Evening star., 1937-05-10
COURT P[AN|SH|T
BYPARTY WORKER
Organizer of First Roosevelt
for-PreSident Club Seeks
Proposals Defeat.

The organizer Of the first Roosevelt
for-President Club, Joseph Lieb of
South Bend, Ind, until recently chief
OF correspondence of the Procurement
Division OF the Treasury Department,
has written letter to Democratic
members of the Senate, strongly urg-
ing the defeat OF President Roosevelt S
program to increase the membership
Of the Supreme Court. He says that
he left the Government service to
make the fight against the packing"
Of the Supreme Court.
Lieb, who is 26, carries with him a
scrapbook containing letters from
Chairman James A. Farley Of the
Democratic National Committee, one
OF which states that Lieb was the
organizer of the first Roosevelt for
President Club in South Bend in 1890.
He was later active in organizing
clubs in other parts of the country.
Text of His Letter.
Lleb'S letter to the Senators follow:
Dear Senator: 1t becomes my sad
duty to ask you to oppose the Presi-
dents proposal to change the mem
bership of the Supreme Court, and in
so doing the Nation looks upon your
vote and influence to safeguard the
independence Of our institutions.
Does your senatorship mean more
to you than the freedom and happiness
of the American people? Would you
have supported such proposal had it
come from the White House during
the administration of former President
Hoover? Are you willing to go down
in history as the man who helped de-
stroy the highest court in the land?
Are you willing to set a precedent now
by packing the court or subordinating
the judiciary to the Chief Executive?
II so, it will only be question of
time until constitutional rule in this
Nation will be merely mockery and
our liberties wholly theoretical.
Enclosed is copy of the charter
which you signed in favor OF the
Presidents reelection. For the past
seven years have been his friend and
supporter, but now l can no longer
sit by and see the foundations that
give US liberty and freedom destroyed
before my very eyes. Can you?
Needless to say it grieves me to
undertake such step, but hope that
it will not be in vain.
Very sincerely yours,
JOSEPH LEIB."
"Would Destroy Democracy"
"The court packing business" Lieb
said today, would in due time ac-
complish the objectives of those who
wish to destroy constitutional rule in
this country. For If the people sur
render the power to alter the Consti-
tuition and place it in the hands Of
the Chief Executive. through permis-
sion to pack the Supreme Court and
destroy its independence, they are
creating power for unknown men of
the future to use.
Already, in the words Of the Pres
ident himself, he has assembled enough
power which, in wrong hands might
shackle the liberties of our people. He
said so much more than year ago.
What the Nation needs now is sta
bility. Give business chance to settle
down and more people will find en-
ployment. Business men have the jit-
ters and q feeling of uncertainty be-
cause they don't know what the Presi-
dent will propose next. The c. c. C.
camps is no solution to the problems
of youth. Few youngsters have left
the c. c. c. camps since they entered
them, to enter the business world.
What has a boy to look forward to
after he leaves the camps. We all must
admit that the President has done
many good things for the country, but
why should he be allowed to destroy all
OF them by a personal desire to change
the Supreme Court?"
Lieb first became interested in Presi-
dent Roosevelt when he was in Hous-
ton, Tex, at the time OF the Demo-
cratic national convention in 1928.
Lieb was II years old. He met and
shook hands with the President who
at that time nominated Al Smith for
President. Two years later, in August,
1890, Lieb organized his first club for
the nomination and election of Pres-
dent Roosevelt.