The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1937-03-04
Political
Dynamite

ToNIic0t is every evidence
Dynamite of an agreement,
an understanding
to let President Roosevelt's radical
court reform legislation stew until
the country is heard from. There is
no doubt in my mind nor in the
minds of other observers here that
representative and senators are
anxiously awaiting word from their
constituents because if any issue
ever was loaded with political dyna-
mite, the plan to pack the Supreme
court of the United States with six
additional judges surely contains
highly explosive elements.
The facts have mentioned in the
above paragraph explain largely
why there are so many senators and
house members who remain nom
committal on the issue. They want
to know which way to jump. Actu-
ally, / believe as many as half OF
them are going to try to determine
which band wagon they ought to
ride-whether they ought to go
against the President or for him.
In other words, the spot they are
now on is not nearly so hot as the
one upon which they may find them
selves if they guess wrong at this
time. No politician will ever jump
from the frying pan into the fire
knowingly.
In the meantime, the debate
RACES. Out and out supporters of
President Roosevelt, the kind of men
who follow him blindly because he
is their leader, and the extreme op-
position type who are against the
President regardless of his position
are battling for public attention. The
radio is being used to an extent as
great, if not greater, than occurred
in the last campaign. Those who
are committed for or against the
Presidents reform proposition are
anxious to sustain their positions
and the remainder of the national
legislature is egging on the more
bold members in order that those
who have not made up their minds
can take advantage of word from
back home.
In the meantime, as well, there
are proposals and counter-proposals
seeking compromise. Few of them
have any definite merit. Most of
them, I believe, are purely and
solely representative of f1oundering
minds. Their sponsors entertain
hopes that somehow, somewhere
they will gain streak of light that
will guide them through to a proper
answer politically.
There has been only one plan for
giving the federal government more
power that can possibly be de-
scribed as sound. That is the origi-
nal proposition by Senator Robinson
of Arkansas, the Democratic leader
of the senate, who announced early
in the session tof congress that he
favored an amendment to the Con-
stitution. While Senator Robinson
did not then say 80, nor has he said
so since, the truth is that he and
many others would like to see the
people of the country have an OPP
portunity to pass upon any program
that would change the country's ju-
dietary. The President regards this
method as too slow. He thinks that
any changes which he desires ought
to be made at once and holds that
the tremendous majority by which
he was reelected gives him author
ity to do so. Yet, as the picture
now stands, there is every prospect
of considerable delay and from the
way I analyze the circumstances,
delay will provide the vast majority
of voters with an opportunity for
determination of the question which
is vital in this case: Does the coun-
try want to keep an independent
| system of courts or does it want to
establish precedent by which
this administration or any other ad-
ministration can influence those
courts to do the bidding of the ma
tons Chief Executive?
Through many years and in every
year there has been constant criti-
cism of congress
Safety Us. for delay in reach
Speed ing conclusions. 1t
is fortunate, in my
opinion, that these delays constitute
a part of our governmental system.
They allow time for cooling off.
I think it will be generally agreed
that every time legislation is rushed
through congress ahead or as part
of an emotional wave among citi-
zens, there has invariably resulted
unavoidable, if not entirely unsound,
statutes. Such is bound to be the
result when men and women fail to
think things through-when they fail
to examine all of the phases of any
problem.
President Roosevelt moved quick
ly, and I believe sincerely, in pro-
posing the NRA and the farm relief
plan under the agricultural adjust
ment administration. Yet, neither
of these reform measures stood the
test of workability; neither had been
drafted upon a proper knowledge of
the ends they were to serve and
neither did justice to all of the peo-
Pile. 1t was only natural, therefore,
that they should fall by the way
side.
These two laws are cited because
they are the outstanding examples
of emotional legislation. There are
many others, most of them not as
bad. But lately one offshoot of the
NRA has arisen to plague the adj
ministration. refer to the so-called
Walsh-Healey law.
In order to refresh memories, let
me explain that the Walsh-Healey
law prohibits the federal govern
ment from buying products of mills
or factories, or any fruit of labor,