Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-07-22
THE NATIONAL
GOVERNMENT
BY PAUL JOHN KvALE, M. C.

fifth Congress now seems certain to
most hectic in the life of the Repub-
lie. Bitterness in debtae that calls
to mind the legislative assemblies of
Civil War days, and more recently
the caustic verbal exchanges of the
League of Nations battle, have been
Supreme Court reform compromise
bill reached the floor of the Senate
eleven days ago. Not even the sudden
death of Senator Joseph T. Robinson.
who as majority leader led the shock
troops of the Administration in their
effort to pass the all important legis-
lation, brought calm to the troubled
waters. and at this writing the OF
posing factions seem farther apart
than ever.
1t has been week of startling,
breath-taking developments with ru-
mOrs of every variety, many of them
obviously absurd. flying thick and
fast. Indeed July and August, long
looked upon as the dull dOgdays of
journalism, seem destined this year
to provide more important Washing
ton news than the other ten months
of the year combined.
New and startling developments
came thick and fast following the at
tack on the attempts to pass the court
bill by Chairman HattOn Summers of
the House Judiciary committee. 1t
came as a complete surprise from a
member of long service in the Con-
gresS who is generally considered an
Administration stalwart and the man
who was largely responsible for en-
actment into law of the present bill
which provides for retirement of
Supreme Court Justices after t. e
SEVENTEEN birthday on a retirement
salary of $4,000 a year. Mr.. Sum-
ners took the floor and argued against
what he considered unnecessary haste
in attempts to pass the bill. and eX-
pressed the opinion that there is no
urgent need for such action. Also he
deplOred the bitter dissensiOn which
has developed in debate on the bill
in the Senate.
The Summers speech was the one
topic of conversation that day and
night among members and newspaper
men, and then on Wednesday morning
the news was flashed that Senator
Robinson had died alone in his apart
ment across the lawn from the cham
Der in which but a few hours before
he had functioned as majority leader.
1t was inevitable that his death
would prompt discussion of a sue
cessor. particularly with legislation of
such an important nature pending.
Immediately the names of Barley of
Kentucky, Harrison of Mississippi and
Byrnes of South Carolina were men
toned prominently. Discussions of
the leadership suggestion were almost
certain to involve consideration of the
court bill and it's probable disposition
but it was generally understood that
truce would be observed by the OPP
posing forces until after the funeral.
Then came reports to administration
forces that opponents of the bill were
secretly comforting about ways and
means of bringing about its defeat by
a motion to recOmmit to the Judiciary
committee. The Presidents dramat-
ic public letter to Senator Barkley
followed quickly with its sharp criti-
cism of the bad taste of those who
would proceed with indecent haste in
their attempts to thwart the plans of
the administration while its Senate
party leader lay yet unburied.
In addressing Senator Barkley as
Dear Alben" the President was be-
lieved by many observers to have in
Dictated his preference for the Ken
lucky member as a successor to Robin
son, but this was denied by admin
stration leaders. Byrnes has an
nounced his Withdrawal from the con-
test and the matter probably will be
settled at a conference of party lead