Evening star., 1937-06-15
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY G.. GOULD LINCOLN.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has
cracked down on President Roosevelt's
court reorganization bill in unmistakable
terms. It's adverse report to the Senate,
urging that the bill do not pass, while
lengthy, is remarkably clear. As far as
can be learned, the administration
leaders In the Senate are not asking for
any minority report from the commit
teemen who stood for the Presidents
bill. 1t is usual for minority to file its
report on measures OF great Importance,
although that course is not always fol-
lowed At all events, nothing is being
put forward by the minority on the
court bill
Now that the bill is actually on the
Senate calendar, the activity OF the ad-
ministration forces, seeking q compro-
mise, is increasing and may be expected
to increase from day to day. Generally
speaking, the administration is starting
from Hatch In this effort. Senator Hatch
OF New Mexico is the author OF a pro-
posal to give the President authority
to appoint an additional justice OF the
supreme Court each year up to a maxi
mum OF fifteen, when justices of re-
tirement age fail to get of the bench.
Hatch is one Of those strongly opposed
to the original presidential bill. In
fact, he has subscribed to the majority
report OF the judiciary committee of
which he is member. But he is will
Ing to compromise. He believes that his
proposed amendment will remove the
objections to the original bill. How many
other Senators counted on to oppose the
Presidents bill, which called for six
new justices, until Associate Justice
Van Devanter retired June 2, and
brought the number down to five new
justices, are willing. like Hatch, to COM
promise? The administration leaders
continue to insist that they can get
enough. Moreover, they have not given
up hope OF gaining more than the Hatch
amendment, once the compromising
spirit gets underway-if 1t does.
The sharp attack. not only upon the
court bill but upon the President himself
Tor Offering the measure and seeking to
disguise his real purpose at first, con-
tanned in the Senate committee report
on the bill has widened the rift in the
Democratic party. The Democratic Sen
ators who joined in this report, and
other Democrats in the Senate who
subscribe to it, have burned several
bridges behind them politically-if not
all. The report is not such as to endear
them to President Roosevelt or to- Chair
man James A. Farley OF the Democratic
National Committee, who has been busy
up and down the country seeking to line
all Democrats up for the President s
plan to increase the Supreme Court and
who has made his demand on the ground
Of party loyalty" The committee
brought the President himself into the
picture without hesitation, quoting from
his message to Congress and his later
speeches in support OF the court bill. It
was good fighting report and when the
debate in the Senate gets under way,
the bitterness which has been growing
between the opponents and proponents
Of the measure will flare forth more
vividly than ever.
Seven Democratic members Of the Sen
ate Judiciary Committee, one-half ex-
actly Of the Democratic membership OF
that committee, concured in the adverse
report. Three Republicans also signed 1t,
while Senator George w. Norris, who does
not like the bill but is willing to take
1t II he cannot get anything he likes
better, did not sign the report Here is
where Norris and Hiram johnson, two
supporters OF Roosevelt In 1892, part
company. Senator johnson is unwilling
to 90 along with the President In this
assault upon the courts which he con-
siders fundamental, while Norris Is WILL
ing. The seven Democrats who signed
the report are King Of Utah, Van Nuys
of Indiana, McCarran Of Nevada, Hatch
Of New Mexico, Burke Of Nebraska, Con-
nally of Texas and OMahoney Of
Wyoming. All Of them, incidentally, are
from the West or Middlewest.
The administration has sought in vain
to make this contest over the court bill
appear contest between the admins
tration and the Republicans. It has
failed utterly in this attempt, however.
There can be no doubt whatever In the
minds Of any that when one-half of the
Democratic membership OF the Senate
judiciary. and approximately one-half
OF the Democrats in the Senate itself
are lined-up against this measure, the
division is In the ranks Of the Demo-
cratic party. 1t Is q case Of Democrats
who insist upon maintaining the prin-
ciple OF an independent judiciary and the
constitutional form of government op-
posed to those who are willing to follow
the President. even though his course
leads to subservient judiciary.
~
This fight over the court bill is bound
to 60 into the congressional campaign
next year. 1t seems bound to 60 into
the Democratic primaries, where candi-
dates for the Senate and for the House
must be named. 1t took, and will take,
lot Of courage for Democrats to face
the displeasure OF the President and
Chairman Farley growing out of the
opposition to the Presidents pet court
bill. Not only are they opposing this
measure, which might be forgiven, but
they have also made it impossible for
the President to put this bill through as
he sent it to Congress. There is today
a majority of the Senate against the
measure in that form. The administra-
ton has been forced to seek q compro-
mise. and the President, apparently, to
agree to compromise. This Is tough
There will be % Democratic SEN
ators up for denomination next year,
including the recently appointed Senator
George L. Berry of Tennessee, who fills
the vacancy caused by the death of the
late Senator Bachman. Two of them,
Van Nuys and McCarran, are both signers
of the Judiciary Committee report. There