The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-07-09
CONSTITUTION
CHANGE GOAL
Of PRESIDENT
BY EARL GOODWIN

is PreSlQeuC 6OOSeNcAI udSIe1'
ing the day when he will lead a
section of the American people
in demanding a radical amend
ment to the Constitution; an
amendment permitting the New
Deal features which probably will
be declared unconstitutional by
the present Supreme Court?
Many people believe so. They
take the Presidents unprecedent-
ed letter to Representative Sam
uel B. Hill, of Washington, as
proof that the President wants to
fill the Supreme Court with as
many New Deal cases as possible,
find out just where the New Deal
stands; and if it doesn't stand
right, to crusade for the sort Of
Constitution which will permit
such things as NRA, the iva.
AAA, and the Guffey coal bill"
Has Kept Quiet
The President has said mighty
little about the Constitution since
the memorable press conference
in May when he declared that II
the Supreme Court doctrine or
"obiter dictum" in the NRA case
would be made general, that the
country would be back in the
horse and buggy days.
He also, at that time, said very
plainly, that sooner or later the
people of the country would have
to decide for themselves whether
they wanted the national Govern
ment to settle national social,
economic and labor matters or
whether they wanted these things
settled in 48 different ways by
the 48 States.
But since that time also there
has been a constant fire OF critl'
cism mounting against the New
Deal and a political attack on
President Roosevelt himself.
His opposition is constantly de-
claring that the President is try
ing to force unconstitutional leg
islation through Congress with
the premeditated plan of making
1t an issue next year.
Revere Constitution
This accounts for the strong
support of the Constitution and
the Supreme Court by politicians
of the conservative stripe, as they
know full we'll that the American
people as a whole revere those
two institutions with the same
deep fervor shown by the English
toward the royal family.
On the Presidents side, both he
and many of his close advisers
feel that a great number of peo'
pie will support proposal for an
amendment to the Constitution
If some of the New Deal labor
and social and economic meas
ures fail in court.
Labor, it is argued, will join
q move to preserve what 1t has
gained in the Wagner-LewiS bill.
which labor now calls "the second
magma charta of labor" MIRA
being the first magma charta, in
the estimation of some Of the
labor leaders.
It is believed that 5000, 900
farmers who have signed AAA
crop reduction agreements and
who are being paid for it in cash,
resulting in billions of dollars in
crease for farm income, will feel
that little change in the ConSti-
tuition might not be so bad, if it
will preserve these benefits to
farm income, and so forth.
Center of Discussion
One of the questions now being
discussed is whether a President
whose oath binds him Ito pre-
serve, protect and defend" the
Constitution should take part in
changing the Constitution. That
will be the center of many bitter
discussion before this thing is set
tied.
The Presidents associates, re-
port Mr.. Roosevelt as feeling that
one good way to preserve the Con-
Stitution is to loosen it up a bit
now and then to get rid Of ma
tional growing pains; something
like loosening up a growing boys
suit of clothes when he begins to
feel constrained here and there.
Both sides will call on Lincoln;
the Conservatives will look upon
him as a sort of constitutional
Dnnk of Gihro1tor'