Evening star., 1937-04-05

Although President Roosevelt's Su-
preme Court-packing proposition is two
months old today, its enactment is just
about as doubtful as when the bombsheu
was sprung on February S. Both admin
istration forces and opponents OF the
plan are firm in claiming victory for
their respective viewpoints. Each side
admits that whoever wins will do so by
. razor-edge margin Of not more than
q handful of Senate votes. The balance
of power rests with the group OF dozen
or more Democratic senators still un-
committed. There's no doubt that
plenty of New Deal pressure will be
exercised to bring the fence-sitters into
line for the Presidents proposal.
Whether patronage and relief bait is to
be as ruthlessly used as Senators Holt
Of West Virginia and Burke of Nebraska
suggest has yet to be clearly revealed.
The sanest estimate of the probable
outcome is that the White House Will
get it's way, but only after substantial
compromise on the number OF addl-
tional Justices the retirement age limit,
and some kind of constitutional amend
ment. Few authorities except blind
presidential partisans believe that the
Roosevelt program can possibly be
passed In the original form.
~ Xxx
Meantime, speculation persists as to
whether the bills chances have been In
creased or diminished by the recent crop
of decisions affecting wages and LABOR.
Administrationists identify themselves
with Attorney General Cummings con-
tention that 'the soundness OF the
Presidents proposal" has been estao-
lished by the Supreme Courts reversal
of itself and the demonstrated "tutll-
ity" of the theory that constitutional
difdculties can be avoided by careful
drafting Of laws. The opposition IS no
less convinced that the courts md
ings pull most, If not all, OF the props
from beneath the claim that either
enlargement Of the bench or constltu-
tional change Is necessary TO secure
desired humanitarian objectives. BE all
this rs it may, there Is no 1nkllng that
the controversial Niagara will be checked
at any early date. No deadllne Is IN
prospect for cessation OF committee
hearings, with both camps pretending
that time is on their respective sides.
Indications are sprouting that popular
interest in the court talkfest Is on
the wane. New ideas, pro or con. are
already about as scarce as hens teeth.
Rival leaders are beginning to wonder
whether endless discussion Is an asset
or 4 liability.
Senator Carter Glass has received
more than 1000 letters and telegrams
from people in all parts OF the United
States in response to his recent two
nsted radio assault on the court-packlng
program His ONCE reports that this is
about twice the number Of ian" COM
munications evoked by the Virginians
celebrated broadcast advocating Mr..
Roosevelt's election in November, 1882.
Among those who sent the Senator COM
mendations on his appeal for an inde-
pendent judiciary are Samuel Harden
Church, president Of Carnegie Institute,
former Assistant Secretary OF War Han
ford MacNider, innumerable members
OF Congress, outstanding representatives
Of the bar, law school professors and JUS
tices and ex- justices of state and Federal
courts.
X \
There's not 4 particle OF indication in
Mr.. Roosevelt's debonair demeanor that
he's at all upset by the storm OF prob
lens and controversies, political, eco
nomic, congressional and otherwise, now
raging around his head. The Supreme
Court fight, labor troubles depression IN
the Federal bond market, agitation over
dt-down strikes, disparity in prices be.
tween durable goods and consumer COM
moditaos, international unreet-Au ana