Evening star., 1937-06-29
THE POLITICAL,
MILL
BY C.. GOULD LINCOLN.

The Jefferson Island pilgrimage Of the
Democratic members of the House and
! Senate, to meet President Roosevelt in
informal surroundings, apparently was q
| huge success. Every one had a good
time, including those members of Con-
gress who have strongly opposed the
President on his court bill, the wages
and hours bill and other administration
measures. The party was put on to
stage a show of harmony" and also to
give the President an opportunity to
renew his personal contacts with the
members and to establish new ones.
democratic Senators after returning
70 washington We're still somewhat in
oouot as to what the Jefferson Island
party was all about. Some of them ex-
pressed the opinion that it was to show
the President had no idea of revenge in
MS heart-no revenge upon Senators and
Representatives who have failed to 20
along with him on the court bill and
other controversial measures. Many of
tlem are up Tor reelection next year.
naturally they are wondering whether
the President and Chairman James A.
Farley nave any plans to put the skids
under them in the primaries next year,
When they come up for denomination
Such tactics, however, would disrupt the
parly-very much as the late President
wilson by reVengeful tactics back in 1918
and before disrupted the party.
II the President and Mr.. Farley have
any Idea OF cunning for these Democrats
VINO have opposed the administration on
Capitol Hill there was no indication of
IL on Jefferson Island Everything was
rosy. The real fight in the Senate over
the court bill, however, is still to come
When and how that fight will end is
stu clouded in the future The opponents
OF the court bill insist they have not
changed their attitude at all.
Inc PRESIDENT, as far as could be
learned. kept away from controversial
topics in his talks with these members.
lnere was no attempt, it was said, to
llhe them up or to change their views.
such a move would have been en-
oarrasslng to all parties concerned The
re-establishment of friendly relations
was all that was undertaken.
The upshot of the party on the island
seems to be that the President still
cllngs to his purpose of having much
OF the legislation he has recommended
during the last five months put through
before Congress adjourns This means
long, hot session. probably running
until late in the Fall 1t is no secret
that many OF the Democratic members
would like to wind up their work here
and go away. But if they do, what will
the administration have to show in the
matter OF accomplishment during the
session which began last January? Prac-
tlcally nothing new in the way of legisla-
tlon. Some of the New Deal agencies
nave been extended and the appropria-
ton bills have been passed.
IL looks more and more as though
the night over the court bill, with its
plan to increase the membership of the
Supreme Court, will have to 20 to a real
show OF strength on both sides in the
Senate itself If the opponents of the
court Dill persist in their determination
not to let vote come on any compromise
OF the original court bill, and the debate
runs for couple of months, there NAV
be change of heart on the part of the
administration. Either that. or the bill
viii be forced through by main strength,
Such an end to the contest would leave
deep scars. Nor would the country look
upon such tactics as in keeping with the
idea that the Senate is the greatest
delloerative body in the world"
One way out. which is continually
brought to the fore in conversations with
democratic members of the Senate.
would be motion to recommit the
court Dill with instructions to the Judici-
ary committee to inquire into the whole
subject OF court reform and the need
Tor additional justices and judges. Such
motlon might provide an end to the
struggle in the Senate and open the way
Tor other legislation, delayed already for
long time by the court bill. Such
motion also might reasonably have the
support OF number of Senators who
are entirely friendly to the administra-
ton and are prepared to approve the
court bill II 1t can be brought to a vote.
IL would, in measure, save face for
all SIDES to the controversy. There might
be included in motion to recommit the
various compromise proposals and
proposed amendment to the Constitution
to accomplish what the administration
has In mind for the Supreme Court,
X 4 AA
What is to happen in the Democratic
organization of the Senate if Majority
Leader Robinson is translated to the
Judicial sphere, appointed to the Su-
preme Court to fill the vacancy caused
by the resignation of Associate Justice
Van Devanter? Who will be the new
Democratic leader? Three names have
been advanced-Barkley of Kentucky.
Harrison of Mississippi and Pittman of
Nevada. Any one of them would make
an acceptable leader.
Barkley of Kentucky is an aggressive
personality. He took the lead in the re-
cent light In the Senate against the
Robinson and Byrnes amendments to
the relief bill which would have made
1t necessary for States and municipali-
ties to put up Is or 40 per cent of the
total needed for work-relef projects.
unless they could show they were
financially unable to meet the payments.
And Barkley had the backing of all
the more ardent New Dealers-particu-
larly the newcomers to the Senate If
he has the backing of these Senators in
the Democratic caucus to select new
leader. he is likely to win. In the mat
ter OF seniority, Pittman has all the
best OF it. He has been a member of
the Senate continuously since 1918,
matter of "a years. Harrison is next.
He entered the Senate in 1919 and Bark
ley came to the Senate ten years ago,