The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-01-18

the case LOT inc SOVeIuucuts MAJ
Cummings Is an excellent lawyer, but
not much can be said In praise of the
legal abilities of most of the men whom
the exigencies of politics have showed
into his Office in Washington. So prob
ably he was wise to handle this matter
himself.
Cummings defended the constitu-
tional authority of the President and
congress to adopt the present none
tary policy as inherently the right Of
the government to preserve itself.
In an argument distinguished for
oratorical display as well as for its
legal aspects, Cummings said an ad-
verse decision by the court would:
1. Increase the public and private
debt of the nation by $4,000, 100000.
2. Create special class that would
be beyond the pale Of the general
financial structure, class composed
Of those holding bonds demanding pay
ment in gold.
3. Reduce the balance in the United
States treasury $2,500OOO,O0O.
4. Add $17,O0O,0OO, to the pub
lie debt and increase the interest
charge on this debt alone by $780,
100000 year.
The latter sum alone, Cummings
said, is equal to twice the value of the
1884 wheat and cotton crop.
The attorney general referred to the
troubled state Of the country in the
spring of 1888 and added, 81 contend
and shall show that the congress and
the President of the United States act
ed reasonably in period of very great
difficulties and that their acts were not
the product of caprice"
From the questions asked by the
justices, observers gained the impress
sion that there was sharp division
of opinion among them.
G ENATOR JOSEPH T. ROBINSON,
~ majority leader of the senate, be-
ing informed that the foreign rela-
lions committee had voted IA to Z in
favor of the project for American adj
herence to the World court, said he
floor of the senate as soon as pos
sible. However he recognized the
sentiment against it was strong and
would not predict the outcome Of the
fight.
The new resolution as approved by
the committee is slightly altered to
meet the objections of other nations to
what Is known as reservation five. Mr..
Robinson said: .ssa
1.-THE legal import and effect of res
ervation five has been preserved in
full. It is provided that discussions
may take place under the Root pro-
tocol, but In the end the court may not
entertain over the objection Of the
United States any request for an
advisory opinion on any dispute or
question in which the United States
has or claims an interest"
OF the Democrats on the committee
Senators Lewis and Murray voted
against the resolution; Republicans
who favored 1t were Vandenberg and
Capper. vAe.
DETRoLEUM control provisions Of
the National Industrial Recovery
act, specifically section 9 (c). are held
by the Supreme Court of the United
States to be invalid as unconstitu-
tional abdication Of legislative power
to the President. Eight of the justices
united in rendering this decision, JUS
tice Cardozo alone dissenting, and the
opinion was read by Chief Justice
Hughes.
The section declared void authorized
the President to ban interstate ship
ment OF ''hot" oil-that is, oil pro-
duced in excess of state quotas.
While the opinion did not deal with
other phases of the recovery act. 1t
aroused widespread speculation as to
disposition of other cases. This was
the first major "New DEAR case to
come before the court
Emergency legislation by congress
to remedy the situation and to meet
the objection of the court was re-
ported to be an immediate likelihood.
TsHOSE Democrats and Republicans,
Il eminent and otherwise, who are
banded together as the American Lib
erty league are now really getting into
action against what they deem the rad
zeal features of the administrations
program, and their executive council
has put out ten-point platform. 1t
declares the leagues opposition to such
practices as sweeping delegations of
legislative authority to the President,
lump sum appropriations to be doled
out by the White House, specialization