The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-02-05
1st DE follow 2 col 12 and 10 ... ... quickly move to enact them into law, provided:

prOVlQeQ:
 Some Provisions
 l. That in each instance where a federal judge reaches the age of 70 and fails to retire, the president be empowered to name an addition al judge, providing such appoint ments do not increase the number of supreme court justices above 15 nor more than 50 for the judiciary as a whole.
 2. That no feoeral court be al- lowed to issue any decision or in- junction involving constitutional questions without ample previous notice to the government; and that immediate appeals of all such ques- tions be allowed direct to the su- preme court, such appeals taking precedence over all other matters pending in the supreme court.
 3. That transfers and shifts of federal judges be allowed from dis trict to district in order to speed up court business.
 4. That the supreme court be provided with an additional officer to be termed 8 proctor, charged with watching all federal court bus mess in order to expedite and facili- tate 1t. r.. Six Are Past 70
 Six members of the United States supreme court are 70 or over. They are Charles Evans Hughes, "A; Will lis Van DeVanter, 77; James Clark McReynolds, 75; Louis Dembritz Brandeis, 30; George Sutherland, "A; Pierce Butlery. 70.
 The three other members of the supreme court and their ages are: Harlan F. Stone, GA; Owen J. Rob- erts, 61; and Benjamin N. Cardozo, 66.
 MT. Roosevelt said his purpose in the proposed changes "is to strength en the administration of justice and to make it a more effective servant of public need"
 The president declared fatly that his proposals were to be considered as his present decision of the ques- tion of whether the nation needed a constitutional amendment. He ex- pressed belief that if his proposals were effective no constitutional amendment and no fundamental change in the powers of the court would be necessary. He said:
 Constitution May Stand
 If these measures achieve their aim, we may be relieved of the nec- essity of considering any fundamen- tai changes in the powers of the courts or the Constitution of our government - changes which in- volve consequences so far-reaching as to cause uncertainty as to the wisdom of such course"
 MT. Roosevelt referred to his plans-a proposal so vast virtually to remake the personnel of the fed eral bench-as a program similat to his far-reaching suggestions for the revision and consolidation oi governmen mt departments and agencies.
 The two plans together would pro- vide reorganization of governmen, offices and courts more sweeping than any within the modern history of the federal government.
 The president struck vigorously at what he described as government by injunction" This, he charged lays heavy hand upon normal processes" pointing out that no law can take final. authoritative effect until 1t has passed through "the whole hierarchy of the courts"
 He charged that the effect of this in practice was to set up the judi. ciary as an unofficial and extra -or. dinary legislative arm of govern ment.
 Assumes New Function
 "The judiciary" MT. Roosevelt charged, "by postponing the effec- tive date of acts of the congress, k assuming an additional function anc is coming more and more to con- stitute a scattered, loosely organ. ized and slowly operating thirc house of the national legislature" The extraordinary import of MT Roosevelt's message was emphasized by the manner in which it was sub- mitted to congress. Before the pro. posal was sent to Capitol Hill 1t wa. discussed at an unusual early morn. ing assembly of administration fig. ures at the White House. When read to the house member. ship-many of whom did not an. ticipate the proposaEthe chamber was only half-tilled.
 Radio microphones were set " to carry the message broadcast t the nation.
 First congressional reaction = largely from leaders who had beer