orporation" practice, has
undoubtedly been detrimental to the legal profession, since it has
resulted in large fees; in the accumulation of vast fortunes, frequently
by methods ethically questionable. Grave social injustices have been
done, though often in good faith, since the lawyer, by training and
experience, has hitherto been least open to the teachings of the new
social science, has been an honest advocate of the system of 'laissez
faire'. But to say that the American legal profession is without ideals
and lacking in the emulative spirit would be to do it a grave injustice.
The increasing influence of national and state bar associations
evidences a professional opinion discouraging to the unscrupulous;
while a new evolutionary and more humanitarian conception of law is now
beginning to be taught, and young men are entering the ranks imbued
with this. Legal clinics, like medical clinics, are established for the
benefit of those who cannot afford to pay fees, for the protection
of the duped from the predatory quack. And, it must be said of this
profession, which hitherto has held a foremost place in America,
that its leaders have never hesitated to respond to a public call, to
sacrifice their practices to serve the nation. Their highest ambition
has even been to attain the Supreme Court, where the salary is a mere
pittance compared to what they may earn as private citizens.

Thus we may review all the groups in the nation, but the most
significant transformation of all is taking place within the business
group,--where indeed it might be least expected. Even before the war
there were many evidences that the emulative spirit in business had
begun to modify the merely competitive, and we had the spectacle of
large employers of labour awakening to the evils of industrialism, and
themselves attempting to inaugurate reforms. As in the case of labour,
it would be obviously unfair to claim that the employer element was
actuated by motives of self-interest alone; nor were their concessions
due only to fear. Instances could be cited, if there were space, of
voluntary shortening of hours of labour, of raising of wages, when
no coercion was exerted either by the labour unions or the state;
and--perhaps to their surprise employers discovered that such acts were
not only humane but profitable! Among these employers, in fact, may be
observed individuals in various stages of enlightenment, from the few
who have educated themselves