North Dakota Law Review/Volume 1/Number 4/Suggested Service

SUGGESTED SERVICE

The following was one of the thoughts that appeared as part of an editorial in the February number of the American Bar Association Journal:

“Members of the profession in every state can render a genuine public service by answering temperately, concisely and effectively, erroneous statements in the public press which reflect seriously upon the courts or the profession. This, o course, does not mean that every erroneous statement is significant enough to call for a reply, and still less that every statement is erroneous. There may be a good many unpalatable but perfectly true statements in the press on the subjects mentioned that deserve to be read and digested and, at times, to become the subject of letters of approval instead of criticism. But no matter what the purpose of the letter may be, brevity, genuine argument based on facts, and good temper are essential to give it effectiveness, for the object is to reach the public quite as much as the newspaper.

“It would be a good idea for State Bar Associations to consider means of getting their qualified members to undertake in their several communities the task of thus promoting a better understanding and better thinking on the subject of the administration of justice and those who are intimately concerned with it.”