Evening star., 1937-07-19


haze been enacted to alternate dis
tress OF unemployed. bank deposit
tors, real estate Investors. home
owners and tarmers-most OF them
co-ordindting State efforts NTH
plans initiated BY Federal Gor-
ernment.
Only this year, Lehman sue
ceeded in hauine the politically
divided Legislature complete ap-
proDdl OF social security program,
patterned after the Federal ugenda.
By the Associated Press.
ALBANY. N. Y, July l9.-Gov.
Herbert H. Lehman, in a letter to
Senator Wagner. Democrat, of New
York, today asked him to voice oppo-
sition to President Roosevelt's Su-
preme Court reorganization bill.
[Senator Wagner was not at his
Washington Office today, but attaches
said Gov. Lehman's letter had not
been received yet. The Senator has
been non -committal on the court pro-
poeal.l
Lehman, Democratic successor to
President Roosevelt as New Yo-k's
Goveronr, told Wagner. "the Presi-
dent is already familiar with my views
with regard to the bill Several months
ago I wrote to him that I believed its
enactment would not be in the best
interests of the country. In the
months that have passed since then
my convictions have become strenth-
ened"
First Break With New Deal.
The Governors letter, made public
BY the executive Offices while he is on
vacation, pointed out that he has sup
ported most Of the Presidents social
programs both when Mr.. Roosevelt
was Governor of New York and when
he was President, but that he be-
heved enactment OF tie court bill
would create "a greatly dangerous
precedent which could be availed of
by future less well-intentioned admin
lstrations for the purpose of oppres-
sion or for the curtailment of the
constitutional right of our citizens"
1t was the first time that the Gov
ernor, a New York City banker in
private life, has expressed opposition
to the Roosevelt administration poll
cies since he became New York Gov
ernor in 1888.
President Roosevelt. when himself
Governor, often affectionately re-
ferred to Lehman-his lieutenant
governor for two terms-as my good
right arm" At the end of their four
years together at Albany when Mr..
Roosevelt was looking toward Wash
ington, he supported Lehman as his
successor.
President Roosevelt was credited
with influencing Lehman to accept
third term Of Governor, which he
began last January l, after he had
announced his intention to retire.
Text of Letter.
The full text of Lehman's letter to
Senator Wagner follows:
Il am writing to you as citizen
of the State of New York, which you
represent in the United States Senate,
to voice my opposition to the court
bill and to express the hope that you
will vote against it.
The President is already familiar
with my views with regard to the bill
Several months ago I wrote to him
that believe its enactment would
not be in the best interests of the
country. In the months that have
passed since then my convictions
have become strengthened.
Like many others, I have frequently
felt keen disappointment that i'm
portant legislative measures have been
declared unconstitutional by slim
and unconvincing margin in the Su-
preme Court. And yet believe that
the orderly and deliberate processes
of government should not be sacri-
feed merely to meet an immediate sit
uation.
Immediate Gain Offset.
From the broad standpoint of the
public interest, whatever immediate
gain might be achieved through the
proposed change in the court would
in my opinion, be far more than offset
by loss of confidence in the inde-
pendence of the courts and in gov
ernmental procedure.
II have Fundamentally supported
most of the Presidents social program,
both while he was Governor of New
York and since he became President
OF the United States.
His program. taken as a whole,
has. in my opinion, represented the
greatest step forward in social reform
that any nation has undertaken for
many years. look forward to the
opportunity of continuing to support
his courageous leadership in matters
that are in the interest of the social
well being OF our people.
This bill, however, I believe to be
contrary to their interests. Its en-
actment would create greatly dan
gerous precedent which could be
availed of by future less well inten-
toned administrations for the purpose
of ooprossion or for the c,lrta ailment