Page:North Dakota Law Review Vol. 1 No. 6 (1924).pdf/4

4 happen to be present, but the urge to be present will be much stronger if they know in advance what proposals are pressing for consideration, and the greater the attendance the fuller will be the discussion and the more representative the resulting action.

Various suggestions have come in recently concerning the matter of a better and closer adherence to the schedule of fees proposed and adopted at the annual meeting of the State Association in 1924. It is recognized that only a limited number of the members of the Association expressed an opinion prior to formal adoption, but the matter was in the hands of a capable and representative committee that gave the proposals full and fair consideration. The general feeling of those present at the annual meeting was that the proposals were definite, meritorious and capable of practical application.

In some parts of the State local Bar Associations have formally approved the action of the State Association, and few, if any, difficulties have appeared in those parts. Such as may arise at any point ought not to be of such a character that they can not be quickly disposed of by conference or correspondence with the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. F. T. Cuthbert, of Devils Lake.

One of the problems that confronts every organized effort, whether fraternal, political or professional, is that of making effective the pronouncements of policy by the largest group. Rules, By-Laws, Codes of Ethics, Fee Schedules, and innumerable other things may be talked about, passed and promulgated, but effectual results will never be achieved until the means of administration are also provided.

North Dakota is a large State, and even the advent of the automobile has not reduced distances to such an extent that more than a small percentage of the total number of practicing attorneys may be expected to be present at the annual meetings of this Association. A still smaller percentage of them must carry on the business of the organization between times.

The Referendum was thought to be a way out, but that is a cumbersome, slow-working process, and its application here has never brought more than a bare majority expression.

Suppose that every County now had a local Chapter of the State Association. Then, suppose that a month before the meeting of the State Association a synopsis of the reports and recommendations of committees were transmitted to each local Chapter. Suppose, further, that each of these Chapters held a meeting at which these matters were presented, discussed and acted upon. And suppose, again, that these various viewpoints were presented at the annual meeting—and each