The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-06-09
Home to Roost!

The Republican chickens which have been squawking for months over President Roosevelt's alleged onslaughts against the Constitu- ton and his asserted secret deter. imitation to amend that document to make 1t applicable to his own policies, have come home to rooSt. As the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional measure after measure passed by the Democratic Congress, enemies of the national administration hailed the de- cisions of the Court as represent- ing the very quinteeseflce of that nebulous thing called American tradition. The Court, At least Q majority of it, could do no wrong when 1t rejected the various New Deal laws. Mir. Roosevelt was pic- tured as Q gour-beliied grouch when he characterized the NRA finding as g return to "the horse and buggy age" and as traitor to his oath Of office when he ad- vised the Congress to pass legisla- ton however reasonable doubts might be as to It's constitutional- fly. But the latest opinion of the Court finding invalid the mini- mum wage law of the state of New York for the protection of women and minors in industry has proved too much to be swallowed without protest by Q large section of the Republican rank and file. There is now, if one Is to credit the reports from Cleveland, considerable aei- tation for the inclusion of a plank in the platform calling for cosi- stitutional amendment which will deal with the regulation of wages for women workers. The opinion of the Supreme Court that under the Constitution neither the states nor the federal government have the power to abolish what every- one acknowledges Is an 'intolerable injustice has been described by tho President as the creation of 6 No Mans Land of Constitutionality wherein the nations legislative bodies stand hanl-strung. The de- scription has been made before by others besides Mir. Roosevelt but hitherto has been pooh-poohed by his Republican-E Republican, Cppo- nents. The pooh-poohing has now given place to anxiety in circles which yearn for Q Democratic de- feat in November. Liberal Re- publicans have awakened to the fact that the tossing out of New York minimum wage law by the Court which, until the tossing out was done, was declared to be above criticism has given Q tremendous impetus to President Rocgevelt's reelection. These Republicans, however, are in the minority and whatever they get in the way of concessions in the platform from the all-poweTful conservattves-if anything--will be negligible. Even Senator Borah, on the eve of his departure for the convention, de- clared himself opposed to an tE1- mediate move by his party for Q constitutional amendment to give the states the right to regulate wages and conditions of employ ment. In the same interview the Senator expressed the feeling which Is common to other leaders.
 @It is unfOrsunate.1 he said,
 "that the opinion had to Dc de-
 livered @ near convention days"
 .Just how unfortunate no one knows better than Mr. Borah. Not that 1t win make any particular difference to him but he knows the g.o.p. is on 6 spot of It's own making Having praised the Court in season and out, aa well es dee notnclng these who disaeEeed with its opinions, his party must ap- prove e decision which hes been almost universally condemned py thinkers Of all political eFeeds. lt is in the unhappy situation ol tne man who did not know Whas 70 20 and Wept in his diIsmma:s-
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