Evening star., 1937-05-19
COURT BILL FOES
. MAP FLOOR FIGHT
Predict Logan Compromise
Will Prove New Battle.
ground.
BACKGROUND

maximum OF sir new justices to
Supreme Court unless incumbents
oper 70 retire has proved the most
unpopular OF all his recommended
enactments. With the ranks of his
own party hopelessly split, the bill
tods bo1nbdrded in open hearings
before Senate Judiciary COMMITTEES
and finally met tDtth adverse Toto.
8 uote In executive session OF CON-
nittee.
BY the Associated Press.
Victorious Senate foes Of the Roose-
welt court bill turned away from in
dications OF administration comprom-
ise today IN pursuit Of a triumph on
the Senate floor as decisive as the
adverse vote In the Judiciary Com
mittee.
Opposition leaders said the measure
was dead. They forecast the COM
promise advanced unsuccessfully in
the committee by Senator Logan,
Democrat, of Kentucky would prove
the new fighting ground.
Logan, supporter Of the President,
suggested that one additional justice
be appointed each year If any men,
bers of the Supreme Court served past
IS. The number would drop back to
nine when the older justices retired.
The Roosevelt bill would permit an
increase up to membership of Is If
justices over 70l2 did not withdraw.
The court would remain permanently
at the number to which 1t was raised.
Logan Claims Support.
No one qualified to speak for the
administration had conceded that the
battle for the Presidents bill had been
| dropped, but Logan said his COM
promise was favored by Senator Rob-
| inson Of Arkansas, the Democratic
! leader.
This quickly led to speculation
whether Robinson was backtracking
from the no compromise" edict he
| uttered on the White House steps after
President Roosevelt's return last week,
or was trying to negotiate COM
promise without committing the Chief
| Executive.
Opposition leaders and many others
were convinced the latter theory was
correct. Robinson kept away from the
Capitol yesterday after the committee
voted 10 to 8 against the bill
Interest Is Divided.
Congressional interest in the judi
| ciary situation was divided almost
equally between speculation over the
administrations position and candi-
dates for the vacancy on the Supreme
Court created by the retirement OF
Justice Van Devanter.
Mr.. Roosevelt told his press con-
| ference he had not yet considered a
successor Asked If the retirement
would affect the court bill, he said
there was no news on that point.
Van Devanters retirement increased
the belief OF many congressman, how
ever, that the administration would
be willing to modify the court bill. It
broke up the solid minority of four
justices that has so often opposed New
Deal measures and against which
friends of the bill have leveled their
heaviest flre.
Minority Report Unseen.
Indications that the administration
supporters on the Judiciary Commit
tee would submit no minority report
upholding the measure increased the
compromise talk.
Chairman Ashurst hinted he would
not make such q report. He said he
would not lead the fight on the floor
because he had been "dispossessed."
A subcommittee of three members
Of the committee majority set to work
drafting the adverse report. Senators
King, Democrat, of Utah; McCarran
Democrat, Of Nevada, and O'Mahoney,
Democrat, OF Wyoming, formed the
group.
They said they probably would be
ready to report within about a week,
which would start the Senate debate
about June l. No one would forecast
how long that debate might last.