of Governor Herbert R. O'Conor 489

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LEGAL AID ORGANIZATIONS

CONVENTION

Emerson Hotel, September 17, 1941
Baltimore

IT is always a pleasure to bring the greetings of the State of Maryland to a
convention with the purposes of which I am personally familiar and in
hearty accord. Having watched the growth of legal aid work here in Balti-
more for the past twelve years, and after close association with it, both as a
lawyer as a State officer, it can be said sincerely that it is a most important
and a most valuable cog in the machinery of the administration of justice.

My first interest in the legal aid movement was aroused in 1929 when I was
State's Attorney for Baltimore City. That department and the Legal Aid
Office were frequently in contact and we were, therefore, in a position to evalu-
ate the necessity and desirability of the work performed by our local Bureau.
For instance, one of the members of the staff (in the early days there was only
one member of the staff) might call up and explain the social background of a
case in which the State's Attorney was interested, and we would then attempt
to work out some solution to the problem whereby justice to all concerned,
including the State, might be attained.

Or again, a case might come to attention where a lawyer was necessary
but where the means to compensate him were not present. Such cases the
Bureau would be asked to handle, free of charge, of course. This type of. co-
operation, mutual helpfulness and humanitarian handling of a criminal case
was a pleasant experience for me as State's Attorney.

Later, as Attorney General of Maryland, it was indeed gratifying to note
the growth of the movement in this vicinity and to observe that literally thou-
sands of under-privileged people each year were having their legal problems
handled for them without charge. Apparently, this tremendous growth is
typical of the progress of the legal aid movement throughout the Country,
both in number of clients served and in the establishment of new bureaus. It
is really an inspiring thing to witness this attendance of people from other
states gathered here today to discuss how you may improve your techniques,
and how you can benefit by the experience of other communities in rendering
even greater services to the poor, to whom the law can seem such a terrifying
and such an arbitrary thing.

Also, while Attorney General, it was my privilege to cooperate in the
drafting and passage of a number of pieces of social legislation in which the
Bureau was interested or which it was actually sponsoring. As Governor, of
course, it has been my privilege and pleasure to further and sign a substantial
number of bills which were aimed at the betterment of conditions among the
humbler classes of society, the necessity for which was brought to public atten-
tion by the Legal Aid attorneys and Board members.