Evening star., 1935-10-07
THE POLITICAL
MILL
By G.. Could Lincoln.

looming more and more as a factor In
the making of campaign issues next year.
The court meets today for the first time
in its new marble home. And before
many days it will be called upon to
decide upon the constitutionality of the
A. A. "A. and other of the important
Roosevelt New Deal acts. Last May 1t
struck down the N. r. A. The picture
presented to the country. II the court
invalidates the A. A. A., the Guffey coal
act, the Wagner labor disputes act, the
T. v A. in some of its activities, will
be of an administration which has de-
veloped an unconstitutional program. II
that does not raise a constitutional issue
provided the Supreme Court comes to
such deciSionS-it will be because the
Roosevelt New Dealers retreat from their
reform program.
On the eve of the opening of the ses-
sion of the Supreme Court, Gov. Harold
G. Hoffman, republican, Of New Jersey
comes forward with a proposal that the
Constitution be amended to provide that
all laws enacted by Congress be sub
mitted to the Supreme Court to pass
upon their constitutionality before they
are put into effect. Hoffman suggests
such an amendment as a campaign issue.
Some New Dealers have resented the
fact that the Supreme Court is permitted
to declare any law of Congress uncon-
stitutional. Their proposal has been q
definite statement, in an amendment to
the Constitution, that the Supreme Court
is not to invalidate q law of Congress
on the ground of nconStitutionality.
= =
The Supreme Court, under the pro-
pOSal OF Gov Hoffman. would be called
upon not merely for advisory opinions as
to the constitutionality-bu would have
to put its seal of approval on every act
OF Congress in any way involving the
Constitution and the rights of the people
hereunder, before the law became effec-
tive. 1t would have a veto power which
1t could and would exert of its own
initiative. Under the conditions as they
now exist the court only passes on the
conStitutionality of such laws as the citi-
zens of the country challenge through
court action. The New Jersey Governor
does not hesitate to put his proposed
amendment into concrete form. But
whether the Republican party will adopt
his suggestion and make it an issue is
another question. The Supreme Court
seems TO be in pretty good position to
deal with unconstitutional laws right
now
The text Of the amendment proposed
by Gov. Hoffman is specific. 1t reads:
THAT all laws enacted by the Congress
and approved by the President, or en-
acted by the Congress over the disap-
proval of the President shall be sub
mitted to the Supreme Court of the
United States for decision as to their
constitutionality before they become
effective. Any law held unconstitutional
by the Supreme Court shall be null and
void"
The New Jersey Governor sprang into
the limelight last November when he
defeated his Democratic opponent for
Governor in year that was strongly
Democratic. His was one of the few
victories to which the Republicans could
point. A number of Mr.. Hoffman's
friends are ambitious for him and have
suggested in the past that he would
prove good presidential timber. With
the demand coming from so many
sources that the Republican presidential
candidate for 1886 be selected from the
Middle West, comparatively little has
been said so far about Gov. Hoffman.
However, the race for the nomination is
still very much open. And If Midwest
presidential candidate is named the
convention may turn East for vice
presidential nominee. There is an op-
portunity which may open for the New
| Jersey Governor if he desires it.
+x
Friends of Senator William E. Borah
| of Idaho take with very much of a grain
| of salt reports that Borah has tied him.
| self up with DR.. Townsend and his old
| age pension plan. In fact, they insist
| that the Senator declined to commit
himself to the S2O0-a-month plan of DR..
! Townsend for all persons in this coun-
| try go years OF age or more. The Idaho
Senator is expected to return to Wash
| ington from Boise, where he is now,
some time between today and Novem-
Der |. The Senator comes up for re-
election to the Senate next year His
name has been prominently mentioned,
however, in connection with the Repub-
lican presidential nomination. II, how
ever Mr.. Borah should hook himself up
with the Townsend plan, his chances
for the presidential nomination would
certainly evaporate quickly. in the opin-
ion of Republican politicians here,
| whether progressive or conservative.
Il
Gov. ALT M Landon of Kansas is GER
tain to have a good sized block of dele
gates in the Republican National Con-
vention of 1886. judging from present
indications. They will come, first, from
the States Immediately in the neighbor-
hood of Kanusas-Missouri, Nebraska,
etc. How far away from Kansas the
Governor will be considered q good
candidate for the nomination remains
to be seen. He is little known in the
Eastern part of the country, or even in
the great States of Illinois, Ohio, Indi-
ana and Michigan. In the opinion Of
some of the Republican leaders, Landon
occupies a strategic position. geograph-
ically. How strong a campaigner he
would prove to be- however, is another
thing 1t is quite sure, however, that
he will be given the once-over very care
fully by party leaders during the next
few months.
There is one Republican presidential
possibility who is laying low these days
Senator Arthur Vandenberg of Michigan.
He Is letting all the rest make the run
ming As a matter Of fact, Vandenberg
refuses to be budged from the posi-
ton early assumed by him, that he is
not candidate for the nomination and
will not lift a finger to advance his
own proSpectS along that line Yet