The Legal World Miscellaneous The new workmen's compensation law of California, effective Jan. 1, 1914, requires greater compensation for in juries than the laws of other states, 65 per cent of wages rather than 50 per cent. The Wisconsin Legislature passed a bill July 25 requiring a certificate of health from both parties to a nuptial agreement as a preliminary to the grant ing of a marriage license. Examinations by physicians are required. Both houses also passed a bill for the sterilization of the feeble-minded, epileptic, and crim inal insane, in state and county in stitutions. The amalgamation of the Baltimore Law School and the University of Mary land, which has been hinted at for several months, will take effect at the opening of the fall term. The faculty of the combined schools contemplates establishing a more strict entrance requirement. It is said that the in stitution will be placed on the same footing in that regard as the Harvard Law School. The important question of the visitorial powers of Congress and the powers of commissions of inquiry is evidently to be passed upon by the Supreme Court, as a result of the appeal filed July 11 by George G. Henry, a New York banker, from the decision of a New York federal court which refused to release him from custody on a habeas corpus proceeding. Henry was indicted and arrested for contempt because he refused to answer certain questions of the Pujo committee.
The Senate Committee on the library has favorably reported to the United
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States Senate the Owen bill providing for the establishment of a legislative reference bureau in the Library of Con gress. The committee has worked over the bill considerably and has effected many changes. The bureau is to be called "The Legislative Drafting Bureau." It is to be under the direction of an officer known as the "chief draftsman," to be appointed by the President of the United States for ten years at a salary of $7500. The new Workmen's Compensation Act of Illinois, which became effective July 1, repeals the act of 1911, and pro vides a system of compensation elective for the employer, who adopts its pro vision, by filing notice with the Industrial Board, and impliedly elective for the employee unless he files notice of nonacceptance with the board. Questions of law or fact upon which the employer and the injured employee or his personal representative cannot agree are to be determined by committees of arbitration appointed at the instance of the In dustrial Board. John S. Dawson, Attorney-General of Kansas, was elected president of the National Association of Attorney-Gen erals, which closed its annual convention at Charleston, S. C., July 9. Other officers of the association were elected as follows: Vice-president, John H. Light, of Connecticut; secretary, Royall C. Johnson, of Oklahoma; members of the Executive Committee, Grant Martin, of Nevada, chairman; Charles West, of Oklahoma; Georgia Cosson, of Iowa, and James Tanner, of Washing ton. The association will meet next year at the place and time chosen by the American Bar Association for its annual convention. Thirty states were repre sented at the meeting just closed.
