Evening star., 1937-04-23
BY JOHN II, CLINE

baslng his testimony on his own
experience in foreign lands, Jacob
Gould Schurman, former Ambassador
to Germany and China. warned TO-DAY
that American Government will never
be the same again" if President Roose.
velts Supreme Court bill is passed.
He took the stand as opponents Of
the measure prepared to close their
case after seven weeks of debate for
and against the bill before a Senate
committee.
Reiterating his belief that sentiment
Tor the measure Is growing through
out the country, Chairman Ashurst
said he is convinced the hearings will
end today.
"Of course" he said. IF any Sena.
tor wants to call witnesses in support
OF the bill after the opponents are
through they will be heard. But do
not believe any will be called. So far
as I am concerned, the vote could oe
taken now. No opposition witness has
contended this bill impairs the judicial
power OF the court and that is the onlv
thing to which I would object"
Ashurst refused to make any predic.
ton as to the fate of the bill when thu
committee begins consideration of the
proposal in executive session Tuesday.
Single Vote May Decide.
II was apparent, however. that the
~ members of the committee are still
almost evenly divided and that the
vote OF a single Senator may be decisive
IN determining whether the measure
is reported out without amendment
Schurman, his voice breaking with
emotion at times, declared the bill is a
menace to the American system Of
government.
What President Roosevelt does to-
day. he asserted. with the sincere
intention of bringing good things ~
the American people, may lead in the
iuVure TO the adoption of measures for
tie establishment of a dictatorship in
LIE united States. I have seen that
very same thing happen in other
countries. t4e'
When was Ambassador n Cor.
many from 1925 to 1880, that country
was governed under a liberal and
democratic constitution. which had
oeeh ADOPTED at the end of the World
war oy a convention meeting or
Wehllar ana composed of delegates Of
'iie CeIlter, Democratic and Socialist
parties. Now the Weimar constit11tjon
loiloWlng the practice of the imperjai
goVernment, contained a clause au-
thorizlng special and highly excen-
tlonal action by the government in
certain great emergencies.
l saw this clause invoked bv Presi.
oent Won Hindenberg with correspond
ing actlon which, so far as can recall.
was not criticized. The essence of the
matter was that the President could
IN extraordinary circumstances, issue
a decree which had the force of law,
should say that the practice was not
abused up to the time of Stresse.
mann's death in the Fall of 1929.
But the difficulties inherent in the
TASK OF governing with coalition cab.
met steadily increased, and when thew
were aggravated by an economic crisis
Chancellor Bruening resorted freely
ana without limit to the emergency
powers of the government. There
could have been no more effective
preparation for the success of Hitler.
VINO IN the Spring elections of 1888
won the largest party in the Reichstap.
BY pursuing the method of govern
ment followed by Bruening he quickly
transformed the German democracy.
on the legal side, into a dictatorship.
hurried from Egypt, to witness in
Germany the course of the revolution
on the practical side. I think no rev.
olutlon IN history was ever accom-.
plshed with such lightninglike rapid
(See JUDICIARY pace o.