Evening star., 1937-07-31

| AS matter of fact some OF those
who are at present bitterly opposing
the Presidents plan for court reform
are the very men who, back in 1912,
supported a far more radical change
as set forth in the platform of the
Progressive party. At that time, Theo-
dore Roosevelt asked for recall of jul
! diCial eCSionS-Certainly more
startling proposal than Mr.. Roose
velt'S suggestion"
| Mr.. ICkeS smiled as he recalled
that some of our present-day politi-
| cal commentators-parti one
| columnist who bitterly criticizes pro-
posed court changes today-Were in
favor of the far more daring inno-
Vation of recall of judicial decl-
slons in 1912. Thus Mr. Ickes be-
lieVeS We cannot take too seriously all
the dire predictions having to do
with the inevitable downfall of de-
mOCrary and threatened destruction
of the Constitution which alarmists
now warn us against
The present situation may or may
not be permanent You can't tell"
is the way that Secretary Ickes sums
up the Wrangling and argument over
the court bill
OF GERMAN and Scotch descent.
Mr. ICkeS has always been char
acterlStlcally plain spoken and te-
naciouS of purpose So completely has
he believed in the liberal attitude that
he has been by turns Republican,
Progressive. Republican again and
Democrat. He had covered national
political conventions throughout the
country for newspapers and had
taken an active interest in mayoralty
elections in Chicago before he be-
came devoted follower and personal
friend OF Theodore Roosevelt. with
whom he possessed many characteris-
tics in common, particularly a pro-
chvity for crashing about like a bull
in a china shop wherever his prin-
clples led him.
Under RooSeyelt's leadership he be-
came Progressive and stayed With
that party until he returned to the
Republicans to vote for Charles Evans
Hughes for President Later he
jumped party lines again to vote for
the Democrats, Al Smith and James
NJ Cox
The Secretary of the Interior was
born in Blair County, Altoona, Pa,
and as young man went to the Uni
verslty Of Chicago. Graduating from a
course in liberal arts he took a Job
on a Chicago newspaper in the days
of tremendous press competition and
was by turns reporter, sports writer
and editor. But he returned to the
University of Chicago to study law.
becoming, meanwhile, political
writer and developing an intense
interest in politics
In 1882, while still an official of the
Republican organization in Cook
County, Ickes campaigned for Frank
lin D. Roosevelt-a fact that old party
adherents found very perturbing. 1t
was at the close of February that
Roosevelt invited Ickes to visit him
at his home in New York City. If he
liiousHt dpOul lL dl all, lCReS pc
lieved the highest job that could be
offered him would be Indian COM
missioner. When the announcement
Came that the President had made "a
Mr. 1ckes of Chicago" Secretary of
the Interior many had to scurry about
to find out in a hurry who Mr..
lckes Of Chicago" was.
Thus it may be seen that the Sec
retary is qualified to speak with au-
thority when the question is one of
parties, their policies and objectives.
He has come to be known as the
chronic norman" of the cabinet COM
pletely independent in thought, word
and action and himself an admirable
balance" as he believes old-time