Imperial Valley press., 1937-03-12
News Behind the News
Politicians and the Issue ;. TUO Big
Uncertainties Horse Trading
With Votes :.

WASHINGTON-It might be easier to guess
the outcome of the Senate fight over Presidents
Supreme Court bill if the issue did not so often
rest with politicians.
Two major categories of uncertainty COM
plicate any attempts at prophecy
First outsiders are unable to tell how many
senators in the pro- and undecided groups
are taking their positions for the purposes OF
trading with the administration, ana now many
are swayed by their intellectual convictions.
Second the extent to which the administra-
ton is willing or able to Use patronage and poll
tical pressure and the extent to which the latter
will be effective are equally unpredlctaole FAC
tors.
Insiders are beginning to get some light
on the first factor. but the full true story OF
the backstage movements never Will be told
Here is one pretty well authenticated story:
Senator A, senior senator from a certain
state is listed against the plan. He has per-
suaded Senator B, junior senator from the same
state who originally declared in favor OF the
plan to reverse his position and come out
against it. Political enemies say was aoie
TO bring varied pressure on B. At any rate, 1t
appears that A is willing and able to deliver
two votes TO the President if he can have a
certain $4,000 year federal circuit court judge
ship Senator A isn't at all sure about his re-
election two years hence and the Judgeship,
now held by an aged jurist who would like to
retire on full pay looks good to him
At this point Senator AS political enemies
come in. Themselves hungry for federal patron
age in the old home state, they tell the Prsi-
dent they can build enough fires under the
senator not only to frighten him into voting for
the plan. but to bring Senator BS vote back
into camp along with it. The President must
decide whether to offer Senator the judge
ship or to depend back home pressure. He
also has the possible threat to lend adminlStra-
ton aid TO have A defeated in 1888
Most insiders betting that the President
will not appoint Senator A, whom he doesn't
like to a judgeship and that both Senator A
and senator B will vote for the plan in the
final pinch,
The dangers of prophecy operate in both di-
rections Pressure also is being brought upon the
group which has declared for the Supreme
Court change proposal. Members of that group,
as well as some senators who have refused to
commit themselves, are beginning to make it
clearly understood they expect genuine reward
in return for their support. And some Of those
who aren't promised what they want are likely
to be with the opposition or conveniently abb
sent when the final vote comes.
At least two senators staying out of
town because of Illness. which is commonly
attributed here to a sad senstivty to painful
pressure in the current backstage battle.
One prominent senator, who has declared
vehemently against the plan, has privately con-
ceded willingness to permit the President
to appoint three new Supreme Court justices
but not six He feels certain that if there
six appointments. one OF the men he hates
most in public life would be sure TO eet one of
them.
Mention of 3O-hour week has Junior wor-
ried. If they keep cutting it down, it will soon
mean a bsth day.
Since throngs in England clamorng to
see king crowned LevinSkyS career seems far