The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1937-02-04
THE GREAT
GAME OF
POLITICS.
Copyright by the Baltimore Sun ant
reprinted in The Republican by
special permission.
Subtle Arrangements"
By FRANK r. KENT,

y
The other day in the course Of the
debate, which he precipitated by quot
ing the famous Cleveland declaration
that while the people should support
the Government the Government ought
not to support the people, Senator
Garter Glass, among other things, as
serted that "at this very time arrange
ments are going forward to tear down
the Supreme Court"
##%
This was blunt announcement, but
there is plenty of evidence that Senator
Glass, in this as in most other instan-
ces, knows what he is talking about.
He does not make loose statements
about important matters. The intention
Of Mr.. Roosevelt to utilize, if he cam
his power to tame the court, or at least
render its conservative majority i'm
potent to stand in his way, is pretty
generally accepted. 1t has been clearly
indicated by various gentlemen adver-
tised as among his intimate advis-
crs." 1t is known that he has discuss
ed the question of procedure with SEN
ators and others. Resolutions such as
Senator Guffey recently offered, state
ments such as Senator Minton re-
Gently made and conferences over
which Senator Norris has agreed to
preside all fit into the picture.
**#
Before this session is over, under
White House direction, Congress will
attempt to curb the court. That seems
sure. The curb is expected to take the
form of a bill which will require at
least a 7-to-2 decision before an act
of Congress can be declared unconsti-
tutional. Or, it may take the form of
a bill rendering the court powerless to
lnvalidate any act passed by Congress
with a two-thirds majority. Or both of
these ideas may be embodied in a
single bill. A particularly interesting
thing about these arrangements" as
Senator Glass calls them, is that the
President does not plan to take open
responsibility for them.
An exceedingly subtle strategy has
been-or is being-evolved which he
will direct without seeming to. An out
line of this was recently given by the
well-informed Mr.. Joseph Alsop, Jr.,
writing in the New York Herald
Tribune. Great blocs of public senti-
ment," he wrote, care to be modified
against the court by series of ma
neuvers carefully calculated to drama
tie the conflict between the Admins
tration and the court in their social
thinking" Steps in these maneuvers
are to proceed from the shorter hours
and minimum wage bill, which will be
INTRODUCED with Presidential backing.
This bill is to represent the Roosevelt
revival of the NRA and it is suggested
that Congress may pass a resolution
asking the court to declare in advance
its opinion as to its validity, which
would be one way, it is thought, of
putting the court on the spot.
#**
But whether this is done or not,
fully publicized committee hearings
will be held on the bill in both branches
and procession of labor leaders and
Government officials, sure to make
the headlines, will bring the whole
question of labor legislation and its
connection with the court before the
public. Meanwhile, it is fully expected
by the Administration advisers that
the court will hand down its decision
knocking out the National Labor Re-
lations Board Act. There will then