Evening star., 1937-03-28
FOUR GOVERNORS
HAIL COURT BILL
Graves, Rivers, Leche and
Johnson Join in Radio
Appeal.
BY the Associated Press.

ern Governors joined tonight in q
radio appeal for enactment Of Presi-
dent Roosevelt's court reorganization
plan as the best way to solve conflicts
between judiciary decisions and ad-
ministration desires.
The four were Gov. Bibb Graves of
Alabama, Gov. E. D. Rivers Of Georgia,
and Gov. Olin Johnston Of South Car
olina.
Speaking on q Nationwide hook-up,
Gov. Rivers, who campaigned on .
| pro-Roosevelt platform, said he IA
vored the Presidents program be
cause the Supreme Court as now con-
stituted seems determined to frustrate
every effort" to correct evils" in the
existing social and economic system.
He described the proposed changes
as "unexciting and harmless n q
twice-teld tale" and suggested such
alterations we're sometimes necessary
"to bring the court abreast OF public
opinion"
The question confronting the people,
Rivers added, us whether laws passed
by Congress and approved by the Con-
gress in response to public demand
are to be interpreted according to the
spirit Of liberty and democracy or In
accordance with the personal crochets
Of outmoded judges
Refers to Hughes Letter.
| Gov Graves, one of the first South
ern Governors to voice approval Of the
Roosevelt proposal, referred to Chief
Justice Hughes recently published
letter saying additional justices OF the
Supreme Court would not increase its
efficiency.
This illuminating statement OF the
Chief Justice showing such = remark
able dispatch of business makes one
wonder why the delay in the impor-
tant cases concerning people COM
pared With the dispatch in 80 many
cases concerning 'things,'" Graves as
serted.
He said the Constitution Is what
the judges say it Is, the Governor con-
tinued. II this be true, then our Su-
preme Court has become all supreme
and no court"
Gov Leche invited a united front
Of the three branches Of Government,
executive, legislative and judiciary. for
preservation of the principles OF the
Constitution"
Gov. Leche said "the real basis Of the
present issue is neither legal nor con-
stitutional but economic"
He said that when banks not poor
folks, got Federal money there was no
talk Of strain on the Constitution.
1T was only when relief was sought
to be given ut the bottom" he contin.
ued, when the Government money
was paid in sums Of $40 and $50 q
month to the poor citizen, that the
Constitution became affected.
When the economic royalty was
pried loose from the receiving end i,
was then only the great principles OF
our forefathers became involved and
the Constitution became endangered
The louisiana executive said the "old
order" preached that the Supreme
Court Is the guardian Of your liberties
yet did you ever stop to consider that
the watchman at your door for your
protection has but TO turn about tc
become your jailer"?
Secs Ever Growing Demand"
Gov. johnson said there was m
"ever-growing demand IN my part Of
the country that the issue be decided
at this session Of Congress"
This is no time to return to the
ancient doctrine of our enemies that
1t Is best to do nothing" he added
1T is the privilege of the over.
whelming majority of the Nation" said
johnson. Ito expect that the Nationa
Government will carry out the man.
date expressed by the voters OF ou,
Nation on three successive occa sicns
This is true no matter what thu
issue may be. since no one ran contenc
that in a democracy such as ours 9
minority can continue to block the
will Of the people 80 insistently anc
repeatedly expressed"
Says Action Dema nded.
There may have been q time wher
plausible tongues could invent ex.
cuses for procrastination. That
is not the case today. More than
100000 people have expressed the
emphatic opinion that the social and
economic needs of the Nation mus
be met squarely and speedily. They
call for action and demand to know
why 1t is not given them," he said
I'VE are still too close to the abys,
that confronted US in 1888 to be.
lieve that We can close our eyel
once more to the economic malad.
justments which brought millions OF
American people to the verge Of pau.
perry and starvation"