Evening star., 1937-06-27

ference the other day, made q slir
like that himself. He was talking
about his court measure and he was
In slightly deep water. He wanted
to say that he wished An early vote
on the court measure, but at the same
time he wished carefully not to say
whether he wanted the vote to be
on his original measure or on 4 COM
promise OF it. Splashing water pretty
heavily and moving quickly around
the corners. he said that he hoped fol
quick vote in the Senate. Follow
ing that came a question from a news
paper man. Dodging the question
Mr.. Roosevelt said that a quick vote
is what the country wants.
Now the country" is 4 pretty in
elusive term. It's a phrase which old
time editorial writer's, when we'll heated
up. used to use with the appearance
of authority. Mr.. Roosevelt would
have a right unhappy time If he were
on the witness stand in a libel suit
and hostile lawyer ross-questioned
him to make him tell just how he
found out that the country" wants 4
quick vote. Just how many persons
out of our l20,000.000 did Mr.. Roose-
velt talk with? Had he made a sur
vey Of the country? Or was it just
two or three of his close associates who
told him? Are Mr.. Roosevelt's three
secretaries "the country" in the same
way that the nine tailors of Tooley
street were British public opinion
For that matter, did any person at all
tell Mr.. Roosevelt the country" wants
a quick vote? Or did he just imagine
it in moment Of slight desperation?
Was 1t one of those cases where he
wishes something and, because he
wishes it, think it is? That sort of
boyish thing is rather frequent with
Mr.. Roosevelt. Or maybe the case Is
quite different Maybe he thinks he s
Mr.. Big and what he wants the coun-
try wants. The state" said Louis
XIV, the state is me-
Opposed to Filibuster.
Amplifying his statement further,
and still splashing rather heavily in
deep water, Mr.. Roosevelt said that
what he meant by quick vote was
that there should not be any filibuster,
Well, "filibuster' Is one way OF
putting it. But I suspect that what
Mr.. Roosevelt really wants to avoid
is debate.
I imagine Mr.. Roosevelt does not
want to see that report of the Judi
ciary Committee, adverse to his court
measure and podntedly critical of him.
self. repeated and amplified on the
Senate floor. imagine. in short, that
Mr.. Roosevelt would like to have the
whole court episode forgotten as soon
as possible.
Quite possibly the public, in the
toTential flow OF important matters
out OF Washington. may have failed
to realize how solemnly accusatory
that report against the Presidents
court measure was. and how ex-
the event was. It was
as powerful q rebuke as ever came
to President from Congress. It was
not much short Of an impeachment
Here was a committee made up
Of IA Democrats, three Republicans
and one formally designated As an
Independent (This was Senator
Norris Of Nebraska The three
were against the court
measure, but because Of the slightness
of their number they did not count
much. The one independent. Sen
ator Norris OF Nebraska. was for
,he measure, though many felt he
vas actually dubious about it, The
a Democrats divided, seven for the
Presidents measure, seven against it.
The seven against 1t, with the three
Republicans, made a majority Of 10
n the committee OF 10. And the 10
wrote as eloquent document as ever
,ame out Of Congress, q document
worthy to stand with the other mile
itone documents and speeches In
he seven centuries struggle which
to America and Great Britain
hat independence OF the judiciary
which Mr.. Roosevelt sought to destroy.
Seen Funeral Ceremony.
1t is little wonder II Mr.. Roosevelt
1oes not want extensive debate on his
court measure. Indeed 1t would not be
debate. It would be 4 prolonged
'uneral ceremony-with most Of the
sermons distinctly unoomplimentary
% the deceased. For Mr. Roosevelt's
,ourt measure in its original form Is
lead, and only cumbering the earth
while it waits interment. Mr.. Roose-
'elt. I suspect, would like to have the
burial take place as the burial Of Sir
John Moore did, quietly, Ut midnight
Nth muffled drums.
Just what will happen in the Senate
lbout Mr.. Roosevelt's court measure
s not clear at the time I write. But
imagine that II Mr.. Roosevelt's
'riends in the Senate do not call the
Measure up for debate and roll call,
he opponents Of the measure will.
There is significance in the last para
'raph OF the report. It reads:
1T is measure which should be
% emphatically rejected that it's
parallel will never again be presented
o the free representatives Of the free
'eople of America"
That would not be assured If the
ourt measure were just allowed to
lie, The way to accomplish that
would be to have a debate and a
oil call in the Senate, with every
Senator going on record.