, 1935-11-05
Behind the
Scenes i'm
Washington
BY RODNEY BUTCHER
The Brownsville Herald Washington
CORRESPONDENT


Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Nov. 5. II the
supreme court were anything but
the supreme court, 1t would be
easy to imagine some horrible
bowls about its waste Of the tax
payers money.
Just between us girls, only three
OF the nine justices are using their
swell-elegant office suites In the
courts new $11, 100000 temple.
These are very grand suites Of
three enormous rooms each. with
black marble fireplaces and trim
mings Of surprising richness. But
six OF them stand In magnificent
emptiness.
The justices who moved into
these places are Hughes, Roberts.
and Sutherland. The others find
it more comfortable to work at
home and come TO the building
only when the court is sitting. They
always did. Even their secretaries
officially known as law clerks"
don't come TO the new offices.
Says Frank X. Green. marshal Of
the court, rather wtstfully:
"Oh, well, when we get some new
justices, they'll probably move into
those suites"
And Justice Harlan r. Stone has
been heard to mutter vaguely about
moving his office from his home
some time soon.
Despite their emptiness and their
value as spectacles, the vacant
suites are barred to the sightseeing
public. They are in the back half
OF the building. which Is barred off
by huge grilled gates.
Appetites Are Bird Like
Stone is about the only justice
who can eat more than a lettuce
leaf for lunch which means that
much OF the elaborate kitchen and
dining-room space goes TO waste.
Some Of the justices bring their
lunch from home. have coffee
heated for them. and consume the
contents Of the lu~nch-boxes in the
private dining -room. Others have
meager items OF food sent up from
the cafeteria.
Thus far no use has been found
for the vast conference rooms with
their ornate panelingS, and rugs
which must be measured by acre
age rather than footage. The
guide tells you they are for inter
national conferences" They are
outside the judges quarters
uf you were q kid again, doubtless
you'd think the greatest waste OF
all was the wide plazas and side
walks around the block. decorated
with chaste signs saying NO Roll
er Skating."C
Downtown, New Deal agencies
are hysterical IN demand for more
space. taking over hotels. apart
ment houses. mansions, auditori-
and so on. Thus far none has
had the nerve to try to chisel In on
supreme court space.
Like Their Isolation
The justices are more than ever
isolated from the public. They
like ii. No longer may one stand
gaping and watch them parade
from robing room to court chamber
or loiter on the sidewalk TO see
them pile into their cars.
Ut used TO be quite a sight, for
instance. TO see Roberts come str1d-
ing out - corncob pipe jutting
from his mouth. derby jammed
down over his ears. and wearing a
shirt patterned after q c~riss-cross-
ed rainbow
Now. they're driven into q prt-
vate basement garage and ascend
in private elevators TO their barred
off section. "A newspaper pho
tographer can't get within a
half mile Of them; the justices in
sist on keeping their status as the
only men IN the United States not
subject TO camera barrages.
Nobody knows what would hap
pen TO a photographer who sneak
ed a picture In the courtroom. But