Evening star., 1937-01-08
If deafening applause for Mr.. Roose-

If deafening applause for Mr.. Roose-
velts presidential message admonition
to the Supreme Court-generally trans
lated as meaning "liberalize, or else!"-
was any criterion, the new Congress Is
prepared to 60 the limit in support of
any means" the President proposes for
safeguarding New Deal objectives. Time
and again, during successive thrusts in
the direction Of the judiciary, members
burst into fervent demonstrations of
approval. The Presidents manner, while
lacking nothing in forcefulness, was on
the whole restrained. At no point did
he raise his voice to an emphatic pitch
except when declaring that while the
statute Of N. r. A. has been outlawed.
the problems have not. They are still
with U.S." Because Mr.. Roosevelt did not
specify the means" he fayors for pro-
ducing greater judicial enlightenment
within the framework of an unamended
Constitution. speculation runs riot as to
exactly where we 60 from here. Politi-
clans are completely up in the air as to
whether the President has in mind legis-
lation to curb the courts power, or en-
larging the bench so as to guarantee
modern and progressive construction Of
the Constitution-or what.
1t goes without saying that House and
Senate reacted eagerly to Mr.. Roosevelt's
reminders Of the legislative prerogatives
of Congress. Some Of their heartiest
plaudits were evoked by his assertion
pectation" Of the founding fathers that
&c iv,fA ofof ;,a hn a
come would give to the Congress the
same relative powers over new national
problems as they themselves gave to the
Congress over the national problems OF
their day." Representatives and Sena-
tors, too. naturally Tapped up the presi-
Dental bouquets about the cooperation
of Congress in meeting depression emer-
gencies. The emaciated battalionS OF Re-
puhlicans still extant as rule were un.
moved listeners to the plea for judicial
liberalism, although they Joined respect
fully in the handclapping which greeted
MIR. Rooscvelt's appearance and the con-
clusion of his address. Congress is de-
stined presently to become the arena of
heated discussion and division whether
New Deal concepts can be realized with
out constitutional tampering, as the
President holds, or whether amendment
is desirable, as Senators Robinson and
Ashurst think.
Few contemporary presidential reports
on the state of the Union were ever
marked by such q lack of concrete rec
concentrations as distinguish the Presi-
dents first communication to the new
Congress. Their absence confirms the
understanding that Mr.. Roosevelt, true
to his custom, will present legislative
proposals In individual messages from
time to time. He believes that the stu
dious attention of both Congress and
the country can best be secured by this
method, rather than by the old system
of Jumping together an indigestible mass
Of plans and programs in the annual
executive encyclical.
y
Mr.. Roosevelts message touches in
broad outline on neutrality and mill
tarism, but he is clearly reserving for his
inaugural address whatever far-reaching
plans and hopes he has for bringing
about . better international order. The
view persists that the President con-
tinues to think of pointing the way
toward some dramatic international
effort for peace and himself taking the
lead in 1t. If he cherishes any such
idea, Mr.. Roosevelt must ardenty hope
that Europe will keep the dogs Of war
chained up for at least another fort.
night. 50 that there would still be some
y,s,rp>~S ", an snpao1 v1hirh Wna1ld h n