The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1922-06-14
SUPREME COURT (
IS RAPED HARD !,
BY LAF GILLETTE
In Speech Before A. r. L. Meeting,
Senator Says High Tribunal 'Ac-
tusI Ruler American People;
Proposes Amendment.
NAME OF TAFT KISSED
BY LABOR DELEGATES
Speaker Would Take Power Out Of
Hands Of Tribunal and Place
Last Word In Congress;
Resolutions Passed.
by LAWRENCE MARTIN.
United Press Staff Correspondent.

Armory. Cincinnati. o.. June a.
Asserting that the supreme court OF
the United States is now "the actual
ruler OF the American people" Sen.
ator Lafollette In speech TO tha
American Federation OF Labor con.
vention today proposed the passage
OF a constitutional amendment Civ.
INK congress the right 10 nulllfy any
decision OF the high tribunal knock.
ing out law by ro.enacting tho
measure.
The court. the senator declared.
has assumed powers over the laws
and public policies OF the country
which tho trainers OF the constitu-
tion never intended II should have.
Il believe this question OF judicial
usurpation is now the supreme is.
sue" Lafollette declared in his
speech, which was full Of attacks on
the court for its decisions hostile to
labor.
After other "Reforms."
Lafollette indicated that he would
seek TO enlist the support OF the
progressives. the farmer and the
labor forces for his amendment. He
claimed II was In accordance with
the Rooseveltan principle OF 1912
for the recall OF judges decisions.
Popular election OF federal judges.
a ,,lon tnpu advocatod t., ,,ufou Ia.
Dor, will not remedy the situation.
he said. Lafollette also proposed
that no federal Judge except those
on the supreme bench be allowed
TO declare law unconstitutional.
He pointed out that the president by
the exercise OF his veto power can
not nullify d law of congress IL
two-thirds of both houses are OPP
posed to his views and that the nine
men on the supreme court should
have no power to knock out law
that the majority of the people
speaking through their representa-
tlves want. Lafollette denounced
the court bitterly for It's decision
that the child labor laws were un-
constitutional and for It's recent
holdings In the Coronado case that
labor unions can be sued for dam
ages. Regarding his plan Lafollette
said:
Says Not Radical.
Certainly no one can complain
that the plan proposed Is revolu-
tionary or even radical. Il can fair
ly be criticised as being too conser-
vative, but 1t at least would give
the people some means of expressing
their will il the sentiment and pur-
pose is strong enough and 1t affords
some relief from the present intol-
cradle condition.
"By a process Of gradual en-
croachment, uncertain and timid at
first, but now confident and aggres-
sive, sovereignty has been wrested
from the people and usurped by the
courts" said the senator.
"Today the actual ruler of the
American people is the supreme
court of the United States
Lafolette turned his fire sharply
on Chief Justice Taft, stating he
had been "repudiated by the voters
of the United States on his record.
Lafollette then attacked Federal
Judges Anderson and McClintic.
who he said, have shown themselves
ito be petty tyrants and arrogant
despots."
Lafollette was greeted with storm
of cheers, yells and hand-clapping
that lasted several minutes. Dele
gates stood on chairs, pounded tables
and shouted at the top Of their
voice. The ovation given him was
the most dramatic and stirring mo-
ment of the convention thus far.
Chief Justice Tafts name was
greeted with chorus Of loud Kisses
when Lafollette first mentioned him.
His references to Taft were inter
rupted time and again by demon
strations of approval for his CON-
ments on the chief Justice.
The way was paved for a fight
over recognition Of the Russian soviet
government by the introduction of
half a dozen resolutions urging i'm
mediate recognition and the making
of trade treaty, and one resolution
severely condemning the soviets and
urging that the convention do moth
ing that could be construed as favor
ing recognition of Lenin and Trotsky.
The resolution condemning the
communist regime was introduced by
John A. Voll, Mrs. Sara Conboy, and
others representing the United Tex.
tile Workers. a.
Resolutions Passed.