Evening journal., 1916-05-08
wilson Defends THE
.BRANDEIS NOMINATION
Says He Was Named TO SUI
preme Bench Because OF
Signal Ability
SENATE COMMITTEE
RESENTS LETTER
By The United Press.

TO Senator Culberson. OF the Senate .
judiciary committee. his reasons for
selecting Louis ID. Brandies for the .
Supreme Court bench. The letter was /
received with resentment by the COM /
mittee, and when the final breakup '
came friends of Brandeis failed even /
IN getting an agreement TO a vote at I
any definite future date.
The President wrote the letter In /
reply TO a note from Senator Culber- !
son asking for a statement OF the
reasons which actuatcd the President !
In making the nomination"
The Presidents letter follows
"Hon. Charles A. Culberson, United
States Senate.
My Dear Senator: I am very much
Obliged to you for giving me an oppor-
tunity to make clear to the judiciary
committee my reasons for nominating
Mr.. Louis d. Brandeis to MI the va
cancy in the Supreme Court OF the
United States created by the death OF
Mr.. Justice Lamar, for am profound
~ interested in the confirmation of
the appointment by the Senate
There is probably no more import
ant duty imposed upon the President
in connection with the general admin
istration Of the government than that
or naming members OF the Supreme
Court: and ! need hardly tell You that
] named Mr.. Brandeis as a member of
that great tribunal only because r
knew him to be singularly qualified
by learning, by gifts and by character
for the position.
Many charges have been made
against Mr.. Brandeis The report OF
your subcommittee has already made
it plain to you and to the country at
large how unfounded these Charges
were. They threw a great deal more
! light upon the character and motive
or those with whom they originated
than upon the qualifications of Mr.
brandeis. ] myself looked into them
three years ago when I desired to
make Mr. Brandeis a member Of my
cabinet and found that they proceeded
for the most part from those who
hated Mr.. Brandeis because he had re-
/ fused to be serviceable to them in the
promotion OF their own selfish inter
ests and from those whom they had
prejudiced and misled. The ,propa-
ganda in this matter has been very ex-
traordinary and very distressing to
/ those who love foirness and value the
dignity Of the great profession.
Il perceived from the first that the
charges were intrinsically incredible
by anyone who really knew Mr..
I Brandeis. I have known him. I have
known him by seeking his advice upon
some of the most difficult and per
picking questions about which IL was
necessary TO form a Judgment 7 have
dealt with him i'm matters where nice
questions of honor and fair play. as
/ well as large questions ~ Justice and
the public benefit we're involved. In
every matter I'm which I have made
tests of his judgment and point OF
view. have received from him coun-
sci singularly enlighteaing, singularlv
clear-sighted and judicial and above
all full Of moral stimulation. He Is
a friend of all just men and a lover OF
the right and he knows more than how
TO talk about the right-he knows how
to set II forward in the face OF his
enemies. knew from direct and per-
sonal knowledge Of the man what
was doing when / named him for the
highest and most responsible tribunal
Of the nation.
"Of his extraordinary ability as a
lawyer no man who is competent TO
Judge can speak with anything but
the highest admiration. You will re-
member that i'm the opinion Of the
I late Chief Justice Fuller he was the
! ablest man who ever appeared before
r the Supreme Court Of the United
D.. States. He is Also the chief justice
e added absolutely fearless in the dis
= charge of his duties
Those who have resorted to him
I; for assistance in settling great indus
, trial disputes can testify to his fair
;, ness and love of Justice In the
e troublesome controversies between
4 the garment workers and manufac-
I turers Of New York City for example.
he gave a truly remarkable proof of
his judicial temperament and had
what must have been the great salts
faction OF rendering decisions which
both sides we're willing to accept as
disinterested and even-handed.
"Mr Brandeis has rendered many
notable services TO the city and State
with which his professional life has
o been identified He successfully di-
: rected the difficult campaign which
n resulted in obtaining cheaper gas foI
. the city OF Boston II was chiefly
n under his guidance and through his
= efforts that legislation was secured
y i'm Massachusetts, which authorized
savings banks 10 issue insurance poll.
cies for small sums at much reduced
rates.
l. "Aud some gentlemen who tried ver
II hard 10 obtain control by the BOsto
Elevated Railroad Company OF the sui
way of the city for a period of ninety
d nine years can testify To his ability a
II the peoples advocate when public inter
e est calls for an effective champion. II
p rendered these services without CON
l. pensation and earned, whether he got
It or not, the gratitude Of every citizen {
the State and city he served.
These are but few OF the services ,
this Kind he has freely rendered.
will hearten friends of community an
public rights throughout the country
n see his quality signally recognized b
his elevation TO the Supreme Bench. FC
' the whole country is aware of his qua
ity and is interested in his appointmen
81 did not in making choice Of NJ
J. Brandeis ask for or depend upon 'eI
l. dorsement.' / acted upon public know
e edge and personal acquaintance wit
Ie the man, and preferred TO name lawy'
= to this Office whose ability and charaI
ter were so widely known that he nec'
.e ed no endorsement. / do. however. pc
d sonally consult many men ia who's
n Judgment I have great confidence an
" am happy to say was supported in m
selection by the voluntary recommend