Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-09
.3B|LL|ON-DOLLAR
ROAD BOND ISSUE
URGED BY NORRIS
Senator Advocates Federal
Highway Program to
Provide Jobs.
HOOVER'S NAVY LEAGUE
INQUIRY is CRITICIZED
Appointment of Commission to Sit
on Own Trial Held Judi
cial Violation.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

A billion dollar bond issue by
the Federal Government for the con-
struction of roads throughout the
country was advocated today by Sen
ator George w Norris of Nebraska
as a measure of relief for unemploy-
ment.
The Republican Progressive leader,
who has just returned from Nebraska,
commented caustically upon President
Hoover's latest commission"
President Hoover's appointment Of
commission to settle the controversy
between himself and the Navy League
might result in very great innovation
in our judicial procedure" said Sena-
tor Norris.
Court Interference Feared.
Under the new Hoover plan. when
ever a charge is made against any Gov
eminent offcial, the official charged
would have the right to select a jury
for his trial. Such system would
clear up the dockets in all the Federal
courts in a hurry; the cry for addi-
tional Federal judges would disappear.
the economy program. If it had been
in vogue, the trials of Fall and Do
heny would have been shortened ire
mendously. l take it for granted that
the President would not be willing to
appoint jury to try himself and deny
a similar right to other citizens OF the
United States"
Senator Norris said he had no COM
ment to make on the merits OF the
controversy over the Navy between the
President and the Navy League, for he
had not gone into the question.
Sees Roosevelt Victor.
Turning to politics, Senator Norris
voiced the opinion Gov. Franklin Roose-
welt of New York could defeat President
Hoover in Nebraska and in other West
ern States.
I'm most of the Western States" he
said, ANY progressively-minded man
could beat Mr.. Hoover"
He added sit would keep religion out
of It,"
Senator Norris indicated he expected
the denomination of President Hoover
by the Republicans. In reply to ques-
ton whether he himself would get into
the presidential race, he said:
"a man like me, under our system,
is prohibited from being elected PreSi-
dent of the United States just as much
as though he had been born in Canada
or some ether European nation. The
national party conventions are con-
trolled, not by the people, but by .
combination of representatives of big
business and monopoly and men like
me cannot be nominated. have no
illusions about the matter"
Baker Held Hopeless.
Senator Norris was asked if Newton
D. Baker of Ohio, War Secretary in the
Wilson administration, would be salts
factory to the people Of the West as
presidential candidate.
mo, he would not" replied Senator
Norris, without going into details OF
Mr.. Bakers unavailability.
Relief for the unemployed In this
country is the overshadoWing issue
now said the Senator. II have In my
mind a plan which should be worked
out and which would help to meet the
situation. Probably no legislation could
be put through which would adequate
ly deal with the unemployment prob
lem this Winter. It is too late. We will
have to rely on private charity to get
through the Winter.
Elaborates Bond View.
under ordinary circumstances l
would oppose an issue of Government
bonds, but the question of meeting the
unemployment situation has passed all
bounds. and the necessity for the Fed
eral Government to take some action to
give employment to the very large num-
Der of people out of work has become
imperative. 1t is preferable to give en-
ployment to men instead of charity. |
would use Government funds to build
public roads throughout the country.
We. already have a law by which the
Federal Government contributes to road
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