The Washington times., 1937-03-15
RATIFICATION
CALLED FOR IN
SEVEN YEARS
Silent Senatorial Bloc
of 3OHoIds Fate Of
Court Plan

terms of nine years was proposed
today by Senator Norris Cd OF
Nebraska.
Norris introduced the proposed
amendment with a bill providing
that the Supreme Court could de,
clare legislation unconstitutional
only when the judgment was con.
CURED in "by more than two-thirdS
of the members of the court. "
Norris would withdraw the Su.
preme Courts Jurisdiction on con-
Stitutional questions except when
it followed his proposed two-thirds
rule.
His amendment would continue
all present Federal judges, now
holding life terms, in office for a
period Of nine years, after ratifica-
tion of the amendment. He called
for ratification by conventions in
the States within seven years.
Meanwhile, Congressional activ-
ity on President Roosevelt's pro-
posal to inject new blood" into
the Supreme Court struck a
temporary hiatus as opposing lead
ers worked behind the scenes to
strengthen their battle lines.
Both sides issued conflicting re-
ports of increasing public sup
port Of their causes. Both lines IN
the Senate, however, appeared to
be holding firmly, with the out
come still resting with a bloc of
80 Senators who have not yet COM
mitted themselves publicly. While
many of them have declared their
positions privately, the public COM
initials remained at 81 against the
plan and 20 in favor Of it.
Hearing Tomorrow
The Senate Judiciary Commit
tees public hearings were sus-
pended until tomorrow, when the
Administration will resume pres
entation of it's case, while IA
deans and professors from uni
versity law schools will be heard
during the rest Of the week.
The opposition will open its
arguments next Monday, with Sen
ator Wheeler CD Of Montana, as
the first witness. Following him
will be Raymond Moley, one-time
No. ! "braintruster, and the 30
year-oId A. Lawrence Lowell, preSi-
dent emeritus of Harvard Uni
versity. The opposition also will
call a host Of liberals, farm lead
ers and educators.
Senator Ashurst Cd, Of Ari-
zona, Judiciary Committee chair
man, invited the law deans and
professors on his own RESPONSE
bility. The list includes Deans
Charles E. Clark, of Yale; James
M. Lands, Of Harvard, Everett
Fraser, of Minnesota; Lloyd Kirk
ham Garrison, of Wisconsin; Leon
Green, of Northwestern; Justin
Miller, of Southern California;
Daniel j. McKenna, of Detroit,
and Thomas F. Konop, of Notre
Dame.
In addition, invitations were
sent to law professors, Edward
Samuel Corbin, of Princeton;
Charles Groves Haines, of Cali
fornia; Robert E. CuShman, of
Cornell; Thurman w. Arnold, of
Yale; Charles E. Merriam, of Chi
cago, and William Draper Lewis,
Of the American Law Institute.
AshurSt said:
II don't know how any Of
these gentlemen stand on the
Presidents plan. I've sent them
invitations so we can get all the
information and viewpoints pos
Sible."
Congressional mail continued
heavy on the issue, with protests
still in the majority. Ashurst re-
ported his mail was running three
to one against the plan, as against
SO to l at the outset. Similar
clashes in the ratio of opposition
were reported by other Senators
on both sides of the question.
Pressure Apparent
It was apparent that much of
the present mail, both for and
against, was resulting from organ
lied pressure. Many printed pro-
tests were being received from op-
ponentS, while printed forms of
resolutions were being received
from labor organizations in favor
of the plan.
Talk of constitutional amend
ments also was continued, with
Senator Lonergan CD, of Con-
necticut, proposing the latest-one
for the submission of future
amendments directly to a vote of
the people. He would have such
future amendments adopted, if ap-
proved by a majority of the voters
in three-fourthS of the States.
Efforts to agree on one Of two
score proposed amendments con.
tinued. Both friends and foes of
the Presidents plan would like to
reach such an agreement, but
there was no immediate assurance
of success.
It appeared the court battle
would be long one. Ashurst has
promised opposition leaders he
would stand for no move to speed
up the hearings or to force an early
vote on the Presidents bill. The
Judiciary chairman, who is op-
posed to any compromise, de-
clared:
1--WE will thresh this issue out
TO q final conclusion if we have
to stay here all summer. 1 think
the hearings will last into April
but 1 hope to get the bill out on
the floor Of the Senate in May.
expect debate in the Senate to
last several months but we ought
to reach q decision sometime in