Evening star., 1937-09-29
BAR SETS UP UNIT
AS COURTS GUARD
Seven-Man Committee to
Fight Attempts to Gre
make" Tribunal.
By the Associated Press.

AEdlIlSl ANY dbtSliipt W itiidhc tIlC
Supreme Court.
The report of a special committee,
which had warned the association that
new efforts probably would be made to
change the Supreme Court, was adopt
ed by record breaking attendance of
the bar group. No opposition was ey-
pressed in the general meeting.
No discussion followed the lengthy
report of Sylvester C. Smith. jr, of
Phillipsburg. N j., chairman of the
special committee, which had called
on the bar to maintain itself in
readiness to meet (Supreme Court
proposals) issues as they may recur
rather than to rely on impromptu
organization for the purpose
To Report on Proposals.
The seven-man commission en-
powered by today's vote will report to
the Bar Association on any proposed
changes in the country's judicial sys-
tenn. If court alterations are brought
Up in the next Congress, today's vote
authorized referendum of the Bar
Association. the results of which would
serve as instructions to the commits
sion.
The Special Committees report
credit the neutrality-suspicious. bar
referendum-which showed a 4i2-
to-l majority against President Roose-
velt's Supreme Court plan-as a
substantial factor lin bringing about
III L,r
majority of the Senate committee"
on the original administration Su-
preme Court bill.
Warning in Report.
The report warned: Although the
Logan Hatch -Ashurst bill "a COM
promise measure which contained
President Roosevelts original sugges-
tions with minor amendments is
not likely TO reappear. there appears
to be no likelihood that efforts to re-
make the courts will not
be renewed.
Your special committee is of ethe
opinion that the association ought to
meet such issues as they recur rather
than to rely on impromptu organiza-
tlon for the purpose"
While speakers continued critical
barrage against the court plan and
other Roosevelt measures Yesterday,
Oklahoma s Attorney General Mac @.
Williamson spoke up for the New Deal
and brought prompt rebuttal from
Frederick H. Stinchfeld, the bar as
sociation president.
Address by Williamson.
Addressing the National Association
of Attorney Generals, Williamson said
there is always a danger in those
entrusted with high Office, whether in
the bar association or the Nation, to
become SNUG. complacent and self
satisfied and to regard as sinister
force anyone who disagrees with
them
The Oklahoma official said the bar
association leaders have formed
mutual admiration society of back
slappers," and that the face cards"
of the convention had lost interest in
the playing cards who make up
the rank and file.
we ali hope to see and realize in
the near future a tapering-off process
in public expenditures but, i'll my
humble Judgment. the people of this
country have little regard for those
persons so prejudiced or so forgetful
as to fail in words of praise for the
bridge that carried them over"
Reply of Stinchfield.
Stinchfield replied in an interview:
"This whole matter originated in the
attempt of the administration to put
over the Supreme Court measure and
ell other references to the admins
tration are purely incidental
I'VE consider the Supreme Court
issue in no sense partisan or political
= Were it not for the court issue
having been raised by the administra-
ton, and were it not for the direct
declaration of the administration that
the whole profession of the law is M
worthy. there would not have been
anything said by the speakers which
might be criticized by the gentlemen
who are objecting.'
The Seven-man commission Sug-
eested in the court proposal report
would work with special congressional
committees to study the Federal court
system. If court changes are proposed
in Congress again another bar refer
endum would be recommended to de-
termine the course of the commission.
Original Referendum.
The original referendum, made after
the President first announced his
court plan, was presented to the Sen
ate committee during the hearings
on the proposal.
The emphatic opinion of the law
years in every State was probably
the associations most effective con-
tribution to the hearings" the COM
mittee declared.
IF changes are to be made in the
size or functioning of the Supreme
Court" tpdays report said they
should be made through constitu-
. tional amendments. so they would be
"by ratification of the States and
the people. rather than by merely
the action of the legislative and execu-
tive branches of government"
The report declared the maintenance
Of AN independent and untrammeled
judiciary will require "unceasins
vigilance and efforts on the part o.
lawyers and other citizens and is es.
sential to the preservation of oul
American system of democratic gov,
eminent.
The defense of free courts is
duty and high privilege of the or.
ganized bar. Constant efforts to i'm
prove and speed up the administration
of justice will constitute an ef1ectiv,
part of that defense"
- . . . . Q 4