Evening star., 1937-04-21
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

President Roosevelt's impending cruise
In the Gulf Of Mexico will not be devoid
Of certain political Implications. Though
his fishing expedition of the Texas coast
has long been planned, his absence from
Washington at this juncture will denote
that he has no misgivings about the
thing closest to his heart-the battle
for judiciary reform. The country is
to be given graphic evidence that F. D. R.
feels, as the Marines would say, that the
situation is we'll in hand and can safely
be permitted to take its course without
his directing influence. While the Presi-
dent is indulging in his favorite Spring
pastime in Southern waters, the Su-
preme Court issue will be undergoing
scrutiny in executive session of the
Senate Judiciary Committee That
body, house known to be sorely divided
against itself, with a preponderance of
opposition to court enlargement, expects
to operate behind closed doors for the
better part of May, delaying action In
the Senate itself until early June Mean
time the Chief Executive, by remaining
thousand miles from the scene, will
signal to the Nation that, as far as
he and the court fight are concerned,
all's we'll on the Potomac.
New Dealers, especially the starry
eyed Of the species, insist that once the
President has his additional Supreme
Court justices, no matter how few or
how many, the legislative mill will grind
rapidly, with view to earliest possible
enactment of economic and humani-
tartan reforms hitherto unobtainable
from an unsympathetic high bench. This
is inevitable, one is assured, or else the
Roosevelt judiciary program is without
rhyme or reason. Labor laws regulat-
ing hours, wages and working condi-
tions, bigger and better farm benefits
and possible innovations in entirely new
fields financial or otherwise, are among
the things to come. the prophets of the
more abundant life knowingly predict.
Whether these various boons are to be
bestowed in the guise of revived N. R.
A. and A. A. A. is not indicated. But
the prospect Of q fresh deluge of New
Deal dispensations, comparable to those
devised in the dizzy days of 1884, is
more or less circumstantially FORE
shadowed.
Representative Robert Luce, Repub-
ncan, of Massachusetts, points out that
amid the welter of pro and con discus
sion about the Supreme Court, nobody
has adequately philosophical about the
tremendous volume of letters and tele-
grams which members of Congress have
received on the subject. The cultured
Bay Slater describes it as IAN unprece-
dented and phenomenal outburst OF
public opinion as whole" From what
fellow members Of Congress tell him,
Mr.. Luce figures that well over million
American citizens have taken the trouble
to write or telegraph their views, which
would indicate that vocalized popular
sentiment has not yet reached the
apathetic stage In the United States.
Plainly" he says, "the people still take
keen interest In the common welfare"
Behind the scenes in the State Depart
ment, battle royal is in progress over
selection OF a new chief OF the Division
of Foreign Service Personnel. The in
cumbent, Thomas M. Wilson, is slated
sooner or later for routine transfer to
the field. Named as rival candidates
for the post are Gardiner Rowland
Shaw, now counselor of the Embassy in
Turkey, and Jerome K. Huddle, at
present foreign service inspector. Both
Messrs. Shaw and Huddle are career
men with long and excellent service