the two associ-
ations will be conducted separate
ly in committee hearings and in
the House of Delegates Of the
ABA which meets this afternoon
at the Hotel Statler.
Highlight of the Assembly will
be a speech at $3.50 tonight by
departing Defense Secretary John
son. 1t will be Mr.. Johnson's last
public appearance before his resig-
nation becomes effective tomor-
row. Leonard w. Brockington of
Ottawa, a familiar figure on the
Canadian political scene, will also
speak.
During a meeting yesterday Of
the Junior Bar Conference, John
Myun Chang, the Korean Amhas-
sador, predicted that United Ma
tionS forces are now On the road
to victory and will succeed in the
establishment of a united Korea.
The Korean war, said the Am
bassador, is battle in defense
of law" He told the layers: Lib
erty and decency have always won
the last battle and they shall win
this one, too"
The date of June Is, when the
Korean war started, will become
'one of the most memorable days
IN history" Mr.. Chang said.
On that day, he continued, "the
aw Of the lands of democratic
peoples suddenly became the law
of the world. And the interna-
'ional bandit heard on that day
mis- doom pronounced. He is learn
ng it now"