placed by institutional highrise buildings nearly 50 years ago will be completed within the next year.

Much has been written and said, in recent years, about the architectural concepts which should govern redevelopment of the property owned by the Federal Government on Jackson and Madison Places. Such concern about a compact area of one of the most strategically significant pieces of real estate in the world is to be expected. Some of the proposals have been adopted-some have been rejected. Presidents, architects, laymen, and others have contributed to the prevailing architectural concept by their thoughtful and constructive comments, as well as their criticisms. Out of divergent views the seeds of progress are frequently sown. It was the recognition of this basic fact that prompted the appointment of GSA's Public Advisory Panel on Architectural Services in 1965. The General Services Administration, as the agency responsible for the design and construction of public buildings, is most appreciative of the contributions which have been made by those who have not been identified with the project in any official capacity, as well as the invaluable assistance and tireless effort that has been provided by responsible agencies such as the National Capital Planning Commission, the Fine Arts Commission, and the District of Columbia government.

In welcoming the Court of Claims and the Court of Customs and Patent Appeals to their new home today, it is my great pleasure to present miniature replicas of the Great Seal of the United States to the Chief Judge of each of the courts as a memento of this significant occasion. First, I would like to make this presentation to the Honorable Giles Rich, acting for Chief Judge Worley of the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals. Judge Rich, if you will step forward please-Secondly, I would like to make a similar presentation to the Honorable Wilson Cowen, with whom it's been a great pleasure to work all through this project and who is Chief Judge of the United States Court of Claims, and after I've done so, I'm certain that both Judge Rich and Judge Cowen would like to speak to you and that you will be pleased to hear from them.

ADDRESS OF THE HONORABLE GILES S. RICH, ASSOCIATE JUDGE, UNITED STATES COURT OF CUSTOMS AND PATENT APPEALS.

MR. KNOTT:

As Acting Chief Judge of the Court of Customs and Patent Appeals, in the absence, by great misfortune, of our Chief Judge, in the presence of this most distinguished company, I have the signal honor as the official representative of the court as a unit of the Judicial branch of the government, as the personal delegate of the Chief Judge,

my other active colleagues on the bench, and former colleagues in retirement, to thank you, as the official representative of your portion of the Executive Branch of the government, the greatest housekeeping organization in the world—the General Services Administration-for this felicitous facility—our new judicial home.

Our absent Chief Judge, who has for so long looked forward to participating in this ceremony, in advising us of his doctor's order which has kept him away, wrote the following, which reflects the sentiments of all of our personnel:

“I had intended expressing deep appreciation to our Congressional guests for their invaluable help in making the Courts building, Lafayette Square, possible; to the architects, builders, and workers; to the General Services Administration staff, and particularly to its able and conscientious administrator, Lawson Knott, all for a job well done."

Chief Judge Worley asked me to accept this symbolic medallion, bearing the Great Seal of the United States, whose transient humble servants we who work for the government all are, "in memory of, and in tribute to, those dedicated judges who have gone before us, finished their work, and moved on to the highest court."

I second that thought and, for myself, add that it is accepted on behalf of those of us now holding office who build on the work of our predecessors preserved in this fine library behind me and, as well, for our successors who will be privileged to work within the rosy glow of John Carl Warnecke's imaginative creation. If public reaction to his decision to use red mortar causes him any pain, he may take solace from the fact that judges, too, often suffer from public reaction to their imaginative decisions.

We pray that, toiling in these quarters, we may be given the wisdom and the health to discharge herein our judicial duties with the degree of competence a generous people has the right to expect.

Thank you.

CHIEF JUDGE COWEN: On May 11, 1855, the first appointed judges of the Court of Claims met at the old Willard's Hotel-on the same site on F Street where the present Willard Hotel is located-and organized the court. Certainly this is one of the most important events in the history of the court since its creation. Therefore, we in the Court of Claims want to try to express our sincere appreciation to everyone who had a part in providing this new building. The list is a long one. It begins with the Congress, which authorized the construction and appropriated funds for that purpose. It includes the Fine Arts Commission and the National Capital Planning Commission. It includes the architect and the builder. It certainly includes many people in the General Services Administration, from the head of that organiza

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tion down to the last GSA workman who inserted a lamp bulb in an empty socket-to all of these we are grateful. Finally, I should say that we who are privileged to use this building accept it with the fervent hope that we shall discharge our duties and responsibilities as well as the able and dedicated people who have gone before us in the more than 100 years that the Court of Claims has been in existence. (Applause.)

When most Americans see or hear about the Chief Justice of the United States, they think of him only as the head of the high court. However, the Federal judges of this country know him best in another and equally significant capacity, and that is for the time, thought, and plain hard work, which as Chairman of the Judicial Conference of the United States, he devotes to the improvement of justice in all the Federal courts. Of course one of the problems he often faces is the provision of adequate facilities to meet the growing needs of the courts in a rapidly growing America. It is a signal honor to have him here today and a high personal privilege to present now the Chief Justice of the United States. (Applause.)

ADDRESS OF THE CHIEF JUSTICE

OF THE UNITED STATES

CHIEF JUSTICE WARREN: Chief Judge Cowen, Judges and Commissioners of the Court of Claims; Acting Chief Judge Rich of the Court of Customs and Patent Appeals; other distinguished Judges who are on the platform and in the audience; your Eminence, Cardinal O'Boyle; and last, but not least, the father of this great building, Chief Judge Jones of the Court of Claims, retired.

