The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-10-20

II MI
persons having business be-
E--l fore the Honorable the
Judges Of the Supreme Court of the
United States are admonished to
draw near, and give their attendance,
for the court is now in session. God
save the United States, and this Hon
orable Court
Having business before the Honor
able the Judges, you draw near as
admonished, as near as the court
attendant will permit you. This IS
the back row of the U. S. Supreme
Court chamber, one of the two rows
reserved for tourists and other sight
seers. However, the court room is
very small, despite it's impressive dig
nifty, and you can see and hear fairly
we'll
Laws or Men
Your business is to discover for
yourself, if you can. whether these
United States have a government Of
laws or a government of men. Some
where you have read the ideal gov
eminent is one of laws. not of men.
Seeing in the flesh the men who in
terpret the laws may help you to de-
eide. Later, a certain amount Of
historical research may reveal wheth-
er these men and the long line of men
who preceded them. reaching back
into the musty past, have given us
the law as they have found it in the
written word or as they have found
it in their own human conceptions.
The judges behind the high bench
present a pleasing appearance. All
are dressed in black, though the dim
light of the room does show the
silken sheen of their gowns. You
may wonder why they wear the both
ersome gowns, since only their Shout
ders can be seen and gowns must be
warm in summer.
Taft In Center
In the middle sits Chief Justice
Taft, rejected by the voters Of all
save two States the last time he ran
for President, now presiding over that
branch Of the Government whose pow
ers are alleged to have become greater
than the presidency. He looks COM
petent, though today seemingly a bit
for It was Taft who once declared
in public speech
II love judges and / love courts.
They are my ideals on earth OF what
we shall meet afterward in Heaven.
under just Cod"
He is reading from a printed brief
presenting one side Of the case con
corning which argument is now being
heard. Offering the argument is the
lawyer for a corporation dealing in
gas and light You gather it is a con-
troversy between some city out West
and this lawyers corporation The
lawyer argues and Chief Justice Taft
reads. However,. he is listening at
the same time. for he asks the lawyer
Il question.
McKenna Holds WHISPERS
On the right Of Taft is Justice Nc
Kenna. a wisp Of a man, holding his
white whlskers tightly in one hand as
he sits stifly upright against the high
back of his chair McKenna is so
years old and has sat in one of those
nine chairs for twenty-six years. He
Is paying earnest attention to the
lawyers remarks and occasionally
propounds a question in a thin. treble
voice.
On the LEFT OF Taft is Justice Oliver
Wendell Holmes. a man older yet than
McKenna. though reputed to have one
Of the youngest, keenest minds of
them all. He is SO years old and has
sat behind that bench for twenty-one
years. Long enough to be set in his
ways. you would think, but 1t was
Holmes who said not so long ago
II do not think the United States
would come TO an end II we Ohe COURT
lost our power to declare an act OF
Congress void"
Shifts In Seat