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5 Erie Cnty. B. Bull. 1 (1938-1939)

handle is hein.baecl/ericoubarb0005 and id is 1 raw text is: Buffalo Daily Law Journal-Friday, November 4, 1938
The Bar Association of Erie County
IY

Organized. 1886

Volume 5

Editorial Note
We are pleased to annouce the re-
sumpition of publication of The Bul-
letin. This useful paper was dis-
continued last year for two reasons.
First, the expense involved in its
publication, and second. the hard-
ships occasioned to those who had
for years so generously given of
their time as volunteers to make its
publication possible. It was thought
that is was an imposition to ask
practicing attorneys to assume the
burden of The Bulletin work with-
out compensation.
Recently our faithful assistant
secretary, Miss Driscoll. decided to
retire.  Many  attorneys had ex-
pressed their desire that there be a
resumption of publication of this
paper. It was thought by the Di-
rectors that it might be possible to
tie up the appointment of Miss
Driscoll's successor with a plan to
resume publication. Mrs. Irene C.
Tatu was appointed as assistant
secretary at $1,200.00 a year, and
Mr. Charles H. Dwyer was appoint-
ed as Editor of The Bulletin and as-
sistant to the President at a salary
of $600.00 a year. Both Mrs. Tatu
and Mr. Dwyer are lawyers.
Through the courtesy of the Buf-
falo Daily Law Journal which has
always heartily co-operated with
your Association, an arrangement
was made whereby the printing and;
distributing of this paper will cost
the Association nothing except the
!ight crnr of distribution to at-
torneys who do not subscribe to the
Buffalo Daily Law Journal. The
appointment of Mr. Dwyer relieves
the attorneys who formerly gave
so willingly of their services as vol-
unteers of a large part of the bur-
den of carrying on The Bulletin
work. The result is an actual saving
to the Association, the cost, with
Mr. Dwyer's salary being consider-
ably less than the former costs.
A committee has been appointed,
consisting of the following: Philip
Halpern, Chairman: Carlos C. Al-
den. Adrian Block, Michael Cata-
lano, George Clinton, Jr.. Emil L.
Cohen. Manly Fleischmann, William
K. Laidlaw, William J. O'Connor
and Gilbert J. Pedersen to act in an
advisory capacity in connection
with The Bulletin work.

BULLETIN

BUFFALO. N. Y.
It will be the policy of The Bulle-
tin in the future, in addition to its
former contents, to publish news of:
the Association and articles of gen-
eral interest to the profession in
connection with Bar Association
work.
We welcome your constructive
criticism and suggestions.
Strange it is indeed, that lawyers
whose knowledge of corporate or-
ganization is often relied upon by
clients engaged in vast business en-
terprises cannot organize and con-
duct a professional organization of
their own in an efficient manner. It
may be perhaps that they think
they are too busy to put their time
and their best thought to Bar As-
sociation work. In this they are mis-
taken. Intelligent group action by
lawyers is as necessary to the fu-
ture welfare of our ancient and hon-
orable profession as it is to the wel-
fare of any business enterprise.
We have always been individual- 1
ists. too much concerned with out I
own personal problems to do or
care much about our brethren at the
Bar or their problems. Our Bar As-
sociations have in many instances
been nothing more than glorified
mutual admiration   societies. We
have belonged to them because we
thought it was the thing to do, but
most of us have not even taken the
trouble to find out just what a Bar
Association was supposed to do, or
how it operated.
Now that evil times have fallen
upon all professions, and especially
our own, we are too prone to criti-
cize our Bar Associations and to
ask just what they do which en-
titles them to a place in the sun, and
just why we pay our dues.
If Bar Associations never do any-
thing, then we, their members, stand
indicted for the blame. Our lethargy
is reflected in the mirror of the as-
sociations to which we belong. In
the past we have even failed to live
up to the obligation to pay our dues,
and without money, an association
cannot operate.
The Bar Association of Erie Coun-
ty now has approximately 950 mem-
bers. In 1929, 57% of the member-
ship paid their dues. In 1930, 76%
paid dues. In 1931, 72% paid dues.
In 1932. 66 2/3% paid dues. In 1933,
60% paid dues. In 1934, 50% paid
dues. In 1935, 51% paid dues. In

Incorporated, 1887

Number 1

1936, 49% paid dues. and in 1937,
49% paid dues. Up to the present
writing, in 1938, 315 members have
paid their dues.
It will thus be seen that even in
the golden era, before the stock
market collapse, the members of
our association did not have interest
enough in its affairs to support it
financially.
The dues of the association are
negligible, as compared with those
of similar organizations, being as we
all know. $3.00 for members ad-
mitted to the Bar for a period less
than five years, and $8.00 for all
other persons. If all members paid
their dues, it would be possible to
make use of the monies derived
therefrom, to make our association
a vigilant and moving force to bet-
ter the conditions in our profession.
An opportunity was recently ex-
tended to members in arrears, to
wipe out all back indebtedness by
paying their current' dues on or be-
fore October 15th. This resolution
was adopted by the directors because
of popular demand. Only 104 mem-
bers availed themselves of this op-
portunity.
If eight hundred members of our
association would pay their dues so
as to be in good standing on or be-
'o-r~ flerrber P1. 1OPR and if two
hundred of our members were mem-
bers in good standing of the Ameri-
can Bar Association, on that date
we should be entitled to have a dele-
gate to the House of Delegates of
the American Bar Association. We
fall short of our two hundred mem-
bers in good standing in the Ameri-
can Bar Association only by a very
small number, in fact not more than
a dozen, and if our members would
pay up their dues, we could easily
qualify, We shall have no opportun-
ity to qualify for another two years
if we do not do so this year. It
would be exteremely worthwhile to
have representation in the House of
Delegates. The American Bar Asso-
ciation during the last few years has
become a live democratic organiza-
tion which, given proper support by
the profession, can easily become
one of the greatest influences for
good, not only for the lawyers, but
for our country at large.
Now you ask, what can the Bar
Association do? With your support,
Mr. Lawyer, but not without it, it
can discharge a twofold duty. First.

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