of the larger states who, with his County Advisers, secured no less than 720 new members; another, in a little over two months, secured 375 new members; another, where the population is smaller, secured 340 new members. A far western state contributed no less than 191 new members. Every state in the union contributed some new members and applications were also received from the Philippine Islands, the Canal Zone, Porto Rico, and one from an American lawyer temporarily residing in England. The Chairman welcomes the opportunity here afforded to express his earnest appreciation of the co-operation by the members of the committee and to thank them for the service they so willingly contributed to the cause, which, involving as it does to so great an extent the welfare of the Association, is dear to the Chairman of this committee. Respectfully submitted, FREDERICK E. WADHAMS, Chairman of Membership Committee. Dated September 1, 1921. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON CLASSIFICATION AND RESTATEMENT OF LAW. To the American Bar Association: Thirty-five years ago Mr. Holmes, now Mr. Justice Holmes wrote. The law has got to be stated over again, and I venture to say that in fifty years we shall have it in a form in which no man could have dreamed fifty years ago. Here is a realization, a vision and a forecast. The realization was, that the law was drifting into confusion and uncertainty. The vision was, the law would be given a new form, by classification. The forecast is, that it would take about 50 years to bring the mass of the Bench and Bar to a full realization of the necessity for the work and the will to do it. This vision has taken form in the minds of leading scholars, jurists and statesmen. This association has spoken its will to act. Practical measures are now being perfected to carry out the work. At the 1919 meeting, the committee, Mr. Carson, Chairman, gave approval to the great truth, that classification was the key to the scientific treatment of the law, quoting Dean Langdell's, statement as follows: If the doctrines of the law could be classified and arranged so that each should be found in its proper place, and nowhere else, they would cease to be formidable from their number. The report continues. Sir Matthew Hale, was the first of English jurists to apply the analytical methods to the principles of British jurisprudence, but it was left to Blackstone to draw together by synthetic processes, the principles as ascertained by Hale, and thus create the first notable system of classification. Of Blackstone's work, a continental jurist has declared: It may be boldly asserted that none of the modern systems of law can show such a complete and rounded exposition on the whole, as the English system possesses in Blackstone. The report of the committee, at the 1920 meeting, approved the employment of classification as a means of systematic exposi tion displaying in logical order the system of relationships and giving to the law a degree of certainty, simplicity of statement and displaying the identity and uniformity of the fundamental frame work of principles. The committee said further: "Your committee believes that a logical classification is feasible and desirable" adding, "it is clear that the task of restating the rules of law is not an impossible or an unusual one." As the result of their deliberations, the committee took the next step, saying that "the time has come to take the necessary steps to inaugurate an organized and permanent effort to improve the American Legal System in all its parts and as a whole." The committee recommended that this association cooperate with the American Academy of Jurisprudence, and proposed the following resolution: Resolved, That the report of the Committee on Classification and Restatement be received and adopted, and that said committee be continued and that it be and hereby is authorized and directed in conjunction with the Executive Committee to take such steps as may be deemed necessary and expedient to cooperate with any body which has for its purpose the carrying on of the proposed work of classification and restatement of law. During the interim, the American Academy of Jurisprudence has appointed a committee on organization to cooperate with the executive committee of this Association and with this committee in the creation of an organization adequate and adapted to the accomplishment of the work, and capable of permanent effort in the field of jurisprudence. The executive committee, at its April meeting in 1921, passed the following resolution: WHEREAS, At its last meeting, this Association adopted and approved the resolution presented to it by the Committee on Classification and Restatement of the Law, contemplating the cooperation of the American Bar Association with the American Academy of Jurisprudence for the purpose of carrying on the proposed work of a systematic classification and restatement of the law; and WHEREAS, The Chairman of the said committee and the Organization Committee of said academy has presented a general outline of the plans for such classification and restatement. Now therefore, it is resolved, That this committee is of the opinion that this Association should cooperate with the American Academy of Jurisprudence in an effort to bring about a systematic classification and restatement of the law, but that the formation of any corporation for this purpose would be a matter for individuals rather than of this Association. Resolved further, That as to the plans for accomplishing the work, this committee thinks any and all specific plans should be carefully considered and worked out by the special committee and presented to this committee for reference to the Association before taking definite action thereon. The admonition of the late Hon. John F. Dillon, once a President of this Association are peculiarly applicable at this time. The work of jurists and legislators during the next century will be pre-eminently the work of SYSTEMATIC RESTATEMENT. This work must be done. If not done by choice, the inexorable logic of necessity will compel its performance. This work, as important and noble as any that can engage the attention of men, will fall to the profession to do, since it cannot be done by others. It rests, therefore, upon the profession as a duty. Your committee reports progress as above and recommend that the committee be continued with the directions heretofore given. Respectfully submitted, JAMES D. ANDREWS, Chairman, ADOLPH J. RODENBECK, GEORGE B. ROSE, EDWARD Q. KEASBEY, EUGENE C. MASSIE, Committee. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLICITY. To the American Bar Association: The Committee on Publicity respectfully reports: The purpose of the Committee on Publicity is to furnish to the newspapers news items and articles relating to the Association in such form as to warrant and insure publication and thereby keep the general public as well as our own membership through the medium of the daily press informed of our activities. During the past year the committee, in an effort to ascertain to what extent the desired publicity has been secured, obtained through a press bureau clippings from newspapers all over the country. The following table gives a summary by months of the number of references to the American Bar Association, arranged by general topics, which have appeared in the public press during the six months from February to July, 1921, inclusive: Feb. March April May June July Tota! It may be noted that the annual meeting publicity is not included in this period, as the clippings covering the meeting are not yet available. The publicity was widespread appearing in newspapers located as follows: ALABAMA: Anniston. Birmingham CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles (4). San Francisco (10). COLORADO: Denver. Fort Collins. CONNECTICUT : Hartford (2). New Haven (7). Norwich. Waterbury. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Washington (6). FLORIDA: Barventown. Jacksonville. Tampa (2). GEORGIA: Atlanta (4) Rome. Savannah. |