Evening star., 1937-07-05

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d5sn dsn5 R Ro0ssrsIt.s ssvncs
with the judi David Lawrence.
ciary.
The almost unanimous opinion of
thoughtful women against packing"
the court is one Of the biggest events
in the evolution of American democ-
racy. The figures on how cross sec
ton of American women voted on the
proposed plan to enlarge the Supreme
Court have just been compiled in full
by the General Federation of Wom-
ems Clubs. Though the general re-
suits Of the poll have been known for
some time the details only now have
become available and they present
striking illustration of how uniform
throughout the country is the opposi-
ton to the Presidents scheme
Votes AnalyZed.
The votes were analyzed by clubs
and by individual ballot Thus SO per
cent Of the clubs reported majority
Of their members as against the plan
and only per cent as favorable.
The individual balloting by mem
bers was somewhat different in per-
centages, the vote against the plan
being approximately 86 per cent
There were So ,425 club women vot-
ing in the referendum and of these
the final tally stood 44934 against
packing" the court and 7.49l in
favor of President Roosevelts pro-
posals.
Resolution Approved.
This vote was taken over period
of several weeks beginning last March
and was conducted through the regu-
lar channels of the General Fedora
ton of Women's Clubs. 1t is not to
be wondered at, therefore, that when
the annual council of the federation
met at Tulsa, Okla. recently, the dele
gates voted Overwhelmingly for this
resolution:
Aware that the Constitution of the
United States neither specifies nor
mandates the number of judges for
the Supreme Court, but realizing that
the philosophy of government mott
waiting that Constitution clearly in
tended that the three branches of our
democracy, the executive, the legisa-
tive and the judicial. to be a whole
some check on each other for the COM
mon good of all the people, We, the
General Federation of Womens Clubs
in council meeting assembled, declare
cur objection to the Presidents plan
for reorganization of the Supreme
Court"
1t has become known that the
Roosevelt administration through the
machinery of the Democratic National
Committee did everything in its power
to prevent the passage of the resolu-
ton at Tulsa, exerting pressure
through Influential members and di-
rectly appealing to Mrs. Roberta
Campbell Lawson to table the resolu-
ton Notwithstanding the action that
had been taken by the various local
clubs throughout the country.
Says Issue Sidestepped.
1t so happens that the National
League of Women Voters did sidestep
the issue at their annual council meet
ing on the plea that there was not
time to find out the sentiment of their
members, reason that has recipi-
tated considerable comment in view
OF the fact that the General Fedora
ton OF Women'S Clubs got busy as
early as last March and found ample
time to find out what its members
thought on one of the most crucial
questions in public affairs in the whole
l6l years of the history of the Ameri-
can Republic. The League of Women
Voters is splendid organization. but
II Will take good deal of explaining
to clear up why the League of Women
voters remained silent in the year
1887 on plan to alter the constitu-
tlonal system of checks and balances
which have been the very keystone of
the American Government from the
beginning.
Now that a so-called compromise"
plan has been placed before the Sen
ate by administration Senators, the
question will arise as to Whether the
resolution at Tulsa by the General
Federation of Women's Clubs covers
the substitute plan, too.
Careful examination of the new
proposal shows that in principle the
substitute pending in the Senate is
no different from the original bill and
would enable the Executive to exercise
control over the judiciary in the fu-
ture simply by changing the number
of justices. The objection to the
scheme holds good whether Mr.. Roose-
welt or any other President happens to
be in Office. For if a Congress which
Is subservient to the Executive can at
any time on his recommendation
change the size of the court in order
to obtain different type of judicial
decision then the Independence of
the judiciary is gone and the judicial
branch OF the Government becomes
subject to the control of the other
two branches of the Government.
Amendment Proposed.
Curiously enough the resolution of
the General Federation of Womens
Clubs puts its finger on the very cruX
OF the problem by pointing out that
the Constitution neither specifies nor
mandates the number of justices for
the Supreme Court" This defect can
only be remedied now by constitu-
tional amendment which fixes the
number of justices. The only reason
the founders of the Republic omitted
specifying the size was their belief
that the increase in number would be
something that would be decided upon
only In relation to the growth of jul
dicial districts in the Nation and
the increase in business. 1t never was
suspected that the power of Congress
to increase or diminish the number
would be used directly as a means of
Cor1fpN11irC fbe of Jo