Show too many lawyers in the legislative bodies of the united states by JOHN II 11 WALKER president illinois federation of labor A lawyer is the only man in the country who lias has ilia legal right to be an accessory after the fact to ilia commission of every crime in the calendar As members of legislative bodies they can find and do accept retainers from concerns and individuals seeking enactment or annulment of legislation and they exercise their prerogatives and powers tie as members of tile legislature and as officers of the assembly while acting in the capacity of private lobbyists hobbyists for the corporations which have hired them to lobby for and against legislation in their selfish interests we should not however discriminate against lawyers who may bo be not only well informed and capable but also honest and dependable that type of lawyer should be supported by the ilia workers generally because his special training makes him more ablo able to render intelligent service zer vice in legal matters than is tile the man mail who lias has not had that training but wo we should with every every influence nt at our command try to prevent tile the corporation co controlled at rolled lawyer from froin being elected or appointed to any judicial or other public office |