Evening star., 1937-07-24

Ms tlie oSildte toulu pass new Dill
taking up certain procedura reforms
IN the lower court. The committee
voted with but few dissenting voices
to lay aside the suggestion and in
stead directed Senator Logan to go be.
fore the Senate and make immediately
the motion to send back to commit
tee the so-called substitute which has
been for several weeks before the SEN
ate. The Judiciary Committee. more
over. gave Mr.. Logan a memorandum
which he was directed to lay before
the Senate so there could be a record
Of what was agreed to The con-
tents OF the memorandum came out
IN response to questions by other Sen
ators.
Here is detailed account of what
happened in the Senate Judiciary
Committee:
!. In attendance were practically
ell the members, but in addition a
visiting committee, consisting of Vice
President Garner, Senator Barkley
and Senator Wheeler, was present.
Barkley Asks for Support.
z. Senator Barkley made a speech
appealing to his Democratic brethren
TO lay aside their dlsagreements and
Unite to help him in starting off his
career as leader Of the Senate. He
recognized that his position was a
diff1cult one and he modestly re-
marked that he lacked the great ex-
perience in that task which his dis
tinguished predecessor had possessed
He said substantially that he repre-
sented the Senate majority. but also
the White House, and that he was
willing to act as go-between in any
compromise proposals that might be
made. He laid emphasis on party
unity and on the importance of the
program which he said the Vice Presi-
dent would outline.
3. Vice President Garner advocated
that the Judiciary Committee take
bill from among those which the
House had passed and put such amend
ments upon 1t as might be found
satisfactory to the committee. He
urged that the committee, if possible.
bring about unanimous agreement
IN It's report to the Senate on these
amendments to the House bill and
that if and when the new bill was
passed. then, in decent time" the
Logan substitute, which has been be-
fore the Senate, should be disposed of
either by being referred back to the
committee, or be laid on the table
or disposed Of in any other way. There
followed a colloquy which was in
substance as follows:
Mr.. Vice President" said one of
the Senators, what can the committee
do with the subject now before the
Senate? We cannot do anything till
that bill is referred back to us. Why
ask an unreasonable thing?"
Too Much OF Slap.
That's a fair question" replied
Mr.. Garner in effect and III answer
1t. It's just too much of slap a the
President to recommit the bill now,
1t will all go along smoothly if YOU
carry out my suggestion. We know
you have the votes to recommit, but
We ask you not to do it but 60 along
and bring in unanimously another
bill-a House bill This would leave
out the Supreme Court. the rowing
Judges for the lower courts. the proc
tor for the Supreme Court. I'm for
my country first. and certain reforms
are necessary and you yourselves have
indicated they are necessary. and am
Aecond for my party. I think this is
the way TO prevent sore feelings which
might result from immediate recon-
initial Of the bill. And. thirdly, I'm
for my President. l don't want him
hurt"
4. At this point Senator Pat Nc
Carran of Nevada is said TO have re-
marked that If party harmony were
desired, it might be good idea for
the administration 10 call off Joe
keenan, of the Attorney Generals
once and Jim Farley. Presumably
this referred to the reported activity
OF Messrs. keenan, and Farley, who
recommend appointments to the Presi-
cent and who have been charged with
using Federal appointments TO in
tuence the action of Senators or to
grouse political opposition in the home
6
Nents scheme to pack the court.
5. Senator Wheeler Of Montana dis
cussed various features of the Vice
Presidents proposal and recommended
that there also be an UNDERSTANDING
with respect TO provision IN the pro-
posed bill relative to new Judges in
the lower courts He declared that
new judges should be appointed only
when needed and not on the basis
OF age. He suggested, too, that pro-
visions be included TO expedite ap-
peAh
8. Senator Connally of Texas sIg-
Fested TO Senator Wheeler and he
agreed that what is known as the
three judge statute be amended to re-
cuire that tnlunctlons be issued only
bv . three Judge court where there
Is claim Of unconstitutionality Of a
Federal statute
7. At this point the visiting commit
tee. consisting Of Messrs Garner
Barkley and Wheeler, left and the
Judiciary Committee went into formal
session. II appeared at once that
only few were willing to accept the
compromise plan, but that everybody
vAS willing TO accept a proposal to
work out a new bill as soon as the
old bill could be sent back to the COM
mittee by vote OF the Senate. Even
Senator Ashurst, who was in the
chair. remarked somewhat as follows.
Il think we should bury the dead
before we start conceiving a new
child"
3. Senator Burke of Nebraska. one
OF the leaders in the fight to save the
Constitution, moved that the sponsor
Of the substitute bill before the Sen
ate. namely Mr.. Logan OF Kentucky,
b. directed by the committee to move