New Britain herald., 1929-03-13
LAWYERS WATCHING. POCKET VETO CASE:
Muscle Shoals Involved in Pend,
 ing Supreme Court Ruling

Washington March Is tE' - The useless slaughter of buffalo would be prohibited and the time for car rying mail between Missouri and California would be speeded up from 3S to 80 days If the supreme court should decide that presiden- tial pocket Nctoes are valid only when made at final sessions of con- greSs.
 The question is before the high est court in the application of the OWanogan and five other Indian tribes of Washington to sue the gov crnment for land they claimed had been illegally taken from them A bill authorizing such a suit Was pocketed by President Coolidge last year al the end Of the first session of the 10th congress.
 Altogether 120 measures have thus received the disapproVal of presidents since the earliest days including the Muscle Shoals l"giSla- tion passed by congress last year If the Indians are sustained it will be mandatory upon the government 10 take over operation Of tn" Ala hama plant as provided in the Nor ris resolution.
 The proposition has aroused much interest among lawyers as well as among congressional leaders Chair man Norris Of the senate judiciary committee is Of the opinion that the Muscle Shoals measure rightfully was passed. and the house judiciary committee voted a resolution to the same effect.
 The bill to conserve the buffalo was passed in 1874. and the sp"elier mail service was called for by con grcss in 1S59. Seven months after pocketing the latter measurc Pres iden' Buchanan wrote 10 the hou~ of representatives that he had not had enough trnc 10 examine it thoroughly and also that the post master general had informed him that thc "coutractors themselves Ina I offered 10 increase the speed ou this routr'
 Other bills pookete1 by carly presidents which would become law if the Indians win their point pro vide for the removal or political dis abilities Of confederate veterans; creation Of Lincoln land district in the territory Of New Mexico; 'N- tension Of time for completion of he Alaska Northern railroad. and pensions for persons who have been dead many years.
 Among the measures pockc'ed were the agricultural department appropriation bill for 1920. and a tivo-year building program measure for the bureau Of fisheries. Grover Cleveland pocketed 5 bills.
 The pocket veto "delays leaisla ton" and violates the expressed purpose Of the constitution" Repre- sentative Summers of Texas rank ing democrat on the house judiciary committee told the highest court during argument of th" Indians ease. Summers appeared as counsel for the committee. which filed a brief in the case, and the unusual character Of the controversy prompt ed Attorney General Mitchell tO ioin with the Indians in the request that the lower courts opinion be review cd and 10 appear personally 10 pre- sent the governments side.
 "ACquiesc"nCe or sutrrauC" for no length of tim" can i"galize ! clear usurpation of power or q pow .or exercised under # mistaken con ccpIion." Summers Con''nded, add ing that the constitution required that the presidents objections to bills be made public and that "th pocket veto violates this mHndatc,'