New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-09
Senate Committee Refuses
to Hasten Action on
the Nomination.
LETTER RESENTED
AS DICTATORIAL
President Eulogizes Nominee as
"Singularly Qualified" for
Highest Bench.
From Tie Tribune Bureau

SOU lelleT 10 SenhtOT OuiDeiooH' eh~h
man of the Senate Judiciary Committee
urging confirmation Of Louis ID. Bran
deis to the Supreme Court bench, was
reao to the committee to-day. IL failed
to htsten committee action on the nom
nation.
1t ia understood that two members OF
the committee objected so fatty to dis
posing of the Brandeis case now that
the nominees friends gave up, and the
matter again was indefinitely post
poned. Mr.. Wilson's letter. it is said
was resented by some of the Senators
as an unwarranted attempt TO dictate
their action Exception was taken "a
the Presidents criticisms of the char
meter and motives of opponents OF Mr.
Brandeis, as we'll as to the general tone
of the letter.
Mr.. Wilson's letter was in answer Il
a request made by Senator Culbersor
for the reasons which actuated the
President in nominating Mr.. Brandeis
/ In it Mr.. Wilson said:
81 am very much obliged TO you fol
giving me an opportunity to make clear
to the Judiciary Committee my reasons
for nominating Mr.. Louis ID. BRANDED:
70 fill the vacancy in the Supreme Court
of the United States created by the
death OF Mr.. Justice Lamar, for | an
profoundly interested in the conhrma
ton Of the appointment by the Senate
Qualified for the Position.
There is probably no more impor-
taHt duty imposed upon the President
in connection with the general admins
tration of the government than that OF
naming members of the Supreme Court
and need hardly tell you that ! named
Mr.. Brandeis as a member of that great
tribunal only because | 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
il plain to you and 10 the country al
large how unfounded those charges
were. They threw a great deal more
light upon the character and motives OF
those with whom they originated than
upon the qualifications of Mr.. Brandeis
| myself looked into them three years
ago, when | desired to make Mr.. Bran
found that they proceeded for the most
part from those who hated Mr.. Bran
deis because he had refused to be ser
viceable to them in the promotion OF
their own selfish interests, and from
those whom they had prejudiced and
misled. The propaganda In this matter
has been very extraordinary and very
distressing to those who love fairness
and value the dignity of the great pro.
fessions.
81 perceived from the first that the
charges were intrinsically incredible by
any one who had really known Mr.
Brandeis. ! have known him. | have
tested him by seeking his advice upon
some of the most difficult and perplex-
ing public questions about which II
was necessary for me TO form a judg-
ment. | have dealt with him in matters
where nice questions of honor and fair
play, as we'll as large questions OF JUS
'ice and the public benefit, were in
volved.
an every matter in which | have
made tests of his judgment and point
of view have received from him coun-
sci singularly enlightening, singularly
clear-sighted and judicial, and. above
all, full Of moral stimulation. He Is a
friend Of all just men and lover of
the right And he knows more than
low to talk about the right; he knows
how TO set il forward in the face of
its enemies. / knew from direct, per
sonal knowledge of the man what
was doing when | named him for the
highest and most responsible tribunal
Of the nation.
Quotes Fuller's Opinion.
"Of his extraordinary ability as a
LAWYER no man who is competent to
Judge can speak with anything but the
highest admiration. You will remem-
Der that in the opinion Of the late Chief
Justice Fuller he was the ablest man
who ever appeared before the Supreme
Court of the United States. He is
also, the Chief Justice added, 'abso-
lutely fearless in the discharge OF his
duties
"Those who have resorted to him for
assistance in settling great industrial
disputes can testify to his fairness and
love Of justice. In the troublesome
controversies between the garment
workers and manufacturers of New
York City, for example, he gave truly
remarkable proof of his judicial tenn
permanent and had what must have
been the great satisfaction of rendering
decisions which both sides were wi Ping
to accept as disinterested and even
banded.
"Mr. Brandeis has rendered many
notable services to the city and state
with which his professional life has
been identified He successfully d.
rected the difficult campaign which re-
suited in obtaining cheaper gas for the
city of Boston. II was chiefly under
his guidance and through his efforts
that legislation was secured in Msssa-
chusetts which authorized savings
banks 10 issue insurance policies for
small sums at much reduced rates.
And some gentlemen who tried very
hard 70 obtain ontrol by the Boston
Elevated Railway Company of the sub
ways of the city for period OF ninety
nine years probably can testify as to
his ability as the peoples advocate
when public interests call for an eff
fectve champion. He rendered these
services without compensation and
earned whether he got II or not-the
gratitude Of every citizen Of the state
and city he served.
These are but a few of the services
of this kind he has freely rendered. I,
will hearten friends of community and
public rights throughout the country
to see his quality signally recognized
by his elevation to the Supreme bench.
For the whole country is aware of his
quality and is interested in his sp-
pointment.
Needed No Endorsements"
81 did not, in making choice of Mr..
Brandeis, ask for or depend upon in
dorsements.' acted upon public knowl-
edge and personal acquaintance with
the man, and preferred to name a law
yer for this great Office whose abilities
and character were so widely recog-
nized that he needed no Endorsement !
did, however, personally consult many