The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-04-14
DEMOCRAT BLOC
 IN COMPROMISE
They Will Support Plan If They Do Not Hear From
 President
BY boz ALEX MORRIs

(Unit1d Press Staff COrrespondentl
 Washington, April l4.--(UP)-A determined bloc of democratic sen- ators strengthened Q campaign to compromise President Rbosevelt's judiciary program today, despite a declofation that the White House opposes any modification. Claim. ing about 66 votes in the senate, the leaders of the drive indicated determination to continue their ef. forts at least until the president not a spokesmafl-- -.irrevocably re- jects compromise.
 Nine weeks of controversy over enlargement of the supreme court and the recent couyt decisions up. holding New Deal legislation have convinced them that:
 l. The administration can now achieve Its legislative objectiveS without change in the supreme court.
 2. A compromise by which two justices instead of six would be added to the court would be &C., cepted and would make certain of a so-called "liberap attitude.
 3. Continuation of the present permanently damage the party.
 i. The close division of senate sentiment makes 1t impossible to overlook the danger of eventual disastrous defeat for the court bill.
 President Not Convinced
 Visitors who talked with MT Roosevelt since supreme court vali- dation of the Wagner labor rels- tions act said he was not convinced that the court offered any aSshr- ance of constitutoinality for other New Deal social and economic legislation, such as a child labor law and national regulation of wages and hours. MT. Roosevelt withheld comment at his press conference yesterday. PersOns who conferred with him said that when they sought his opinion whether the, Wagner decisions applied to other phases of his social objec- tives he replied by asking their opinion. Leaders of the compro- mise campaign included some of the veteran democrats of the senate who had not previously taken an active part in the judiciary contest.
 Ignore All Pleas
 They ignored the declarations of the White House spokesman against compromise; they failed to heed the new calls to battle by Major ity Leader Joseph T. Robinson and Postmaster Gen. James A. Farley; they passed by the "hooey-to-com- promise" statement of Attorney General Homer A. Cummings. Un- til the President speaks on the subject. they said, they would not be convinced that a settlement was impossible. It was contended that more than 30 senators still uncommitted on the court bill were eager to lineup behind com- promise. In addition, at least that many who have declared them selves either for or against were described as ready to back a modi- fled solution.
 Some Veterans Favor It
 Among the more powerful senate figures counted on to favor a settle lliert, although some have remained comparatively silent on the issue, were: James ByrneS, d, S. C., Pat Harrison, q, Miss: George Norris, | Ind, Neb.; M. M. Logan, d., Ky, 1 Pat McCarran, d. New, and Robert | F. Wagner, d, N. Y. Although | some of those veterans have been | non-committal publicly, several have actively urged compromise. Logan advanced one proposal that was given the indirect endorsement | of Chairman Henry F. Ashurst of | the Judiciary committee. He pro. posed that the committee siH,ul- taneously report to the senate the court bill and the constitutional | amendment plan of Sen. Edward R. | Burke, d, Neb., for compulsory re- tirelnert of supreme court justices | at 75 years.
 Noe Result of Plan
 The supreme court decisions fayofing the administration have not been the result of the court plan but were certain to have come anyway. There also would have been two and possibly three retire. i11erts from the bench.
 The administration supporters, however, firmly cpptended tEat tho court bill had influenced" the high tribunal and that t was essential to press the measure to assure va- lidity of such important lovislat ticn as social security and regulation of hours and wages and child labor.