The Washington times., 1924-09-29
.G0N|PERS ASKS
FOR COURT
CURB

uUIIU
Issues Statement to 10000
Of Federation's Cam
paign Workers
Continued from. Page 1s.A
extension or enlargement OF the
powers Of self-goVernment
The American Federation OF
Labor believes that . majority 6f
the people Of the United States are
opposed TO further usurpatiOn 81
power BIZ the Supreme Court and
are opposed to. i system under
which q court, composed III Judges
who are appointed for life, can veto
Legislation passed BY elected renre-
sentatiyes. There Is involved in lilis
opinion no attack on the court as
such, and there Is no desire any.
where to deprive the court OF what
should be its proper functions and
THE present situation is that
the Supreme Court by a decision
OF 5 to 4 may declare null and void
any act passed by Congress-. The
court having so decided, the people
have no further recourse except
through the cumbersome process 81
constitutional amendment.
The demand Is not that the
court be deprived Or ali power to
pass on the cOnstitutlOnaIity or
legislation, but that II be deprived
solely OF its power OF final veto,
What Is demanded is that the peO-
pie finally may be able to Out.yOice
the Supreme Court and write their
VIII into law In spite Of the Supreme
Court.
Power For Congress.
1t IL demanded that Congress
shall have the power to re-enact
any law declared invalid by The
Supreme Court ana that upon re.
enactment the law shall stand.
This does not contemplate hasty
Overturning Of Supreme Court de-
CislOnss nor does Il contemplate the
enactment Of legislation over the
head Of the Supreme Court during
temporary wave Of emotion or
during amy condition which might
lead Congress to do what later might
be regretted.
It must be borne In mind that
cases do not reach the Supreme
Court in q day and that it would
be little less than miracle IL the
same Congress ever got the oppor-
tunity to act for the second time
upon measure which found els.
favor in the Supreme Court.
The first Child Labor Law prob
ably reached the Supreme Court as
rapidly as any law could ever
reach that tribunal and was de.
clared unconstitutional.
The Congress which enacted that
first law was not the Congress
which enacted the second law.
AZ there had been in effect
constitutional provision limiting the
power Of the Supreme Court, the
following Congress could have re-
been the law OF the land.
Every predatory and plutocratic
interest IN the Republic opposes the
proposal to limit the powers OF the
Supreme Court to those functions
obviously intended in the Constitu-
ton ana adhered to by the court
until the advent on the bench OF
Chief Justice John Marshall.
Little else could be expected of
General Dawes and little else could
be expected OF Calvin Coolidge than
that they should align themselves
with the desires of those great in.
terests which feel as they always
have felt toward the extension OF
Democratic self-government.
Dawes ''True to Form"
General Dawes is powerful
banker among powerful bankers and
he has been running true to form.
He has no sympathy with the aspira.
lions Of the masses Of the people
and he could not be expected to
have it.
''The fundamental characteristics
underlying all others In the Inalxe.u
! Of Calvin Coolidge Is that tIIines
are about right as they are and any
notable change Is nothing less than
wicked. There need be no question
as to the mental integrity of Presi.
dent Coolidge.
He il doubtless sincere in his
feeling Tor what he regards az an
almost sacred institution.
He has faith in Massachusetts.
whose electoral vote he counts as
assured, but his faith in the wisdom
OF the people of the rest OF the
country IL unquestionably limited.
He Is almost deeply dist-ustful
OF the wisdom Of those who live
west OF the Mississippi river. He.
has undoubtedly a puritanical desire
Tor puritanical justice, but this de-
sire Is unenlightened by any under
standing either of the psychology or
the requirements Of the people OF
the country.
$50 Calvin Coolidge inevitably
must stand for what =, even
though he is none too clear about
how It came to be.
The question OF depriying the
Supreme Court OF its final veto
power Is one which cannot be dis
posed of by SO simple an expedient
as thai adopted by President Cool
idge and General Dawes.
Tagging It with adjectives not
only does not touch the merits OF
the case, but 1t reflects a total in.
ability to understand the case or to
comprehend the determination Of
the people.
The issue is an issue in this
campaign solely because the spokes-,
men Of great political party have
seen lit to champion the cause OF
arbitrary and tyrannical power.
1t viii remain an issue until the
elnsra - - 80 - =