Wm. Chapman, Publicity Agent of the Associa- .... Committee on Noteworthy Changes in Statute Law 10.00 397.01 The Treasurer was likewise directed to pay the expenses incurred by Frederick A. Brown in arranging hotel accommodations for members attending the annual meeting in Chicago. The President appointed a sub-committee consisting of Selden P. Spencer, Frederick E. Wadhams and John Lowell to confer respecting membership matters with Lucien Hugh Alexander, Chairman of the Membership Committee, and to advise concerning expenditure of the appropriation to that committee for this work. There were no matters referred to the committee for its consideration at the last annual meeting. At its meeting on January 5, 1917, the following resolution was passed by this committee: "Resolved, That from the funds now in the hands of the Treasurer the sum of $20,000 be invested in good securities under the direction of a Sub-Committee on Finance consisting of three members of the Association, of which the Treasurer shall be one; and that the Sub-Committee on Finance shall be a standing committee, whose powers shall extend to all investments to be made when and as directed by the Executive Committee." The President appointed as such sub-committee the Treasurer, Frederick E. Wadhams; Francis Lynde Stetson; and Henry W. Taft. The Executive Committee passed a resolution providing that the Treasurer reimburse to members of committees, or to other members of the Association, the amount of their actual traveling or other expenses incurred by them in the performance of duties by special request of the Executive Committee, and not otherwise provided for. And also the following resolution concerning appropriations to Committees and Sections: "Resolved, That before action by the Executive Committee on the regular appropriations at the winter meeting there shall be required a statement in behalf of each committee, section, or other organization desiring an appropriation, showing the unexpended balances of former appropriations, all unsatisfied obligations, and the specific purposes for which the appropriation is desired; that when an increase of appropriation over that of the last preceding year is asked there shall be required a statement of the specific expenditures to be made in the ensuing year in addition to or in excess of those of the preceding year, and of the reasons for such addition or increase." The committee also passed a resolution concerning a budget for the Association: "Resolved, That the regular appropriations for the expenditures of the Association be made at the winter meeting of the Executive Committee; that it shall be the duty of the officers of the Association to prepare and send to each member of the Executive Committee at least 10 days before the winter meeting of the committee a budget showing the resources of the Association, the detailed requirements of expenditures for the current year, and a comparative statement of former appropriations and expenditures." Upon the call of the President, there was held in Philadelphia on Saturday, January 6, 1917, a conference of actual and former Presidents of the American Bar Association, Presidents of state bar associations and members of the Special Committee on "Cooperation Among Bar Associations." There were 36 persons present at this conference. The Special Committee on "Cooperation Among Bar Associations" made a report to the conference, and after discussion, a committee of 10 (including the members of the Committee on "Co-operation ") was appointed to arrange a program for the Special Conference of Delegates from State and Local Bar Associations to be held September 3, 1917. President Sutherland appointed the following delegates to represent the American Bar Association at the conference on September 3: William P. Bynum, Greensboro, N. C., George T. Page, Peoria, Ill., Moorfield Storey, Boston, Mass. The committee further reports that on November 3, 1916, it sent to the Chief Justice of the United States on the occasion of his 71st birthday a basket of flowers with the message "To our revered Chief Justice from the Executive Committee of the American Bar Association; best wishes of all and affectionate esteem of each-November 3, 1916." The Chief Justice courteously acknowledged the remembrance, expressing his warm and cordial thanks. On the occasion of Elihu Root's appointment as Special Ambassador to Russia and his departure therefor, the Secretary sent to him, on behalf of the committee, the following letter: Hon. Elihu Root, New York, N. Y. "May 15, 1917. DEAR SENATOR ROOT.