Evening star., 1937-07-26
To Judge by his demeanor at the first
White House press conference following

To Judge by his demeanoI at the first
White House press conference following
collapse of the Supreme Court plan, Mr.
Roosevelt Is q cheerful loser His laugh
and smile are still in working order
Whatever emotions may fill him, he has
the philosophical bearing of q man who,
having fought and failed, is resigned to
the inevitable. The President conveys the
impression that his crusade for ref
ormation of the high bench was by no
means fruitless. F. D. r. was fully
prepared for reportorial curiosity about
his reaction to his heaviest political re-
verse. In response to questions, he
reeled of. with snfeigned satisfaction. q
typewriter memorandum of pro-New
Deal decisions that ensued upon the
heels of the court-packing proposal.
Although denied his real objective, Mr..
Roosevelt clearly feels that the game
was worth the candle. He seems per-
suaded that q "court-conscious" and
"Constitution- minded" country shares
his abiding aspiration for continued
progress along trails which have now
been blazed. The President rejects sug
gestions that he will 60 on campaign
ing" for his court program and stresses
that the business OF extending social
legislation gains is up to Congress. But
no doubt exists that he intends to exer
else unceasing influence in promotion
of all the causes still close to his heart.
Inclusion of Senator Bob La Toilette
and his brother. Gov. Phil, in the first
presidential week end cruise after the
judiciary battle is an event of deepest
political significance. 1t is an open secret
that the young Wisconsin Progressives
influence in administration councils,
even though he constitutes q one-man
group In the Senate, is of grade-A quality.
Whenever he takes part in White House
conferences with congressional leaders,
it's Of record that Bob's views carry as
much weight as. and sometimes more
than, those of some front-rank Demo-
cratic brethren. The President is tre-
mendously fond Of both the La Follettes
and adnires the skill by which they
have become political masters of q great
State. Their ideas on social and labor
legislation particularly command Roose-
veltian respect. Prognosticators Of long
range events are certain that If there's
to be a realignment of liberal forces,
within or outside the Democratic party,
in 1910 or before, the President courts
working alliance with the La Follettes
and the elements which they personify.
Progressive preferences and prejudices
on the subject Of Supreme Court ap-
pointments will weigh heavily 1T the
White House, too.
President Roosevelt and Postmaster
General Farley don't seem to see exactly
eye to eye on the present and future OF
the economic situation. The President
holds fast to the theory that certain
New Deal objectives, hitherto baked by
judicial processes, must be attained be-
fore anything like durable prosperity can
be expected. A Nation 'one-third ILL
fed, ill-housed and ill-clothed" Is appar-
emily still the picture which the White
House SEES. At Saturdays Democratic
rally in Toledo, Farley declared that
1T can be stated emphatically that re-
covery is here to stay-that the past few
months have shown gratifying increase
in the pace Of business expansion, and
experts are almost unanimous In pre-
dieting that the upturn will continue"
In the same speech Sunny Jim trotted
out wealth of statistical data to bolster
the claim of restored economic health"
and Justified optimism over the eco.
nom1c outlook" He also gloitled the