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Rome G. Brown, of Minneapolis, a native of Vermont and close personal friend of the speaker for more than 30 years, was an active commissioner from Minnesota for many years, rendering a valuable service as a member of important committees and on the floor. He was an able lawyer and acquired national distinction as Chairman of the Committee of The American Bar Association to oppose the recall of judges and the recall of decisions.

J. Hansell Merrill, for many years a commissioner from Georgia, was for a long time an active commissioner in regular attendance at the Conference, a charming gentleman, a lovable friend, an able lawyer and a valuable commissioner. Illness has prevented his attendance at the Conference for several years. In his passing the Conference has sustained a serious loss.

Willard L. Sturdevant, of St. Louis, was an able and interested commissioner from Missouri. He has taken great interest in the Conference during his term of service and has rendered valuable service both on committees and on the floor.

Hon. William H. Taylor, commissioner from Vermont, was appointed since the last Conference to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Attorney-General John G. Sargent. Mr. Justice Taylor was an able lawyer and would have made a valuable commissioner had he been spared to serve under his appointment.

Mr. Ira A. Chase, of New Hampshire, W. P. Bynum, of North Carolina, and John C. Murphy, of Alaska, were all commissioners for a number of years and were able lawyers, but I think none of them ever attended a National Conference. Mr. Chase, of New Hampshire, has been a commissioner since 1905.

The committees have endeavored to present acceptable reports and many of them contain acts in first or subsequent tentative form. I bespeak for them your careful and diligent consideration. The Executive Committee recommend two sessions daily, thus giving time for commissioners to study the reports and tentative drafts of acts outside the Conference which is bound to expedite work in the Conference. It also enables committees to meet and to perfect the acts and to consider and properly formulate the suggestions and directions of the Conference. I trust that your hearty co-operation will make this a most successful Conference.

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

COMPARATIVE LAW BUREAU

The annual meeting of the Comparative Law Bureau of The American Bar Association was held at Denver, Colorado, at 2 P. M., on Tuesday, July 13, 1926, in the Brown-Palace Hotel. But three persons were in attendance-W. O. Hart, of Louisiana; H. Lawrence Noble, of the College of Law, University of Philippines, Manila, P. I.; and R. P. Shick, Secretary, of Philadelphia.

The report of the Treasurer, Mr. Errol White of Philadelphia, was submitted, duly vouched and accompanied by a statement from the depositary and showed the following:

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1926

EXPENDITURES.

$553.44

5.13

48.00

5.72

$612.29

Jan. 9-Robert P. Shick, Secy. for petty expense, order

No. 62

Journal of Mexico

Mar. 10-Joseph Wheless, subscription official legislative

$10.33

15.00

Apr. 24-Robert P. Shick, Secy. for petty expense... 6.00
June 1-By balance

580.96

$612.29

The work of the Bureau was discussed generally by those present and lack of interest in the annual meeting deplored. There being no quorum the officers remain for the ensuing year as follows:

Chairman, Wm. W. Smithers, Philadelphia, Pa.

Vice-Chairman, Charles S. Lobingier, Shanghai, China.
Secretary, Robert P. Shick, Philadelphia, Pa.

Assistant Secretary, Axel Teisen, Philadelphia, Pa.

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Treasurer, Errol White, 1201 Stephen Girard Bldg., Philadelphia, Pa.

Council: Simeon E. Baldwin, Connecticut; Andrew A. Bruce, Illinois; P. J. Eder, New York; W. O. Hart, Louisiana; Frederick W. Lehmann, Jr., Iowa; Walter S. Penfield, Washington, D. C.; Roscoe Pound, Massachusetts; Joseph Wheless, New York; John H. Wigmore, Illinois.

ROBERT P. SHICK, Secretary.

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

ELEVENTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF BAR ASSOCIATION DELEGATES

For a detailed account of the meeting of the Conference of Bar Association Delegates reference is made to the files of THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION JOURNAL. (September, 1926.) The Denver meeting was the eleventh regular meeting and was very well attended by delegates who brought a large measure of experience to consideration of the various topics.

In the absence of Chairman Charles E. Hughes, the meeting was presided over by Mr. Josiah Marvel, Vice-Chairman, who spoke briefly, but eloquently, concerning the duty and the abundant opportunity of the organized Bar.

The officers for the coming year are: Chairman, Nathan William MacChesney; Vice-Chairman, John R. Hardin; Secretary, Herbert Harley; Treasurer, Elias Gates. Members of the Council, Charles E. Hughes, ex officio; James Grafton Rogers and Joseph J. Webb. The retiring members are Julius Henry Cohen, Jeff P. Chandler and Clarence N. Goodwin. The holdover members of the Council are Elihu Root, Charles A. Boston, Herbert S. Hadley, Reginald Heber Smith, Henry U. Sims, Wade Millis.

The new subjects taken up by the Conference were The Judicial Council, presented by Mr. Robert G. Dodge, a member of the Massachusetts Judicial Council, and The Rule-Making Power of the Courts, presented by Dean Roscoe Pound.

Mr. Thomas W. Shelton spoke concerning the history of procedural reform in England, revealing the long and bitter struggle which, for half a century, preceded the unification of English courts and reform of procedure. The Conference authorized the creation of committees on these two topics.

CONCILIATION AND SMALL CLAIMS.

For the Committee on Conciliation and Small Claims, Chairman Reginald Heber Smith told of the translation of the Danish and Norwegian conciliation laws by Mr. John P. Matsen. A condensation of Mr. Matsen's voluminous report, with valuable statistics, has been published in the May and June issues of the Monthly Labor Review, 1926, and is now available in a pamphlet published by the Government Printing Office and entitled: Procedure in the Administration of Justice. Chairman Smith reported that foreign experience showed great success for conciliation procedure and justified the expectation that it could be largely employed with success in this country, preferably in our established tribunals. Mr. Justice Lauer of the New York Municipal Court, a member of the committee, also reported on a successful trial in his court.

JUDICIAL SELECTION.

Chairman Irvin V. Barth of the Committee on Judicial Selection reported that he had succeeded in adding to his committee a member from every state bar association as a step toward inducing the state and larger local associations to create committees on this subject and enter actively upon the work of guiding voters in respect to judicial elections. Several associations have already acted.

COOPERATION BETWEEN PRESS AND BAR.

The report of Julius Henry Cohen, Chairman of this committee, was read by Mr. Boston, a member, and led to an interesting discussion in which Mr. Andrew R. Sherriff, of Chicago, told of efforts to improve publicity methods in his locality. His local committee has obtained rules of courts against the taking of photographs in the court rooms and all but a few of the 90 judges comply willingly. Thomas H. Franklin, of San Antonio, a part owner of two papers, told of the difficulties of the editor and bespoke support from the Bar when the papers brave libel suits to present the truth.

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