Imperial Valley press., 1937-02-07
ESTHEW RUBBER STAMPING
IN THE SUPREME COURT

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appoint six new justices to the United
States Supreme Court Is likely TO react
more strongly against the New Deal
than anything else IT has done. If con-
gress gives The administration power TO
pack" the Supreme Court bench, it
noigbt as we'll adjourn. 20 home and
say 70 the President and cabinet:
TITS your country-run it"
The Supreme Court was kept out Of
The last election, at least by the New
Deal. because politicians scnsed that
Americans still have very high respect
for thci. COnstitution-and regard the
Supreme Court as it's sole guardian. Am
erica would not vote to change the con
stitutiop. Manipulating of the supreme
court would have the same effect
The situation is this. The Supreme
Court is made up Of nine justices. Three
arc regarded as definitely liberal. Six
are over 20 years of age.
The President wants the right to ap-
point another justice for every one who
has reached the age of 10, whether the
7O.ycar-old justice retires or not He
would provide that not more than 10
Justices should be on the Supreme Court
bench. however. Thus the President
seeks legislative power To force retire
ment of those Justices now opposed to
many New Deal acts, or if they will not
retire, TO place on the bench another vote
to counteract theirs.
The New Deal has done much good
with the power IL wields. II has failed to
do good in other attempts Its labor
policy In one factor in industrial strikes
now gweeping the country. The Admin
iatration might we'll turn its attention
20 settling strikes, not To unscttling the
Supreme Court
II is worth noting. in this light. that
the Supreme Court proposal comes at
time when that highest of American
tribunals is to begin consideration of
the controversial Wagner Labor Act,
nm act upon which radical leaders in
labor ranks lean heavily. IT is to be
bopcd that the Administration does not
hope 10 influence the Supreme Court
decision by an implied threat against
It's personnel
The present national Administration
has greater power than has ever been
conferred on any other administration
in the history of the nation. There must
be o reliable check against such power.
If the President is given the right to
appoint six new Supreme Court justices,
bringing the total to ID, he may be as-
aured Of at least nine votes--and nine
is sufficient to give him Supreme Court
approval of any policy he proposes.
Additional justices, II is true, might
E not be chosen with an eye to politics.
but Rodney butcher. keen student
of Washington life, reports in his daily
column that recent federal appointments
10 circuit and district court benches in
clude many distinctly less than top
grade, and whose appointment reeked
with politics" butcher is an impartial
observer, often favorng the New Deal.
There is no reason to believe the same
would not be true of Supreme Court
appointments.
The New Deal asks a change in the
Supreme Court set-up lin "A hurry 1t
wants power Immediately to appoint the
new Justices II urges congress TO push
the proposed legislation through hur-
riedly.
change in the Supreme Court of
the United States is not something that
should be done in hurry. Like change
In the constitution. il should be agreed
upon first by the people.
Cool dclbcration by congress, not in
the heat of an imagined emergency. but
In the calm light of reason, is greatly
10 be hoped for in any consideration il
may give TO the New Deal request. The
only emergency existing is the attempt
10 rush the legislation through without
giving public opinion an opportunity to
make itself felt
II is an emergency created by the New
peal.--not one TO be met by H.
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