The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-08-10
TAFT ASKS MORE
POWER FOR JUDGES
Chief Justice Says They
Should Have Discretion
airy Power In Reform
WOULD ALSO REVISE
JUDICIAL CODE

Suggests Creation of Commission for Pur-
pose - Creation of Judicial Council to
Hear Work of District Judges Also
Advocated.
SAN FRANCISC, Calf, Aug. 10. CAS-
sociated Press dependence upon ac-
ton of congress to effect reform to re-
move delays and to bring about speed
in the administration Of justice has
not brought the best results and some
different mode sould be tried William
Howard Taft, chief justice of the United
States, told the American Bar associa-
ton today.
The failures of justice in this coun-
try" said Chief Justice Taft, especially
in the state courts, have been more
largely due to the Withholding of power
from Judges over proceedings before
them than to any other cause; and yet
Judges have TO bear the brunt of critI-
cism which is SO general as To the re-
suits of present court action. The
judges should be given the power COM
mensurate with their responsibility.
Their capacity to reform matters should
be tried to see whether better results
may not be attained. Federal judges
doubtless have their faults, but they
are not chiefly responsible for the
present defects in the administration OF
Justice in the federal courts. Let con
gress give them an opportunity to show
what can be done by Vestlng III them
sufficient discretion for the purpose"
Judicial Force Inadequate.
Justice Taft said that litigation had
so increased with the increase of the
general business of the country that
even in fields always occupied by the
federal courts, the judicial force had
proved inadequate. He remarked that
additional burdens had followed bhe
enactment of new statutes, particularly
the Volstead act.
"A bin which provides for a new DIS
trict Judges and one circuit Judge IN the
fourth circuit has been reported to
both houses" he continued. 1t is OPP
posed. and win doubtless lead to discus
sion: but in view of the previous votes
in. the two houses. it seems likely that
the bill will pass before the close OF
this congress.
..The new bill authorized judicial
| council of TO judges, consisting OF the
chief Justice and the senior assoclate
iudun of each circuit. which Is to meet
in Washington the last Monday in Sep
tember to consider reports from each
district nudge with a description of the
character of the arrears, and q recon-
mendation as to the extra judicial force
peeded i'm his district. The conference
thus called is to consider at large plans
for the ensuing wear by which the DIS
trict Judges available for assignment
NAV be hest used.
at ends the absurd condition, under
which each district Judge has had to pad
do his own canoe and has done rs much
business as he THOUGHT proper. Thus one
nudge has broken himself down in at
temptinq to get THROUGH an imnassible
docket. and another has let his ar
rears GROW. IN y calm philosophical con
temnlatiop of them as an inevitable 20
cessitv that reed not cause him to lie
awake nights"
Amendment of Jurisdiction.
"The members of the supreme court
have become so anxious to avoid another
congestion like that of the decade be-
fore 1901, that they have deemed II
proper themselves to prepare new bill
amending the jurisdiction of the sl,.
pre1a9 court and TO urge its passage It
is now pending in both houses of CON
gTess'
.What 7 would suooest is that con-
gress provide for a commission. to be