-It is my privilege to tender to you from all of your colleagues of the Executive Committee of the American Bar Association, and by the express direction of each of them, sincere congratulations upon your selection by the President for the high post of Special Ambassador from the United States to Russia, and in their behalf most warmly to thank you, not only as a personal friend, but as a fellow-countryman, for your patriotic acceptance of a duty whose performance is fraught with so many difficulties and so great self-sacrifice. Confident of your pre-eminent fitness for this mission, we believe assuredly in your success; and we wish you a speedy and safe return to the land which has given so many proofs of its faith in your ability and character, and to your family and ourselves, your friends, whose trust in you is implicit and abiding. Yours very sincerely, GEORGE WHITELOCK." The President appointed the following committee to attend in New York the funeral services of Joseph H. Choate, a former President of the Association, who died on May 14, 1917, viz.: Simeon E. Baldwin, Connecticut, George T. Page, Illinois, Alton B. Parker, New York, Frederick E. Wadhams, New York, The committee begs to report that letters were sent to every state bar association President and Secretary informing them of the amendment to the Constitution, made at the Chicago meeting, whereby the Presidents and Secretaries of the state associations may become members ex officio of the General Council and of the Local Councils, respectively, and request was made that the various state associations adopt the provisions thereby entitling their President and Secretary to these offices. The following states have now accepted the Constitutional provisions: In accordance with By-Law VIII of the Constitution, the President has appointed a Reception Committee of 15 members to attend immediately before and at the opening of the first day's session of the annual meeting to receive members and delegates and introduce them to each other with a view to making them acquainted and in establishing a spirit of good fellowship among them. The members of the committee are as follows: John A. Chambliss, Chattanooga, Tenn, Chairman, Frederic R. Coudert, New York, N. Y., Walter I. Dawkins, Baltimore, Md., Edward A. Harriman, New Haven, Conn., Albert Hessberg, Albany, N. Y., Rodney A. Mercur, Towanda, Pa., Edwin T. Merrick, New Orleans, La., Robert R. Prentis, Suffolk, Va., Edward T. Sanford, Knoxville, Tenn., George R. Salisbury, Saratoga Springs, N. Y., John A. Slade, Saratoga Springs, N. Y., Selden P. Spencer, St. Louis, Mo., Francis J. Swayze, Newark, N. J., Hiram C. Todd, Saratoga Springs, N. Y. The committee recommends to the Association the following amendments to the Constitution, viz.: (1) Amend Article II of the Constitution entitled "Qualifications for Membership" by changing the word "five" to three," so that the article will read as follows: Article II. Any person shall be eligible to membership in this Association who shall be, and shall, for three years next preceding, have been a member in good standing of the Bar of any state, and who shall also be nominated as hereinafter provided." (2) Amend By-Law VII-" Officers and Committees" by adding at the end thereof the words "vacancies in any office (except the Council) occurring betwen the annual meetings shall be filled by the Executive Committee," so that By-Law VII shall read in its entirety as follows: "VII. The terms of office of all officers elected at any annual meeting shall commence at the adjournment of such meeting, except the Council, whose term of office shall commence immediately upon their election. Vacancies in any office (except the Council) occurring between the annual meetings shall be filled by the Executive Committee." (3) Amend Article III of the Constitution-" Officers and Committees "--by inserting in the list of committees, immediately after "On Noteworthy Changes in Statute Law," the following: "A Sub-Committee on Finance to consist of three members, of which the Treasurer shall be one." (4) Amend Article II of the By-Laws, sub-section (f) by adding after the words "On Noteworthy Changes in Statute Law" the words "Sub-Committee on Finance." (5) Amend Article VIII of the By-Laws-" Officers and Committees "--by adding a new paragraph at the end thereof to read as follows: "The Sub-Committee on Finance shall be a standing committee whose powers shall extend to all investments to be made when and as directed by the Executive Committee." Amend the By-Laws of the Association by adding thereto a new section to be numbered Section XVIII and to be entitled "Section of Public Utility Law," said section to read as follows: A Section of the Association to be known as the 'Section of Public Utility Law' is hereby established, which shall meet annually in connection with the meeting of the Association, but not during such hours as the Association is in session. |