Evening star., 1937-04-28
Just Jockeying.

posal to enlarge the Supreme Court Of
the United States, has reached the
Jockeying stage. From this time forward
both sides will seek every possible ad-
vantage, and the administration may be
expected to bring more and more pres
sure to bear. For the bill is being con-
sidered by the Senate Judiciary Commit
tee In executive session, where 1t may be
amended or dismembered, reported
favorably or reported adversely The
administration distinctly does not wish
an adverse report from the Senate COM
mittee. So the proposal advanced at
yesterdays session by Senator Logan of
Kentucky that the bill be reported with
out recommendation" from the commit
tee is being interpreted in some quarters
as fear on the part of the administra-
ton that the committee might not give
the measure clean bill of health, but
rather dash of cold water if allowed to
come to vote.
1t has been understood for some time
that many members OF the Senate COM
mlttee were hostile to the bill as it
came from the hands of the President
proposing to give him authority to ap-
point a maximum of six new justices
of the Supreme Court Senator Ashurst,
chairman of the committee and a strong
supporter of the bill, rather let the cat
out OF the bag on Saturday when he
admitted there was possibility, If not
a probability, that the committee would
report the measure to the Senate ad-
versely. So much so, that administration
leaders have had cold chills up and down
their backs.
And now the President has let it be
known that he froWns upon any legisla-
ton for labor and industry until the
Supreme Court bill has been disposed
of-and presumably been enacted into
law. This move looks like a bid to labor
to increase its drive for the passage of
the court bill in the form the President
desires. 1t is to be presumed, too, that
all farm legislation will be side tracked
also until the court bill has been put
through the Senate. Generally speak
ing, it is taken for granted that If the
bill gets through the Senate in the shape
the President Wishes it will pass the
House with comparatively little trouble
although 1t has its enemies in that
body also.
This is exerting pressure with a wide
sweep. But the pressure and the Jockey
ing for advantage will not end there,
in all probability. 1t will proceed in
individual cases. There are % Demo-
cratic Senators up for reelection next
year. Already Postmaster General Far
ley, who is chairman of the Democratic
National Committee, has been speaking
in many States in support Of the court
bill and warning his listeners that al
legiance to the party will be measured
according to the support given this bill
which is so close to the heart of the
Chief Executive. If Democratic Sena-
tors, in their effort to be renominated,
wish the support of the administration,
the intimation is clear that they had
better leap aboard the band wagon
before it is too late.
In this court bill fight, every vote
is being counted carefully. That goes
for both sides. Even the death of the
late Senator Bachman is not without
its bearing on the contest-for Bachman
had been considered hostile. A new
Senator is to be appointed. When he
is named by the Governor of Tennessee
his attitude on the Supreme Court issue
will be sought avidly-and probably be-
fore he is appointed, II rumors are cor
rect.
The administration Is not overlooking
any steps that may be taken to bolster
the court bill in its passage through
the Senate. A case in point is the
speech which was made Monday night
dealing with the court by Attorney Cen
eral Cummings, one OF the co-authors of
the judiciary reorganization bill.
The end Of the fight is by no means
in sight. The opposition has many
weapons at it's command It plans to
seek separation of the Supreme Court
proposal from the remainder of the bill
before the measure is acted upon in
committee. 1t will be in a position to
debate for a considerable time motion
to bring the bill up in the Senate. And
once the bill has been placed before
the Senate it will have the potent
weapon Of unlimited debate at its COM
mand and it will surely use this weapon
until it is convinced that. it cannot pre-
vent favorable action, or at least wiring
compromise from the administration
forces which will be in part satisfactory
to the opposition.