loved ones the protecting ægis of the law. We propose to furnish public speakers for the promotion of patriotism and patriotic endeavor. Who does not realize the unrest that is throughout this land today? Go along the streets of our great cities and see the men that are speaking from soap boxes on the corners, preaching the doctrine of despair. They are not exalting the constitution and laws of this country which we as lawyers are sworn to support. When the voice of the demagogue is heard in this land, then the voice of the patriot should be heard. When anarchy is abroad, then we ought to step forward as the champions of the constitution and the laws of our country. That we propose to do.

The medical profession is doing its work, the business men of the country are doing their work, and the lawyers ought not to lag behind, and they will not lag behind.

We call this the legal fraternity. Let us show the spirit of fraternity; let us show the spirit of co-operation; let this work not be carried on by individuals in scattered communities, but let us all support the work and let us have the support of the great American Bar Association which has always stood as a conservator of what is highest and noblest and best in the legal profession.

This is a great and worthy task, in which we ask the support of every one of you. The lawyers of this country have an opportunity to show themselves worthy of the great profession to which they belong a profession of which it was once said that it was as ancient as the magistracy, as noble as virtue, and as necessary as justice itself. Let us not be behind the rest.

We ask for your co-operation. We suggest that the Secretary communicate directly with the various state and local bar associations of the country and inform them of the action of the Association. Let us not be unmindful of our great opportunity. Let us do our duty. Let us always remember that today America is the hope of the world.

The President:

The resolutions referred to have already been adopted by the approval of the report of the Executive Committee.

The report of the Secretary will be read by Assistant Secretary Kemp.

Assistant Secretary Kemp:

The report of the Secretary is as follows:

(See the Report in the Appendix, page 109.) Stephen H. Allen, of Kansas:

I move that the report be accepted and filed.

The motion was seconded and carried.

The President:

The report of the Treasurer.

The Treasurer:

I submit the following report:

(See the Report in the Appendix, page 113.)

William P. Bynum, of North Carolina:

I move that the report be received and referred as usual to the Auditing Committee.

The President:

The report will be received and is referred to the Auditing Committee, consisting of Frank Irvine, of New York; John H. Voorhees, of South Dakota; and John T. Richards, of Illinois.

Adjourned to 8 P: M. the same day.

EVENING SESSION.

September 4, 1917, 8 P. M. Moorfield Storey, of Massachusetts, a former President of the Association, presided at this session.

The Chairman:

As I was just saying to Senator Hardwick, my conception of a presiding officer's duty is that he preside and not talk. I am going to act accordingly. Therefore, I take great pleasure in presenting to this meeting the distinguished Senator from Georgia, who will discuss the Interstate Commerce Law.

Thomas W. Hardwick, of Georgia, United States Senator, then delivered his address.

(See Appendix, page 215.)

George Whitelock, of Maryland:

I ask leave to introduce a matter coming under my supervision as Chairman of the Committee on Obituaries. The distinguished member of the Association to whom the particular matter which I am about to mention has been committed will be unable to be here tomorrow when the report of the committee is submitted. The committee has asked Francis Lynde Stetson, of New York, to prepare a memorial minute of Joseph H. Choate, a great former President of this Association, who passed away in the month of May, 1917, honored and revered by the whole world. I ask that Mr. Stetson may now read that minute.

The Chairman:

The Chair hearing no objection will be glad to have Mr. Stetson present the memorial.

Francis Lynde Stetson, of New York, then read the minute in reference to Joseph H. Choate, deceased.

(See Report of Committee on Obituaries in the Appendix, page 483.)

Henry St. George Tucker, of Virginia:

After the beautiful and touching address delivered by Mr. Stetson, and in view of the universal admiration, esteem and affection in which Mr. Choate was held by every member of this Association, I am induced to move that this great assembly, in honor of our great brother and in his memory, rise and remain standing for a moment.

The Chairman:

The Chair may safely assume that this motion is carried. I ask the brethren to rise.

The audience arose and remained standing a moment.

The Chairman:

The names of the gentlemen who have been elected members of the new general council will now be announced by the Assistant Secretary.

Assistant Secretary Kemp then read the list of members of the General Council elected at this meeting.

(See List of General Council, page 177.)

Adjourned to Wednesday, September 5, 1917, at 10 A. M.

The Secretary:

SECOND DAY.

Wednesday, September 5, 1917, 10 A. M.

Jacob M. Dickinson, of Illinois, a former President of this Association, was designated to preside at this session. Mr. Dickinson having been unavoidably detained at home, the President has requested William A. Blount, of Florida, long a member of the Association and now the presiding officer of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, to take Mr. Dickinson's place and to preside at this session.

The Chairman:

The program is the reception of reports of committees. The Chair will proceed to call for the reports in the order in which they are printed on the program.

Preliminarily I ask that throughout the session each member when he arises do announce his name and the state from which he comes. That is sometimes desirable for the information of the Chair; it is always desirable for the information of the stenographer reporting the proceedings.

The Committee on Jurisprudence and Law Reform.

William A. Ketcham, of Indiana:

Our report has been filed and is before the members. There is a dissenting opinion, and I understand there will be a motion to modify the matter. I ask the Chairman to recognize William L. Putnam, of Massachusetts.

William L. Putnam, of Massachusetts:

At the last meeting of the Association there was referred to this committee the question of the advisability of fixing the date for the inauguration of the President of the United States at an earlier period than March 4 following his election. That question was brought up because many of us were impressed with the unfortunate situation that would arise in this country at any time if a President were elected differing materially in policy with his predecessor, and especially at a critical time. No corporation wishing to make a change in its executive officers would announce the change and choose the new president and new executive, but leave the old executive in possession and in

the running of the corporation for four months; it would be a serious thing. It seemed to some of us a serious thing in these days, when the efficiency of other nations was so great, that we should be liable to be put into that position, and we felt that it was particularly the province of this Association to suggest that improvement. We felt that this Association should look forward and try to see the points wherein the law and the constitution were inadequate, and foresee them and remedy them; otherwise, if we wait until a strain comes, then the constitution has to be ridden over and evaded or broken; and as we wish-as has been stated in several of the great addresses that we have heard-to have a government of law, it is especially our duty to see that the law is adequate and appeals to the common sense of the people as being a practical working thing. As I say, otherwise the people override the law and we have mob law or else we have tyranny.

Now, this change is not a novelty. It is not the first time that this matter has been suggested. I find it, for example-one of the most important instances in which it was suggested-in a report of the special committee of the Senate, of which Mr. Root was chairman, in which he spoke of this danger and recommended substantially this very change. I believe it has also been suggested by other reports of Senate committees.

The change is not one that can be made hurriedly or easily. There are a number of conflicting issues. Some people are troubled by the season of the year in which inauguration takes place. The inauguration of the President in January would or should involve the dissolution of the old Congress at the time of the inauguration of the President. So the change is a complicated one.

The minority of the committee do not think that the matter should be turned down and put aside, as recommended by the majority; but we think that instead of doing that it should be referred to a special committee which, of course, naturally would confer with members of Congress and with Senators and would endeavor to work out the best solution of the problem which seems to us particularly a problem for this Association to consider and attack.