The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1937-10-07
MR.. BLACK GETS THE RAP!

A.eooo+o Justice of the United States
Suprene Court, Hon. Hugo L. Black now nous
one of the nations most responsible anu ulS'ni
euished positions but instead OF being PROUD
Of and happy over his elevation to seat IN the
HIGHEST tribunal in the land Alabama's former
Senator who fought gallant fight for the New
Deal is now perhaps respondent and extremely
unhappy.
oh,,;orclu he must have wanted the coveted
annointnoent. but unfortunately neither he, the
President nor the United States Senate was
able to determine the general publc's reaction
and Mr. Black made the serious mistake OF not
telling the administration about his former al
filiation with the once powerful ku klux hlan
organization.
The great storm of bitter protest that has oeen
Forthcoming from all over the nation since MS
appointment and confirmation and which reach-
ed a climax when it was revealed that the ne"
Associate Justice was a member of the hooded
clan wears ago. was instigated largely by the OPP
ponents of President Roosevelt's Supreme Court
proposal made last February, rather than by
those who were primarily opposed to Senator
Black
Leaders throughout the nation have vigorous
ly maintained that the Presidents plan OF
packing the court, as they described 1t Of
fered serious threat to American democracy
and slap in the face of the sacred Constitu-
ton. By using every possible weapon of de-
Tense they succeeded in delaying and blocking
the proposal, but the Chief Executive has con-
sstently declared that he was going to put it
across one way or another. He contends that
in order to establish permanently the program
+Ioo%i
appreciation and understanding of the Supreme
Court, or in other words, that this body should
be liberal in it's Interpretation of the Constitu-
ton as applied to the major features of the ad-
ministration
One of his main reasons for the selection of
Mr.. Black to fill the vacancy caused by the re-
signation of one of the conservation members,
was because he knew that the Alabama Senator
was not only liberal but also staunch sup
ported of the administration Of course he fur
Their believed that Mr.. Black was thorough
ly qualified for the position.
Realizing these facts, the opposition 10 the
original court plan set to turn public sentiment
against the new Justice and in the xxx affi-
iation they found just what they wanted, and
proceeded to give it the works.. What the out
come will be- no Zone knows Mr.. Black de-
MED present membership in the Klan de-
nounced religious bigotry and race prejudice in
his address last Friday night and is today an
active member of the Court. On the other hand,
public sentiment seems to be against him and
petition has been filed, challenging his eligibi-
lily on constitutional grounds
Our sympathy goes out to Mr.. Black To
large extent he has been victim of circum
stances, caused by relentless opposition to the
Presidents Supreme Court program and by the
failure of the Senate to make an extensive and
more careful investi : ton before confirming
the appointment. He is now member of high
est court in the United States and there are
only three ways by which he can be removed
Impeachment, resignation and death.
We have always admired Mr.. Black, but we
have never thought of him as being man who
is ideally qualified for an Associate Justices
seat. He impresses as being man of action,
fighter, prosecutor. We do not condemn him
for having been Ku Klux Khan member and
we hope that the whole uproar quickly SUBJ
sides. He has taken the rap and let's give him
a chance to demonstrate what he can do as
protector of democracy and individual iber-
ties.