New Britain herald., 1927-03-16
Senators Accuse President of Playing Politics" Over Georgia Federal Judgeship Selection.
BY GLORGE II. MANNING

b tEDkbl>- Ii. NANNi-N' tWashing,ou Bureau c! the x. E. Herald Washington, D. C., March 16-- President Coolidge lost many friends among the voters when he pleased q few politicians by giving second recess appointment to W. J. Tllson as United States District Judge for the Middle District of Georgia. The Tilson controversy is ex- rlained by some as involving two divergent theories of representative government, but to the man in the street" it looks suspiciously like q questiona ble bit Of personal politics. opponents brand it as downright trckery and abuse of high office. The story has quite a plot. Con- gress created an additional judicial Gistrict in Georgia, involving the ap- pointment of a now federal judge. During the first session of the re- cently adjourned G3th congress, which convened from December :, 1925 to July 3. 1926. President Coolidge sent to the senate for con- iirmation the nomination of ". J. 'rilson to fill the post. Tilson is a brother of Representative John Q. Tllson of New Haven. Conn, the re- publican floor leader of the house and a staunch lieutenant Of the Coolidge administration.
 Georgia Senators Oppose TilSon Before Tilson's nomination was (, .5r from Georgia, Harris and George, called on the president and asked him to reward the house leaders S brother with some other office if he must. but not to name him for fed eral judge for two reasons: first, he lives in Atlanta, which is not in the newly created district, and second, he is not a well-known or outstand- | ing lawyer, confning his business mainly to loans, abstracts and insur- ance. The district abounds in many more able lawyers of both parties, | they told the president.
 After the nomination reached the
 senate. the two Georgia sonators op- . posed confirmation. They had no
 candidates of their own, they said,
 but insisted that the appointment
 should go to some one living in the
 district over which he was to be | judge. The senate judiciary com
 mittee recommended that Tilson's
 nomination be rejected. Before the
 matter could come to a vote in the
 senate. the president withdrew the
 nomination.
 Then, after Congress adjourned
 last July, President Coolidge gave
 Tilson a recess appointment. This
 meant that he could serve as judge
 until the last day of the Following
 session of the senate or until his
 nomination had been confirmed or
 rejected by that body. If confirmed.
 he would receive hnck pay. but if
 rejected he could not collect for his
 services.
 Democratic Senators AffrOntcd
 In the second session of the cath
 congress, which convened last De-
 cemher, President Coolidge again
 sent to the senate W. J. Tilson's
 nomination to be federal judge for
 the middle judicial district of
 Georgia. His friends considered this
 another example of the presidents
 we'll known New England steadfast-
 ness. but democratic senators took ii
 as an aifront to the dignity and
 judgment of the senate.
 The two Georgia senators opposed d
 Tilson on the same grounds as in
 the previous session. The judiciary
 committee considered the matter for
 some time and then recommended