Evening star., 1937-07-23

tsan. sS#&s.3
But the his SO
torian will have
to add also that it nj. ,.-
was the most
damaging defeat that President Roose-
welt has suffered in his public career.
1t was, moreover, an entirely unneces-
sary and uncalled for blow to his
prestige, because 1t was inflicted only
by himself.
AS the record Is closed on a most
dramatic chapter in the Presidents
experiences with Congress, the ques-
-tion will be asked again and again
why Mr.. Roosevelt took the risk he did
and where his political judgment,
hitherto extolled. happened to be when
he failed to take advantage Of oppor-
tunity after opportunity to avoid a
crushing defeat.
Sentiment Quickly Apparent.
On February when the Presi-
dent took his own party leadership
and the whole Nation by surprise with
his message bitterly attacking the
Supreme Court and proposing that 1t
be packed with six additional justices
most everybody herea bouts recognized
that mistake had been made looked
up the dispatch which I wrote for
February and find this comment:
Had President Roosevelt laid In
advance before leaders of both houses
OF Congress his proposal to increase
the size OF the Supreme Court most
n them would o6 6yyiSo
Now, torn between political loyalty
and convictions, those leaders find it
embarrassing to oppose the measure.
It is an example Of lack Of that CO.
operation with the members OF ones
party in the legislative branch of the
Government which might have avoided
perhaps the most colossal blunder of
the Roosevelt regime. Indeed, unless
the proposal Is withdrawn, 1t may start
the movement that will break up the
Democratic party and produce en-
barrassment for the rest OF the Presi-
dents second term"
The foregoing was q reflection of
the feeling and sentiment on Capitol
Hill within 48 hours after the court
plan was launched. Mr.. Roosevelt
may have been doubtful about con-
gressional sentiment that day but in
the weeks that followed he could never
have been in doubt. It turns out that
even his intimate friends and support
ers like Gov. Lehman told him long
ago he was on the wrong track. Vice
President Garner told him. Senator
Robinson unQuestionably reported &C
curately the sentiment among men,
bers Of the Democratic party. Ger
tatnly close friends like Senators
ONahoney Of Wyoming and Wheeler
Of Montana didn't mince words, and
ts i reported that Chairman Sum-
ners Of the House judiciary Commit
tee and Speaker Bankhead, too, spoke
out frankly to the President.
How Was Opinion Reached?
But Mr.. Roosevelt wouldn't bulge
Why? Is 1t possible that he set up
his own Judgment As better than the
opinion Of all the veterans in Con-
gress. believing that the "yes men"
IN his cabinet and the ambitious lesser
lights In official circles knew more
about it than the others? Or did Mr..
Roosevelt, fresh from the applause of
South American capitals and with the
cheers Of huge demonstrations on the
streets Of the big cities during the last
campaign still ringing in his ears,
imagine that he was better Judge
OF public opinion than anybody else
In tho country?
There were dozens Of opportunities
Tor real compromise, for graceful re-
treat, even for the attainment Of the
larger objectives. But Mr.. Roosevelt
stubbornly refused them all. Thus
at any time within the last five months
both houses Of Congress would have
voted by two-thirds vote a consti-
tutional amendment compelling re-
ttrement Of Supreme Court justices at
Is years OF age. It might possibly have
even approved Of q 6-3 vote being re-
quired for holding unconstitutional
an act OF Congress or Of the State
Legislatures, though this proposal
would have been much more contro-
versial.
Blunder Not Of Ordinary Kind.
In other words, the big objective OF
dealing with the alleged tenacity OF
justices Of advanced age would have
been reached by proposals to amend
the Constitution. But the President
was deaf to all such pleas. The blum
der Is not Of the ordinary kind. It is
not easily repaired. The Presidents
prestige has not only been impaired
but grave doubts have arisen as to
the true purposes OF Mr., Roosevelt
with respect to other legislation which
plainly seeks to centralise more power
In Washington and a great deal more
In the hands Of the Chief Executive.
The proposed reorganization Of
Federal executive departments, which
in the main Is splendid thing will
now be subjected to more scrutiny
than before and 1t is doubtful whether
the scheme to ruin the quasi judicial
commissions will ever get through or
the plan to eliminate the severe audit
OF expenses which the Comptroller
General has heretofore exercised on
behalf Of Congress.