The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-28
JUSTICE WR|GHT
REBUREs SENATE
Scores Idea That National
Legislators Are Above
the Law
RAPS UNDUE EGOTlSM
IN LINGTHLY OPINION
characterizes Granting of I'm.
munity to Senator's Because of
Their Official Position As a
Betrayal Of the Law.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 2s.--In an
opinion which required two hours to
Teaa, Justice wrfgnr. OF rne suprsms
Court OF the District OF CoIumbia, to-
day administered scathine rebuka
70 the United States Senate. He held
that the court had Jurisdiction over
the actions OF the joint Committee or
Congress on Printing, because IL il
constituted by statute. He emphati-
cally averred. mo person IL above
the Law. no matter how exalted his
station
Justice Wright 10 the Judge who last
year sentenced President Gompers and
other officials Of the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor TO jail for contempt
of court because they violated the
Injunction OF the District Court in
The Bucks stove anu range case.
Nearly the entire opinion to-day
was devoted TO the Senate resolution,
which declared that Justice Wright
had Invaded the constitutional pre-
negatives of the Senatr. In issuing a
rule to the members of the Joint COM
tnittee TO show cause why man
darnus should not be issued to compel
them 10 consider the bid OF the VAL
ley Paper Company, Hoiyoke, Mass,
TO supply paper for government print
Ing.
The court announced its willing
ness to so ahead with the proceed
=tHsFrseHt eFed n. Rhodes. OF the VAL
ley Paper Company. asked until Fri
Gay for further pieadingx. Al that
time he Will ask that the appearance
of the House members OF the commit
tee. who obeyed the courts order. he
disregarded. because the Senate had
not permitted its members 20 appear.
and that. as provided bw Law. the
case be heard ex-parte through the
default OF the committee as a Whole.
Meanwhile the Senate may elect TO
appear and plead TO the merits OF the
ease. ss
Case Must Go 10 Epora-
In either event, II ii certain that the
case will be appealed 10 the Supreme
Court 81 the United States on the
question at Jurisdiction by the House
members Of the committee who were
directed by the House "a take this ac-
tion
The decision was signed by all the
members OF the Supreme Court OF the
District. The courtroom was packed
10 the doors. the House members az
the Joint committee ana several sena-
tors being present,
Justice Wright reasoned that the
laws of Congress required man
damus proceeding whe many citizen
makes application to the court for the
correction OF an alleged wrong. This
/. obligation Is Imposed on the court. he
said. by Congress. and il II were harsh
the fault lay with Congress and nor
with the court.
Nor il Ii to be conceived. he said,
that the rights granted citizen by
the laws are TO be taken away from
him by any department or party OF
the government. however high. Sena-
tors cannot be immune from the ap-
proaoh OF the laws process, unless II
Is intended that they are immune
from compliance with the law,
..Unequalled Tyranny
That the court should have constd.
cred" he continued. that the laws
processes do not apply tn those wfo
are sued 10 whom has happened 70
have occurred the station OF senator
Is inconceipabie. III there is no RENE
a. for citizen. II Eueh be the law
1t sanctions a tyranny which has nc
parallel in Europe or elsewhere. The
process which was issued. OF right had
issue. To ceny It had bestrayed the
law"