Evening star., 1937-07-15

IltdllOllS.
Certainly the families of members
who are advanced in years are anx-
lous to see the Congress adjuorn
at once. Senator Wheeler'S remark
that the majority leader would be
alive today but for Mr.. Roosevelt's S
insistence on the court bill suhsti-
tute is echoed throughout the Capitol.
President Roosevelt has never ex-
planned why he is in such hurry to
get the court bill through, particularly
when few months more or less Of
Summer heat could easily have been
dispensed with and an adjournment
taken either to September or January
without loss to the administration.
Opposition Mounting.
Many people have jumped to the
conclusion that the death Of Senator
Robinson will mean the withdrawal
OF the court bill by the President
Mr.. Roosevelt, on the other hand,
has peculiar stubbornness and pride
OF position which makes it difficult
Tor him to retreat. He once said in
PuDIlS dOulCSS llldL, IA 1lC NClc lOuIlu
to be in error, he would be the first
to acknowledge it, but many observ-
ers now are saying that when he is
In error he is the last TO acknowledge it.
Certainly the tide against the court
bill has been mounting steadily in
response to public opinion. The re-
markable speech by Representative
Summers Of Texas. chairman of the
House Judiciary Committee, attacking
the substitute bill on court packing
Is symptomatic of how the House as
q whole really feels about the meas
ure, but it would be a mistake to as
sumo that on record vote the bill
would be defeated in the lower House
at this time. There are too many
House members yet who fear admin
istration reprisals or who expect ad-
ministration benefits.
That's why defeat of the bill by
parliamentary tactics is secretly SYM
pathized with by more than a ma
lorlty of the House. The bill will
not be reported out of the House
committee, and it will take long
time, possibly until September, to get
the necessary petitions to overcome
the adverse action Of the House COM
mittee. A bill which is stymied in
committee can be reported out If q
majority sign a petition, but the rules
about the signing and the legislative
days on which the matter can be
brought up are so hedged in with
parliamentary factors that September
Is a good guess as to when House
action could be expected.
Over on the Senate side new COM
plications have arisen through the
death of Senator Robinson. The
leadership fight which Mr.. Roosevelt
had hoped to postpone till January
has now naturally come to a head.
Senator Harrison of Mississippi prob
ably has the edge so far as seniority
Is concerned, but Senator Byrnes of
South Carolina is also favored for the
position One or the other of these
men has better chance than Senator
Barkley, but the latter has whole
hearted. White House approval.
which isn't true Of the other two.
1t isn't the President, however, but
the Senate who will pick the leader
to succeed Senator Robinson.
If Senator Harrison were chosen
leader he would have to lead the fight
for the court bill, and his heart isn't
in it. Senator Barkley, on the other
hand, is strong for the Presidents
bill
Most people do not realize what
are the obligations of Senate leader
ship. They have criticized Senator
Robinson, for instance, for not fight
ing the Presidents court bill when
he really didn't believe in it. But
when Senator accepts the leader
ship of the majority party the pre-
vailing custom is that he must speak
for the President and that he is in
duty bound to subordinate his own
views to the interests of the leader
in the White House.
The death of the Arkansas Senator
introduces the possibility of a long
fight on the confirmation of whom
ever President Roosevelt names to
succeed Justice Van Devanter. Mr..
Robinson would have been confirmed