The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-01-18

WORDS ARE SIGNIFICANT
 The supreme court. upholding the state law, uttered these words which are considered significant from the standpoint of MIRA, AAA and other New Deal measures: "The Fifth Amendment in the field of federal activity and the Four teenth Amendment as respects state action do not prohibit gov- ernmental regulation for the pub- lie welfare. Equally funda- mental with the private right is that of the public to regulate 1t in the common interest.
 "so far as the requirement. of due process is concerned and in the absence of other constitutional re- strictions. q state is free to adopt whatever economic policy may rea- sonably be deemed to promote pub lie welfare and to enforce that policy by legislation adapted to It's purpose. The courts are without authority either to declare such policy, or, when 1t is declared by the legislative arm, to override 1t. If legislature decides con- ditlons or practices in an industry make unrestricted competition an inadequate safeguard of the con. sumer's interest, produce waste harmful to the public or portend the destruction of the industry it. self, appropriate statutes passed fin an honest effort %to correct the threatened consequences may not be set aside'."
 REDEFINITTON IMPORTANT
 Anti-New Deal lawyers argue that the Minnesota and Nebbia decisions apply only to state police powers reserved from the federal government and, to emergency leg islation.
 But in addition to the sweeping new dicta cited above, the Nebbia opinion gave an important redefini- tion of due process" by stating that it demands only that the law shall not be unreasonable. arbi- trary, or capricious and that the means selected shall have g. real and substantial relation to the ob- ject sought to be attained"
 Now come to the supreme court lawyers for Norman c. Norman of New York, who say-among other things that he was deprived of property without due process" when Roosevelt devaluated the dollar and he was paid only $22.50 in currency as interest on his 5000 B. & o. railroad bond instead of in gold coin as promised.
 Norman demands the gold or its equivalent. $38.10. He says nothing in the Constitution empowers con- gress to break contracts.
 If the Roosevelt devaluation or der or the law authorizing 1t were held unconstitutional, the cost to the government, railroads, and many other business institutions would run over $100,000.000,00 Such q decision seems unthinkable. The New York state courts told Norman he must accept the $$2.50 in currency.
 FIGHT OIL ORDER
 The Amazon Petroleum Corpora tion and the Panama Refining Co of Texas, associated with other oil companies in separate suits, are appealing from federal court TO- fusals to restrain Secretary Ickes from enforcing oil production con troI regulations issued under MIRA They charge violation of the fourth, fifth, eighth, ninth, and tenth amendments, claiming both MIRA and acts under 1t are un- constitutional. Alleging illegal del- egation of power, violation of the commerce clause and confscation they say there's nothing in MIRA the act-which regulates produc- tion, and then ring in "due | process"
 Que process" pops ID again, along with the issue of separation of state and federal powers, in suits brought under Section "A,
 the labor secion, of MIRA, one
 Richmond to set aside a National Labor Relations Board order for q
 collective bargaining election will
 come before Federal Judge John J. Parker, whose appointment to
 the supreme court the senate re-
 fused to confirm.
 WAIT CONGRESS ACTION
 No collective bargaining case iA
 likely to be decided by the supreme
 court, however. before congress
 enacts some permanent collective
 bargaining legislation at it's next
 session. The Weirton steel case, in