Evening star., 1935-06-07
SENATOR DEFENDS
ROOSEVELT, n. R. A.
President Was First to Obey
Court Decision, Says
Lewis in Debate.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

A defense of President Roosevelt
and the principles Of the N. r A.
against attacks by their critics since
the Supreme Court sdecision in the
Schechter case was made in the Sen
ate today by Senator Lewis of Illinois,
Democratic whip.
Mr.. Roosevelt was pictured es the
first 10 obey the decision, although Il
destroyed the immediate operation
of a system devised by the President
for what he felt was the welfare Of
his country and the relief from op-
preston Of all his countrymen"
Where" demanded Lewis. lis one
voice Of those who we're denouncing
the President and prophesylng every
action Of evil and destruction in the
accusation Of unconstitutional con-
duct 'despotic intent and 'tyrsnnlcal
device to Illustrate the Constitution
to call attention to the people who
have been ale med by the vilhficatlon
in the innuenGOs and accusation that
President Roosevelt promptly upon the
recording Of the opinion waived the
usual procedure Of petition for re-
hearing or for filing the usual excep-
tions seeking modification on the basic
grounds Of error in conclusiOn?'
Code Attitude Upheld.
The Senator insisted that the Pres
ident could have continued the codes
Of fair competition. although the Su-
preme Court had prevented enforce
ment by fine and Imprisonment.
But there was nothing" he con-
tinued. in the opinion that would
have prevented the codes from re-
naming as the adopted contracts be
tween those who had framed the
codes and agreed in compact to their
prescriptions.
Lewis undertook to explain the
Presidents first statement TO the
press on the Supreme Courts &C.
csion as an effort to prevent AN up
rising against the courts and their
authority, together with the possible
threat Of destroying the force Of
their authority unless something va
said and done that would indicate
that all would be preserved despite
what could arise,
Whatever the President said ss n
the Constitution cr the decision c.
the court" said Lewis. was TO SOUND
the alarm as 10 what might be ths
result upon publication Of the opln-
ion Of the Supreme Court that struck
down what 10 many were thelY hope
and what to others they felt was then
only SALVATION. Wise was the inner
fear Of the President OF a form Of up
rising against the courts"
Partisan Politics Assailed.
The criticisms which have been
voiced Of the President since the de-
cislon of the court and since his dis
cusslon Of the decision, Lewis declared.
were inspired by partisan politics
The charge that the President is ar
enemy of the Constitution. he said. l.
disguised partIsanship"
He said it was an old ruse to deceive
the people and break down confidence
IN their leaders, a ruse often adopted
by selfish and wealthy interests. Il
had been attempted. he said. against
the late President Theodore Roosevelt
when he attacked "malefactors Of
great wealth. who had abused honor
and corrupted the great Nation with
their bribes.'
Now again" said Lewis, is this
detestable tragedy attempted that the
public may be fllched of their conf
denCe IN Just government
The great mass of the Americans
feel that upon the honor Of Franklin
D. Roosevelt they can rest"