members of which are members of the bar of said court. The bill excepts from its operation those practicing before certain other courts sitting in the District, or before the departments of the Government, provided such persons do not hold themselves out as qualified to engage in the practice of law generally. At the present time anyone may hold himself out as skilled in the law and qualified to advise clients as to their legal rights and to draw for them wills, contracts, and other important legal documents. The only limitation upon one's right, under existing law, to enter the legal profession is that he may not represent clients before a court of the bar of which he is not a member. It would seem to require no argument that the public should be protected against persons holding themselves out as lawyers who are not qualified to act as such in the District of Columbia. On the other hand, this bill can work no hardship upon the man properly qualified to engage in the practice of the law since he would be entitled to admission to the bar of the Supreme Court of the District. It may be remarked that under statutes now existing in this District no one can engage in any of the following professions without passing an examination and being licensed by the proper authorities: Medicine and the other healing arts, dentistry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, podiatry, and optometry. A nurse is not permitted to hold herself out as a registered nurse unless duly registered after examination; an accountant cannot style himself a certified public accountant unless he has passed an examination and received certificate authorizing him so to do. An architect is also required to be registered after examination. It is equally as important that the practice of the law be regulated. This is now done in a majority of the States of the Union. Furthermore, any member of the bar guilty of any unprofessional conduct is subject to the penalty of disbarment, but a person not a member of the bar engaging in similar conduct is subject to no penalty unless his act constitutes a violation of law. Thus, it will be seen that while a court has power to and does control the conduct of members of its bar, it has no power to punish those whose acts are equally prejudicial to the public who have never qualified to appear before that court. This bill prohibits corporations from engaging in the practice of the law. Since the relationship between an attorney and client is an exceedingly personal and confidential one, it would appear but proper that only individuals should engage in the practice of this profession. There is nothing radical in this feature of the bill, since corporations have been prohibited from practicing law in many of the States for a number of years. M. C. HAZEN, Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia. Appended hereto and made a part of this report is a letter from the president of the Board of Commissioners corroborating its former endorsement of this legislation. COMMISSIONERS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUmbia, Hon. WILLIAM H. KING, EXECUTIVE OFFICE, Washington, December 31, 1934. United States Senate, Washington, D. C. SIR: With reference to your suggestion that a bill relative to the qualifications of practitioners of law in the District of Columbia, similar to S. 316 in the Seventythird Congress, first session, be introduced at the forthcoming session, we beg to report that on February 2, 1934, the Commissioners reported favorably upon that bill with amendments. The amendments suggested were incorporated in the report of the Senate District Committee (Rept. No. 266). Therefore, the bill as reported by the Senate Committee on February 6, 1934, is in accordance with the prior recommendation of the Commissioners. We have no reason at this time to alter that recommendation. Very respectfully, M. C. HAZEN, President, Board of Commissioners, O 74TH CONGRESS 1st Session } SENATE { REPORT No. 374 FREE IMPORTATION OF FOREIGN ARTICLES FOR EXHIBITION PURPOSES AT THE CALIFORNIA PACIFIC INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION MARCH 13 (calendar day, March 27), 1935.--Ordered to be printed Mr. HARRISON, from the Committee on Finance, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 1990] The Committee on Finance, to whom was referred the bill (S. 1990) to permit articles imported from foreign countries for the purpose of exhibition at the California Pacific International Exposition, San Diego, Calif., to be admitted without payment of tariff, and for other purposes, having had the same under consideration, report it to the Senate without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. There is attached hereto as part of this report the letter received by the chairman of the committee from the Secretary of the Treasury, advising that the Department has no objection to the passage of S. 1990. Hon. PAT HARRISON, TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Chairman Committee on Finance, United States Senate. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: I have your request of February 26 for a report in duplicate on S. 1990, a bill to permit articles imported from foreign countries for the purpose of exhibition at the California Pacific International Exposition, San Diego, Calif., to be admitted without payment of tariff, and for other purposes. The bill follows the language of Public Resolution No. 26 of the Seventy-third Congress, approved May 21, 1934, in favor of the Century of Progress Exposition at Chicago, except that a new provision appearing as the third proviso of the bill would authorize the abandonment to the Government or destruction under customs supervision, during or within 3 months after the close of the exposition and without payment of duty, of any articles admitted to entry under the provisions of the bill. On the basis of the Department's experience with the legislation in favor of the Century of Progress Exposition, and after a careful consideration of the terms of the present bill, I am pleased to advise you that I do not believe the enactment of S. 1990 into law without change would create any administrative difficulties for this Department. Very truly yours, H. MORGENTHAU, Jr., O MARCH 13 (calendar day, MARCH 27), 1935.-Ordered to be printed Mr. RUSSELL, from the Committee on Appropriations, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 6718] The Committee on Appropriations, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 6718) making appropriations for the Department of Agriculture and for the Farm Credit Administration for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1936, and for other purposes, report the same to the Senate with various amendments, and present herewith information relative to the changes made: The changes in the amounts of the House bill recommended by the committee are as follows: Office of the Secretary: The limit of $30,000 available for allowances for living quarters, including heat, fuel, and light, is increased to $33,400. |