Evening star., 1932-02-17

Mr.. Hoover at present appears to be
thinking in political terms as little as
any man In his position can. At the
same time he Is having fewer political
troubles than ever before. The tact and
diplomacy with which the President
and the congressional leaders have ham
died themselves since the opening days
Of the present session are an important
and constructive development. A Con-
gress on the eve of a national election
at least SO per cent hostile to a Presi-
dent seeking reelection, is cooperating
fully on a program Of emergency eco
nomic legislation and on tax bill and
budgetary reform. For some time Mr.
Hoover seemed to many observers to be
under spell of what might be described
as a political inferiority complex" :"
Perhaps repeated statements of his
political ineyperience left a Subc0n-
scious impress. The period when the
administration seemed hesitant and un-
certain about the reception of its poll
cies seems to be passing. The President
is now going ahead doing what he be-
lieves must be done in the existing situ-
alton. and finding that Congress and
the country will follow his lead. The
latest and most convincing example OF
the Presidents new spirit OF independ-
ence is in the naming of successor to
Justice oliver Wendell Holmes. In his
final decision on this rlomentous ques-
ton Mr.. Hoover subordinated all other
considerations to the single question OF
pre-eminent fitness. The nomination OF
Chief Justice BENJAMIN Nathan Car.
dozo of the New York State Court OF
Appeals for the Supreme Court vacancy
was accorded such general and spon-
taneous approval as rarely greetS an ap-
pointment to so vitality important a
post. The nominee is lifelong Demo-
crat. His elevation to the Supreme
Court gives New York three of the nine
places. Like Justice Brandeis, the NOM
inee is of the Jewish race.
Under the title. "Philosopher-at-
law" Judge Cardozo's character and
accomplishments are discussed in a
current magazine article from the pen
of Joseph Percival Pollard. The author
begins with the statement that many
people have thought it odd that the
man generally considered to be the
country's foremost jurist after Holmes
should not be sitting on the United
States Supreme Bench" He continues,
Born into the elite of American Jewry.
! whose ancestors, like Spinozas, were
driven from Portugal by the Inquisi-
ton, he typifieS most of. the favorable
characteristics Of his race. Like Spl-
noza, he believes that happiness lies in
the pursuit of knowledge and in the
| joy of understanding" Once the au-
/ thor recalls, Judge Cardozo addressed
aSluncheon meeting Of lawyers and re-
called Charles Francis Adams sigh OF
satisfaction as he looked over the
| y,oorc fhot ho had OOno through life
cithout making a conspicuous ass OF
| himself. THAT, I may say in passing, is
my paen of jubilation at the end OF
, each judicial year."
X X *
Postmaster General Brown. by COM
mon consent regarded as Mr.. Hoover S
| pre-convention manager and likely sue
| cessor to Senator Fess as chairman o1
| the Republican National Committee. L
| just back from Northampton. Mass.
| and a visit with Calvin Coolidge. He
/ parried questions as to the purpose ol
| his visit or what passed between him.
self and the former President. Mr.
Brown did, however, add the following
to the collection Of Coolidge anecdota
| sation Mr.. Coolidge inquired blandlJ
in what city the Republicans were plan
ming to hold their convention this
year, betraying an ignorance or
that point that took the visitors
breath away. He said that as he
was leaving, he asked Mr.. Coolidge
| politely II there was anything he coulc
do for him, whereupon the latter re.
sponded promptly, Eyes, there IS; what
about the postmaster at Northampton.
X X *
| The tonic effect Of Reconstruction
Finance Corporation on the banking
situation and the prospects Of new re-
lief for the Federal Reserve system 4
already in evidence. Suspensions ol
banks in the United States dropped te
q record low weekly figure for the pas
twelve months, while reopenings con.
tinued favorably. the American Bank.
er, daily banking publication issued ir
New York. reports for the week Just
passed. Bank closinss reported totalet
~ -.