The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1937-03-02

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Partisans - Senate COnsid-
Grafton of Bill, Presidents
Address and Chief Justice
Hughes Birthday.
Washington, Mar. 2-Oyez! Oyer.
Oye2! (To use the language of the
Supreme Courts official announcer
as he ushers the nine justices to
their seats)
Three dates demand the attention
Of those who want to follow each
new move In the battle of the CEN
fury over MIR. Roosevelt's plan to
pack, repack or unpack (the choice
Of words is yours the Supreme
Court:
March o. This is the date set
= by President Roosevelt for the
next Of his "fireside talks" to the
nation. While his subject has not
been officially announced, the talk
is pretty certain to be an appeal
for his court reorganization plan,
designed to loose deluge Of pres
sure on congressman from constitu-
enss back home" There has scarce
ly been a comparable political move
stree Woodrow Wilson took the
League Of Nations to the people. "
The events Of this date may well
affect those OF the two dates imnle-
diately following.
0--March 10. This is the day the
. Senate Judiciary committee be-
gins Is bearings on the administra-
tion bill. The lineup OF witnesses
isn't available yet but 1t is practi-
cally certain Attorney General HON.
er 8. Cummings will appear In sup
port Of the measure. Partisans In
each camp are wondering how Cum
mings will try to defend his previous
premises that the rich are favored
over the poor, because Of court con-
gestion; that the congestion Is due
to the advanced ages Of justices
that the Supreme Courts refusal to
review most cases appealed to 1t
represents a miscarriage OF justice
The Judiciary Committee includes
some bitter enemies OF the Roose-
welt scheme.
3--April II. On this day. Chief
- Charles Evans Hughes becomes
rs years old. Hughes has written
that "the risk OF having judges
who are unable properly to do their
work. and yet insist on remaining
on the bench. is too great to per-
nit chances to be taken" He added
that "a compulsory retirement at
rs could be more easily defended
than retirement age of 10. Hugh
es might decide he should live up
to this theory, or he, might decide
he has no right to quit at this
time, while the court Is under fire
Public attention probably will be
called to those old statements OF
Hughes. ,5.r
Country Has Choice
In case you don't care to listen
or In case you want to get your
answers ready. the high spots OF
Roosevelt's March address can be
synopsized right now.
The President will declare the
New Deal program calls for max
imum hour and minimum wage
legislation. collective bargaining,
social security, unemployment re-
Lief, crop control and crop insur-
ance. a federal housing program,
flood prevention with co.ordinated
river basin control similar TO iva,
and broad program for conser-
walton Of natural resources.
The country can take its choice
Roosevelt may be expected TO say
between having those things this
year or taking chance on getting
them some time In the next IL
years. The President will declare
that those measures cannot be had
without change In the Supreme
Court. He will say that he has
asked the members Of Congress to
think up some other method Of at
tanning them constitutionally In the
near future and that members OF
Congress have been unable TO pro-
duce.
The Real Pressure
That talk, as the land lays now
will be the trump card In the adj
mjnistration offensive. But the prob
able deciding factor In Congress will
be O matter concerning which the
President will give no inkling in
his speech. This matter Is ques-
ton OF the price" the President
will have to pay In order to get
sufficient number Of the large group
OF senators who are now "reservinG
Judgment" to support his plan.
The country will not be advised
as 70 how many senator's are
promised federal judgeships, the
extent 70 which Roosevelt Will
agree 20 compromise on his civil
service reform proposals In return
for help from patrOnage.hungry
leSislators, or che bills which the
President will agree 70 support In
return for votes 70 allow him TO
enlarge the court. hi @4s'
Even q few Of those who have
declared against the plan, accord
az 10 some OF Roosevelt's more
aynical friends, have left room for
themselves TO return to the fold
n case the price Is made suffi-
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