Evening star., 1922-03-19
FEDERAL COURTS UNABLE
TOKEEP JUSTICE MOVING
Proposed to Appoint Additional District
Judges in Order That Civil and
Criminal Cases May Be Tried.

district For instance, 1t is urged, a
Judge from Kansas should not be sent
to try cases in Louisiana or Texas,
and vice versa.
Opponents OF prohibition have
raised an issue that judges from
dry districts should not be sent to
districts where the sentiment Of the
people is moist" to say the least.
They have gone SO far even as to
cbarge that the sentiment back of
this provision has been fostered BY
the "drys," who believe that by send
ing dry judges into wet territory
they will get stricter enforcement Of
the prohibitory law. But this charge
has been secuted by Senator Cum
minis. who believes firmly in the plan
to have the Chief Justice assign the
federal judges to districts where the
dockets are crowded, as he deems
best.
ASSIGNMENT OF NEW JUDGES
TO DISTRICTS PROVIDED.
The bill selects the districts ts
which the additional judges are TO
be originally assigned. The district
of Massachusetts, for instance, is to
have two of the new judges; the
eastern district of New York, one;
the southern district Of New York
two; the eastern and western district
of Pennsylvania. one each; the north
ern district Of Texas, one. and so on
down the line. The selection of these
districts has caused some heart burn
ings at the Capitol. where senators
have urged the needs of their particu-
lar states without avail. There has
been some criticism. for instance, of
the plan to give Massachusetts, two
of these additional judges, and even
Senator Cummns has indicated thai
he thought the judiciary committee
made a mistake in SO doing. saying
he believed that one additional judge
was sufficient for the Bay state.
An important provision of the bill
is that calling for an annual con
ference in Washington of the senior
circuit judges of all the federal cir
cults. This conference is to be pre-.
sided over by the Chief Justice of the
United States. 1t is made the duty
of the senior district judge in each
district to report 10 the senior cir
; cult judge of his circuit the condi-
| ton of business in his district, wis'i
his recommendations, and these re-
! ports of the district judges are TO
DC submitted to the Washington con
ference By the senior circuit 5udst
attending the conference. Further
| more, the Attorney General OF thr
| ference on matters pertaining to the
| courts of the United States. with par
ticular reference to the cases IL
| which the United States may be par;.
The expenses of the judges visiting
Washington for the conference are T.
be paid by the government
PROVIDES YEARLY SURVEY
OF COURT BUSINESS.
Through means OF this confcre
it will be possible to obtain SURF.
o. the condition of business in :;
the federal courts. 1t will be poss;i,'
to prepare plans for the assiGnmcn.
,, and transfer of judges to or frrr
the circuits or districts where th"
state of business requires additional
! assistance. The bill makes provision
for the assignment of circuit judge
to sit in district court in his circuit
; also, if there is need of his help.
The additional district judges are
to be appointed for good behavior
which is Synonymous for life in
the ordinary course of events, and a
tho same salaries as other district
! judges. There are nine judicial cIF-
cults Of the United States, and for
the purpose of carrying out the pro-
visions of the act the Court of Ap-
peals of the District of Columbias Is
to be considered as circuit court,
and the chief justice Of that court IS
to attend the conference In Washing
ton referred TO. The federal district
judges may bc assigned to the DIS
trict Supreme Court to help out when
the business of that court Is so crowd
ed as to demand aid, in the opinion
of tho Chief Justice OF the United
States.