I know this is a very happy event for everyone in this audience because almost everyone here has had something to do with the building of this structure or will have something to do with the manner in which it is used. I join with you heartily. I have watched the construction of this building for almost five years and have realized, as the Judges of the Court of Claims have, that they needed and deserved a new home. That might be due somewhat to the propaganda of my friend, Marvin Jones, but, in all events, I have that feeling today and have had it throughout its construction. As I passed it many, many times, I thought of the ancient story of the wayfarer who was passing a building under construction. There were three workmen on the building. He said to the first one he came in contact with, "What are you doing here?" His answer was, "I'm following my trade." He then spoke to the second one and said, "What are you doing?" He said, "I am earning a living." He then spoke to the third asking him the same question. This man, rising to his full height and looking the wayfarer straight in the eye, said "Sir, I am building a temple." I am sure that those who have had anything to do with the construction of

this building have felt that they were building a temple—a temple of justice. I know that both Chief Judge Jones and his colleagues did. I am also sure that this is true of the Congress that made the appropriation, the President who signed the bill, the architect and the builders. I believe it will be a temple. I like to think that every building devoted to this purpose is a temple in this country—a temple of justice. And so I join heartily with all of our friends here in dedicating this building to that great cause, there being no greater cause for government.

The establishment of the Court of Claims 112 years ago represented the stirring of the conscience of a nation. Prior to that time we had accepted heirship to the doctrine of sovereign immunity based upon the outmoded doctrine that the king can do no wrong. Under that doctrine, a citizen had no right to recover against his government for a wrong it had done to him. Any relief given was strictly an act of grace by the government. Even under the act establishing the court, a claimant had no right to recover. His claim was merely routed through the Court of Claims and the Congress retained the power to enforce or reject its decisions. In the true sense of the word, it was not really a court until Abraham Lincoln pointed out this injustice and urged the Congress to make the judgments of the Court of Claims final, by saying this in his first Annual Message: "It is as much the duty of the Government to render prompt justice against itself in favor of citizens as it is to administer the same between private individuals." This appeal to the conscience of the Nation was written into law in 1863 and, since that time, the Court of Claims, to the eminent satisfaction of the Government and the people, has acted as the court of conscience of the United States. Its responsibilities were continually expanded, but it was another 90 years before the Congress recognized it as an Article III court and placed it firmly in the hierarchy of the federal court system, and today it is being installed in its new homethe first it has ever had in 112 years. It is to share its beautiful new building with the Court of Customs and Patent Appeals, another important arm of the Judiciary, which also has had an humble beginning but, because of its devotion to duty throughout the years, has made steady progress until it too now has an honored and firm place in the federal court system. I congratulate both courts and all their workers, and wish them well in their joint quest with other courts for equal justice under law.

CHIEF JUDGE COWEN: Thank you very much, Mr. Chief Justice. Mr. Justice Tom C. Clark, who is ill and unable to be here, once reminded the judges of our court that the Supreme Court grades our papers. In view of the kind and altogether generous remarks of the Chief Justice, I shall undertake to speak for the court by saying that we shall strive to improve our marks.

In both courts which will occupy this building, it is a well known and generally acknowledged fact that the one individual who deserves the greatest amount of credit for persuading the Congress to make provision for this fine new building is my distinguished predecessor, Judge Marvin Jones. It is true that he had the assistance of Judge Worley and others. However, Judge Jones began work on the project more than 11 years ago. In spite of many delays and frustrations, he persevered and today he has not only substantial but visible evidence that his perseverance was awarded. It is a great honor for me to present my close friend and teacher of 25 years, who will speak for the courts in the dedication of this new building-Judge Marvin Jones. (Applause.)

ADDRESS OF JUDGE MARVIN JONES, SENIOR JUDGE, UNITED STATES COURT OF CLAIMS.

JUDGE JONES: I first want to join the other speakers in thanking all the distinguished guests that have seen fit to attend this occasion.

This building is the culmination of several years' work on the part of a number of people, with many delays and frustrations. I was reminded of the story of the old lady who when asked if she had even seen Halley's comet, replied, "Only from a distance." It has seemed a long journey.

But that effort is but faintly typical of the struggle for untold centuries on the part of liberty loving people everywhere to be free and finally to reach the stage where the right of the citizen to sue his government could be freely exercised without risking the scaffold or the guillotine. That struggle has cost seas of blood, broken hearts, and billions of treasure.

The devine right of kings, including the absurd slogan that the king can do no wrong, is a doctrine that has been encouraged, safeguarded and promoted by rulers, and ambitious men, some of whom were usurpers, who through the ages have used very conceivable device to retain their power and authority over their fellow men.

In the early days of English history disputes between men were settled by wager of battle. Each litigant would choose someone to fight for him, usually on horseback. Whoever won in this clash of arms was held to be the winner of the dispute for his principal.

But slowly, gradually, beautifully, like the rising of the sun, men began to realize that a question of right and wrong was involved and that a contest of physical skill, force, and arms left completely untouched the question of who was right.

I wonder when the nations of the world are going to discover that principle. That is probably a long way off, but I believe it will come