Evening star., 1936-06-05
COURTS DECISION
ALTERS Orphan
Constitution Issue to Play
Second Fiddle for Time.
: Liberty League Firm.
BY CARLISLE BARGERoN.


Unless the Republicans change their
minds the hapless Constitution is
destined to go into the campaign with
out an outstanding friend except the
Liberty League.
Stree the Supreme Courts decision
Monday invalidating the New York
State minimum wage law for women,
the Republicans are shying away from
the time-honored document, at least
temporarily. Whereas it was to have
played a dominant note at the Repub-
lican convention beginning Tuesday,
It is now to be minor chord.
The Republicans had intended to
wrap themselves all around the bill of
rights, the foresight which the FORE
fathers had, and how for more than
$50 years it had protected the people
of high and low estate. But while they
still think highly Of the Constitution
personally, they think that politically
1t went little too far when it pre-
vented the State of New York from
setting up minimum wages for women.
They are mindful of the fact that this
Is right up the alley of the Women s
party, but the stronger groups, the
League of Women Voters and the
American Federation of Women's
Clubs, have never gone along with the
more militant group in their demand
that this discrimination" be removed,
which the Supreme Court did.
Reaction Forms Slowly.
SO they have had to revise their
whole early strategy until they see
what the reaction to the decision is.
The New Dealers, including Mr.. Roose-
welt, are waiting for this same reac-
ton. Mr.. Roosevelt sought to get it
started when at his press conference
Tuesday he said a no mans land
had been created. So far, 1t is learned,
the reaction has been disappointing in
that there has been little one way or
the other. From this the impression
is gained that while the decision ex-
cited the politicians on both sides, it
has not yet proved exciting to the
country.
In some Republican quarters the
hope has been expressed that it would
tempt Mr.. Roosevelt into going before
the country on an issue to amend the
Constitution. They are confident they
could beat him on this. Yet this con-
fdence doesn't deter them from soft.
pedaling the matter for the time being
The Liberty League, on the other
hand, is going right ahead as If the
Supreme Court hadn't said word
In pamphlet just issued it is charged
that "for more than three years the
Roosevelt administration has been ir
almost continuous conflict with oul
basic laws. Social and economic re.
forms attempted by Mr.. Roosevelt
have been outlawed repeatedly by the
Supreme Court Eight decisions
have declared New Deal programs OF
administration acts to be unconstitu.
tional, yet the administration persists
in similar policies and methods"
Roosevelt Quoted.
Then the league calls attention tc
Mr.. Roosevelt's statement to Congress
that "in "a months we have built u1
new instruments of public power"
Had it not been for Mondays deci
sion the league would have been takins
words right out Of the Republicans
mouths.
The indications are that the latter
will have to come back to the issue be.
cause of the strong conviction among
their leaders that they must make ar
Americanism crusade of their cam.
paign. All of their strategy has been
directed toward getting the country
excited against the "alien" minds that
are seeking to set up a European
autocracy.
incidentally, the Liberty League is
beginning to get personal in its attack
Heretofore 1t has confined itself to
principles" But its blasts now are
mentioning Mr.. Roosevelt. Prof. Tug
well and others.