Evening star., 1937-02-10
BY G.. GOULD LINCOLN.

DI VI. UOOLD AA4NSoLANs
President Roosevelt's proposal to in
crease the membership of the Supreme
Court was projected into House de-
bate today for the first time. Rep
resentative Lamneck of Ohio, Demo-
crat, started the ball rolling in a
45-minute speech attacking the plan
and saying it might lead to a Hitler,
Mussolini or Stain government"
When he concluded, Chairman Sum-
ners of the House Judiciary Committee
called up the bill favored by the COM
mittee providing for voluntary retire
ment on full pay of justices Of the
Supreme Court.
1t was to be followed by second
bill reported by the committee, per-
mitting the Intervention of the At
torney General in private suits in
volving constitutionality of Federal
laws.
Summers Called by President.
Chairman Summers early today had
been called to the White House by the
President to discuss the program as
it relates to the Presidents proposed
reorganization of the judiciary.
On his return to the Capitol, Chair
man Summers said the President did
not object to the House taking up
these two bills.
The voluntary retirement bill, if sew
eral justices of the Supreme Court
should avail themselves Of its provi-
sions, would result in revamping of
= the personnel Of the Supreme Court.
Nevertheless, the belief prevails that
the President Is not willing to accept
this voluntary retirement measure as o
substitute for his plan regarding the
Supreme Court. Indeed, 1t was re-
ported today that Mr.. Roosevelt is de-
termined to go down the line for his
whole judiciary reorganization pro-
gram, including the Supreme Court
feature.
Lamneck Cites Dictators.
In his address to the House, Rep
fesentative Lamneck said:
Where is there form of govern
ment that you would prefer to what
you now have? Would you want a
Hitler, q Mussolini or Stain gov
ernment? am sure you would not.
IF we permit destruction of the
Supreme Court, along the lines re-
Gently suggested, we may have a
system similar to what have re-
ferred to, and perhaps something
worse.
"As ! see it, the Supreme Court
has been the one branch of Govern
ment that has not permitted the
legislative or the executive branch of
the Government to take away from
the citizen any rights he may possess
under the Constitution"
Lamneck said that when the Su-
preme Court proposal was announced
the Democratic leaders of the I1ouse
and Senate told the President the bill
would pass.
Respect of Country Lost"
"As see it," he said, 1--WE have per-
mitted the executive branch, through
our leaders, who are subservient to
his dictation, to do our voting for us.
That Is the reason we are called rub
Der stamps.
And that is why the people of this
country have lost their respect for the
legislative branch, and will say it is
not without justification. How long
will we permit the executive branch of
the Government to do our legislating
for us?
"I hope the time has arrived when
we will meet this challenge to the
usurping Of our powers and serve no
tice that we intend to insist that the
Executive occupy his position; that
the judiciary shall occupy its position
and that the legislative branch of gov
ernment shall do the job the Constitu-
ton intended 1t to do.
"By taking this firm step, we can
maintain the American form Of gov
ernment for the future"
While Lamneck was addressing the
House, Representative Cox, Democrat,
Of Georgia, chairman of steering
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