Evening star., 1934-05-04
Bramhau Urges President -
To Reappoint Judge Cobb
Leading Democrat Says
Partisanship Should
Be Laid Aside.
Bar association Also Re-
quests Retention of
Jurist.

sAAS &NoSAN4A1A DShlSNA AVN SOAilSll dll0
one of the recognized Democratic
leaders in Washington, called at the
White House today to add his in
dorsement to the many already re-
| ceived favoring the reappointment of
Judge James A. Cobb to the Municipal
Court.
Bramhall described himself as "a
very partisan Democrat" who would
| ordinarily oppose The appointment of
Republican. Regarding Judge Cobb,
he said he was willing to leave poll
tics entirely aside and could not speak
too strongly in his favor. He said
Judge Cobb had demonstrated he is
intelligent, fair, competent and other
wise fitted for the high Office he
holds, and that he felt, personally, the
President would make mistake if he
failed to reappoint him.
The only thing I've heard against
Judge Cobb" Bramhall said, "is that
he is Republican. 1 personally feel
politics should not figure in this case
and, inasmuch as I am a partisan
Democrat and favor Judge Cobbs
| reappointment, what T say should be
of some influence"
The National Democratic Council,
Of which Bramhall is chairman, is
| composed of two members from each
State and among the members is Sec
retary of Commerce Roper. During
the last national campaign, Bramhall
was chairman of the Democratic
Executive Committee, associated with
the local Democratic organization.
In urging that politics be laid aside
in this case, Bramhall said the White
House has a precedent to follow due
to the fact Judge Mattingly of the
, Municipal Court, a Democrat, received
three reappointments from Republic
| an Presidents.
Composed of Colored Attorneys.
The Washington Bar Association,
composed of colored members of the
bar, adopted today the following reso-
| luton:
Whereas, the daily papers have
carried accounts within the past 48
hours that Almond w. Scott is slated
for the judgeship in the Municipal
Court OF the District of Columbia now
held by the Honorable James A. Cobb;
and whereas, the Washington Bar
Association has heretofore unani-
mously gone on record as urging the
| reappointment of Judge Cobb; and
whereas Judge Cobb has evidenced his
fitness for the position with his splen-
did display of judicial temperament
and character and ability as the rec
| ordS OF his own court and the
Court of Appeals eminently bear
witness: and whereas we are in
accord with the precedent more
or less established here not to
disturb the judiciary merely for po-
litical reasons and whereas we are
deeply concerned that Judge Cobb. a
colored judge, should be picked as the
one to break this precedent for po-
lltlcal reasons; therefore be it Re-
solved, That We, the Washington Bar
Association, urge that this precedent
be followed in the case of a colored
incumbent of our judiciary the same
as it has been in the case of other
members for the Washington Bar As
sociation by the Executive Committee.
(Signed) THURMAN L. DODSON,
Chairman.
AUGUSTUS w. GRAY.
PERRY w. HOWARD.
GEORGE E. c. HAYES.
NATHAN A. DOBBINS.
This Endorsement OF Judge Cobb
today followed closely on the heels
of a similarly strong Endorsement
lodged at the White House late yes
h1r
the Bar Association of the District of
Columbia, headed by Regis Noel, presi-
dent Of the association.
This committee saw Col Marvin H
Mcintyre, one of the Presidents Sec
retaries, who assured the group that
what they had to say would be con-
veyed by him to the President. This
Bar Association delegation opposed the
reported plan to appoint Almond
Scott, colored attorney, to succeed
Judge Cobb and reaf1rmed the action
OF the association last January when
that body virtually unanimously went
on record indorsing Judge Cobb for re-
appointment.
The delegation told Secretary Nc
Intyre that Judge Cobb has clearly
demonstrated during his term on the
bench that he was well fitted in every
way for his judicial post. They pointed
out that the esteem in which Judge
Cobb is held by the Washington Bar
was clearly shown when the Bar As
sociation voted his Endorsement last
January. 1t was explained that on
that occasion there were 600 members
OF the association present and ALL but
/ two of them voted for the indorse-
ment, and that the two who did not
vote explained that they had no OBJ
lection to Judge Cobb, but merely
preferred to leave the field open.
Civil Cases Involved.
In voicing their opposition to Mr..
Scott, the members of this committee
OF lawyers told Mcintyre that they
believed him lacking in the necessary
legal training for the deposition of
cases involving civil suits, such as
come before the Municipal Court. as
most of his practice has been in other
courts.
In this Bar Association group with
President Noel were John E. Laskey,
prominent local Democrat and former
United States Attorney for the Dis
trict OF Columbia; Harlan Wood,
Charles S. Baker, Lunsford Hammer,
Louis Gutenberg, Eugene Beck and
Samuel Boyd
In the formidable array of indorse-
ments for Judge Cobb now before the
President are number from local
| colored lawyers, more thar one of
whom was mentioned in connection
xrrifh ntaH,ci,atx,ao.,A L. 4