months prior to the taking effect of this act shall be transferred from such circuit courts of appeals or other courts to the United States court of patent appeals and be heard and determined in that court as though they had been taken there from the trial courts by appeal or writ of error, without further payment for certifying the record or any new or additional docket or calendar fees; all other appeals and writs of error in cases in which appellate jurisdiction is by this act conferred upon the United States court of patent appeals which shall be pending in the United States circuit courts of appeals or other courts of appellate jurisdiction at the time of the taking effect of this act shall remain and be heard and determined by the courts in which they may be pending, respectively, as though this act had not been passed.

SEC. 12. That after the taking effect of this act no appeal or writ of error shall be taken from any District Court or other court of the United States to any United States circuit court of appeals or other appellate court in any case in which an appeal or writ of error may be taken to the United States court of patent appeals under the provisions of this act.

SEC. 13. That all laws and parts of laws inconsistent with the provisions of this act are hereby repealed.

SEC. 14. That this act shall take effect and be in force six months after its enactment.

REPORT

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON INSURANCE LAW.

To the American Bar Association:

Your Committee on Insurance Law respectfully report:

The Association has a number of times authorized and directed your committee to take steps looking toward the revision of the insurance laws of the District of Columbia with the view of making the same a model code to be presented for adoption in the several states of the Union.

The District of Columbia was selected, after much consideration, as the most favorable place for the initiation of a reform in the insurance laws of the United States, because, among other reasons, the insurance laws of the District are the worst in the United States. The regulation of insurance in the District is practically confided to the judgment and good faith of the Insurance Commissioner of the District, who is authorized to make such rules for the government of the business of insurance within the District, as he shall deem proper. No statute applicable to the District affords protection to the policyholders through publicity concerning the companies which write insurance within its limits, and the terms and conditions upon which such companies may transact their business there are undefined by law.

Another reason why the District of Columbia is the best place to promulgate a model code, is that such a code before enactment as law, would be reported to Congress by the Senate and House Committees on the District, after giving an opportunity to everybody concerned in the business to offer suggestions and amendments, all of which would be given due consideration and weight; but local influences which in many of the states operate in favor of one kind or line of insurance against another, and in

favor of domestic companies against companies of other states and foreign countries, would not be operative there.

Your committee have hitherto reported the substantial acceptance of the plan authorized by the Association, and the commencement of the work of drafting an insurance code by a subcommittee of the Senate Committee on the District, and the interruption of that work and its termination through the expiration of the terms of the Senator who was the chairman of that subcommittee and of one or two of his colleagues associated with him in the work. The change in the Administration and the transfer of political control to the dominant party, involved a re-construction of the Senate and House committees with which your committee has necessarily to deal; but the regard shown for the plan of the Association by the reconstructed and reorganized committee of the Senate, which is clothed with the power to promote the object sought, was very marked.

On May 9, 1913, a majority of your committee appeared before the present Senate Committee on the District of Columbia by the invitation of its chairman, Senator Smith of Maryland, and Senator Pomerene of Ohio. There were present beside the chairman, Senators Jones of Washington, James of Kentucky, Kern of Indiana, Hollis of New Hampshire, Sherman of Illinois and Works of California. Senators Pomerene of Ohio and Saulsbury of Delaware, also of the Senate Committee on the District, by correspondence and otherwise, expressed their interest in the proposed reform.

The Association has not recommended any particular bill for consideration by Congress and your committee did not submit any; and the Senate District Committee as at present organized took a different view of the method to be pursued to achieve the desired end, than was entertained by its former chairman who was favorable to the reappointment of a sub-committee of the Senate District Committee, upon whom should be laid the responsibility of preparing the revised and reformed insurance code. The Senators took great interest in the statement of the purpose of your committee and the instructions given by the Association concerning the matter, and extended a very cordial

invitation to your committee to present to them the draft of a model law, which they, without any dissent, assured your committee would receive their careful attention and favorable consideration. The Senators likewise assured your committee of their desire to coöperate with the Association through its Committee on Insurance Law, to bring about the desired reform in the insurance laws of the District, and highly commended the plan endorsed by the Association to make such code a model for adoption in the several states.

Some of the Senators were so interested as to offer to assist your committee in the preparation of the proposed bill.

Your committee realize the colossal character of the undertaking which they have been invited to assume, but they are willing to attempt it, because they believe that no branch of the law has been so greatly neglected; though at the conference which your committee had with the Senators, it was expressly stated and understood that the approval of the Association of any particular legislation could not be had in advance.

Your committee, therefore, ask that they be authorized to coöperate with the Senate and House Committees on the District of Columbia in the preparation of a model insurance code for the District with a view to its ultimate adoption by the several states after its presentation to and approval by this Association.

REPORT

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON UNIFORM STATE LAWS.

To the American Bar Association:

Your Committee on Uniform State Laws has the honor to report its activities for the year last past as follows:

First: That its members, many of whom are Commissioners on Uniform State Laws from various states, in co-operation with the Commissioners from all of the states, have devoted their energies whenever and wherever occasion presented, to bring about uniformity of the laws of the various states on subjects bearing upon interstate interests.

Second: That your committee has considered and approved for adoption by the various states, subject to the approval of this body, the so-called "Marriage Evasion Act," adopted at the conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws held at Milwaukee in August, 1912. The Act is so brief that it is annexed hereto, marked "Exhibit A," and made a part of this Report.

Third: That a Compulsory Workmen's Compensation Act was adopted "tentatively" by the conference of Commissioners last year, with the idea that it should be submitted for further discussion, and, if necessary, for modification, to the Commissioners when they should re-assemble at their conference in August of this year; and that meanwhile the Act should be scrutinized and studied in the light of such new experience and such increased knowledge as might be gained in the interval. The Act was adopted by the conference (although the adoption was characterized as a "tentative" adoption in pursuance of the conservatism and caution which mark the work of the conference