Evening star., 1937-10-03
Calls for Black Resignation
MingIe With Patience Pleas
Most Editors Write Singing Criticism,
OF NeW Justice and His Admitted For.
mer Membership IN Ku KIua Kan.
~ the Associated Press.

Sdlhs loi iiiS anu nPpCoio
that his record on the Supreme Court
be allowed to speak for itself mingled
yesterday in editorial comment on the
speech of Associate Justice Black
Quite a few of the editors simply
wrote singing criticism of Black and
his former membership in the Ku Klux
Klan. Some others said he should
fold up his new robe and resign. Still
others adopted the attitude of the
Columbia IS c. Record which said
the speech of the former Senator
should be accepted and his deeds on
the court be allowed to speak for
themselves.
ut may. indeed, happen that as
burnt child who breads fire he may
turn out to be champion of the bill
OF rights" that paper said.
At the other end of the question
stood the Rochester IN " Times
Union with its:
THE conclusion is inescapable that
man so deficient in moral courage
Is not fitted for the Supreme Court
bench Mr.. Justice Black ought to
resign"
Wide Host of Opinions.
wide host of opinion surrounded
these views
The Cleveland News called him "a
disgrace to the court and disgrace to
the President whose reckless action
put him there"
The Providence (R. ~ Star Tribune
said his lack of frankness is to be
regretted"
The st. Petersburg (Fla) Evening
Independent said the statement did
not establish his fitness for the court,
but that it seemed to dispose of the
charge that he was liable to be in
tolerant.
The Kansas City Star called his
appointment "a tragic offense against
the American people"
The New York World Telegram
thought his defense too damned
clever"
The Boston Traveller said it was an
insult and threat to every American
and added
ITO pry man loose from s20.-
600 a year Job is not always easy
What do you, Mr.. President, think
Of it?"
But the Little Rock (ArkD Demo-
erat said:
TT was straightforward confess
sion, without apologies, and should
close the incident"
Other comment follows:
Oklahoma City Times: The weak
thing that is proven on Mr. Justice
Black is that he accepted membership
In movement he knew to be against
the best interests of the American
form of Government, for political
expediency. 1t is not in the
cards, but Mr. Justice Black would
enhance his national prestige and
do President Roosevelt a great service
by resigning."
The Denver Post undiana) Two
things Justice Black of the United
States Supreme Court did not explain
in his precedent-shattering public con-
fession of his relations with the Ku
Klux Khan are more important than
what he did explain. = He did not
explain why he ever joined the Khan
In the first place, and he did not ex-
pain why ne quit IL.
Chattanooga (Tenn.) Times Unde-
pendent Democratic): "* One
wanted so desperately to believe that
Mr. Black would add: : {. i have this
day forwarded to the President my
resignation as an associate justice of
the Supreme Court of the United
States If that had been Mr.. Blacks
contribution to the spirit of tolerance
and of freedom, it would have made
his speech an epochal event Instead,
there followed the type of statement
to be expected from a police court
lawyer trying to obtain the dismissal
Of charges against housebreaker by
pleading that the defendant had
always been kind to his family"
New York Post: The statement
leaves us, therefore. face to face with
the chilling thought that confessed
member of the Klan has been able to
rise to the Supreme Court. We look
upon that precedent as vicious, regard
less OF all other considerations We
have not the faintest hope that Mr..
Justice Black will resign. We do not
zee how he can be made to resign
But We repeat our belief that his res
ignation would be best for the country
regardless of the very real personal
tragedy involved"
Springfield (Mass.l Union (Repub-
lican): Nothing that Mr. Justice
Black said in his belabored defense
either alters the ground for his dis
qualification for place on the
Supreme Court or enhances his repu-
tation for judicial temperament and
discernment"
Concord IN. H. Monitor (Repub-
lican): Associate Justice Black
pleaded guilty to the charges leveled
At him by the American people He
expressed no remorse and offered no
apologies. The spectacle of Supreme
Court justice pleading with the people
to forget his admitted disqualifications
Tor the office he holds was a sorry
climax to the rule-or-ruin policy of
the President in regard to the Supreme
Court"
Portlands (Me) Evening Express
(Republican) Mr.. Justice Black in
his radio speech last night in a man.
ner cleared himself of any present
connection with the Ku KluX Klan.
But he demonstrated at the same time
his utter unfitness for the position to
which he was appointed by Presi-
dent of the United States"
Rochester IN. w. Democrat and
Chronicle: Justice Hugo l.. Black
is guilty of the charge as made.
He was, by his own admission, men,
Der Of the Ku Klux Klan: as men,
ber he either must have subscribed to
the principles of intolerance, bigotry
and racial hatred for which the Klan
stands or he must have joined merely
to get elected to office. Either infer
ence is equally discreditable to man
who now assumes to sit on the Ma
tion'S highest court