Plentywood herald., 1936-04-16

form" Borah is eager for primary
tests, which he considers arranged 10
find out the views of the electors.
The Worry of the party stalwarts is
increased by the knowledge that most
of the candidates now considered are
unsatisfactory to the senator. He would
strip Mr.. Hoover of all influence at the
convention. he is cool to Gov. Landon
because of his belief that the men he
is chiefly fighting are getting behind
the Kansan in his own State and he
has little 10 give TO Senator Dickinson.
This leaves MesSrs. Steiwer and Van
denherg as possible satisfactory selec-
tions but raises the troublesome plat
form issues Here, again, the opinions
of the senator and other party men
differ widely, with no bright prospec,
OF an accord
The Supreme Courts decision re-
Gently, refusing to pass on the valid
ity of the Public Utility Act in a case
from Baltimore, which had been care
fully staged by counsel for those op-
posed to the law, means that the trib-
unal will permit the government to
have the issue raised under circum-
stances worthy of the issues involved
In the Burco litigation, the govern
ment, through clever technical moves,
was without an adequate opportunity
to appear, and charged that no ad-
verse interests were represented on
account of the unusual collaboration.
The Court, being advised that other
litigation is proceeding in an orderly
way to test the statute, declined to re-
view the rulings made by the lower
court. Technically, il was victory for
the government but actually it served
notice that the Court does not intend
to decide constitutional questions on
thin foundations.
In another case, the Court, acting
unanimously, held that the code of
ethics" of the Sugar Institute, Inc,
violated the Sherman Act and was an
unreasonable restraint of trade. The
decision will vitally affect some 1000
trade associations because it definitely
prohibits agreements to limit compet-
ition in prices even when, as alleged,
the effort is made, ostensibly, to inn
prove demoraizing conditions in the
trade or industry 1t is worth noting
that the Sugar Institute invoked argu-
ments heard in the days of NRA, but
the Court while allowing voluntary
action to end abuses in industry ruled
against the steps taken to obtain ad-
herence to prices and terms.
-
Space does not permit discussing the
recent break in the forces behind the
Townsend plan, the prospects of tax
legislation or the signs that multiply
to show Congressional intention to
provide large sums for flood control
and public works. Back of them loom
the Presidents demand for taxes to
meet new expenditures and ahead of
the members of Congress looms cleo
ton day 1t is combination that may
cause interesting developments dur
ing the rest of April.
1t is interesting to observe that six
of the members of the Supreme Court
have passed the retiring age of 70
years. The oldest member Of the Court
is Justice Brandeis, 79, and the young
est, Justice Roberts, who is 60. The
ages of the other Justices follow: Stone
63; Cordozo, 65; Butler, 70; Hughes
and Sutherland, 10; McReynolds, IA;
and Van Devanter, 76. 1t is worth not
ing that the ages of the Justices ap-
parently have little influence upon the
attitudes taken, as there is only few
years difference in the age average of
the so-called liberal and conservative
groups In fact, the oldest member of
the Court is distinctly Liberal and the
youngest is usually classified as Con-
servative.