Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-03-12
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

On the basis OF a confidential check-up
attributed to the highest administration
quarter on Capitol Hill, 56 Senate votes.
or 7 more than a majority, are now
claimed for the Presidents judiciary
program. The tabulation Is supposed to
embrace So out of rs Democrats Norris,
Independent; La Toilette, Progressive,
and Lundeen and Shipstead, Farmer
Labor Roosevelt leaders are credited
with the ambition to roll up an eventual
total vote Of so. They radiate faith
that at least two Democrats now aligned
with the opposition, and possibly three
or four, will return to the White House
fold on the final vote, If not before. Ad-
ministrationists believe the President is
steadily gaining ground In the country.
They say that Senators will presently
feel the effects of changing sentiment
and be governed accordingly as the con-
test swings into the decisive stage. Con-
f1dence on this score seems to spring
from the more conciliatory tone of F. D.
RS fireside chat, compared to his two
listed victory dinner broadcast. Cap
tains of the anti-Roosevelt forces con-
tend that both the vote figures and rosy
hopes of the Presidents adherents are
exaggerated and merely the product Of
wishful thinking. Opposition lines are
said to be holding fast.
May IS is now generally set as the
earliest date by which final action In
the judiciary controversy can be ex-
pected. Everything depends on the
plans Of the Presidents antagonists, not
yet definitely formulated, to prolong
Senate debate and to resist cloture, II
necessary. If later check-ups develop
that the Presidents cause is progress
ing irresistibly and that he has enough
votes to win, the probable effect will be
to shorten discussion and permit rela-
lively early showdown. House leaders
have let the President know that they
are determined to have the Senate act
first. The lower branch naturally has
no desire to 60 hell-bent for Supreme
Court reform, possibly only to find later
that it has been left out on limb by
Senate rejection of the proposition. In
the House, of course, it is purely ques-
ton of the size of the Roosevelt vote,
though this will by no means consist
of the 300-odd Democrats who comprise
the nominal ma ority following of Speak
er Bankhead and Floor Leader Rayburn.
X
More than ordinary interest attaches
at this cautankerous hour to the word
ing of the oath which justice of the
United States Supreme Court takes upon
assuming Office. It reads as follows: IT
do solemnly swear that will administer
justice without respect to persons, and
do equal right to the poor and to the
rich; and that will faithfully discharge
all the duties incumbent on me as Judge,
according to the best Of my abilities and
understanding, agreeably to the Consti-
tuition and laws OF the United States"
New Dealers point to those words and
laws"
Mr.. Roosevelt's trip to Warm Springs
was planned long before the judiciary
volcano erupted. The President is never
theless credited with rejoicing that his
fortnight's absence from the White
House falls in the midst Of hostilities at
the Capitol. It will heighten the i'm
preston % that he wants to keep hands
OF the legislative scrap, leaving 1t ex-
clusively to Congress, and ca that the
dtuatton. % Tar - both ~ Arlington and