Evening star., 1937-03-08

For strategic reasons Republican lead
ers are doing no public gloatlng over
current political hostilities, but they are
hugging fondly to their bosoms the
belief that the Supreme Court crisis
has given the elephant about the first
break it has had since 1929. They now
envision a Democratic party so ripped
asunder that G. o. P. victory in 1888
congressional elections no longer seems
an idle aspiration, or Republican return
TO national power in 1910 an empty
dream. With Democratic Senators
from nearly a score of Statesmen
hitherto ardent supporters OF the New
Deal-in open revolt against the Presl-
dent, the party breach is already VIDE
enough even for F. D. RS metaphorical
three-horse team to gallop through II
with ease Bitter as was opposition
within Democratic ranks before the
victory dinner speech, it has been i'm
measurably intensified by that bellig-
erent blast. Nothing riled Senators Ike
MeSsrS. Wheeler, Burke. Connally, Clark
ct al so much as the Presidents allega-
ton that the roar" against his Judiciary
plans comes substantially from the same
elements that opposed him in 1886. AS
Senator Burke points out, the most
vigorous opponents of the court scheme
are Democrats who supported Mr.. Roose-
welt most warmly last year.
Lively interest attaches to the Presi-
dents intimation that he is not
candidate to succeed himself for
third term. But politicians aver that.
after all. it is only an lntlmatlon ana
not a binding pledge that under no
circumstances would Mr. Roosevelt ven
ture to violate an ancient precedent.
Until the master of the New Deal be-
comes as categorical as Gen. William
Tecumseh Sherman on famous occa-
sion more than half century ago
Il will not accept if nominated, or serve
if elected'-obServerS say the road Will
at least be open for the President to
change his mind. There are hard
shelled X-rayerS of the political scene
who foresee the possibility, especially if
he gets his way on the Supreme Court
and on later legislative occasions, that
Mr. Roosevelt's continuance in the
White House may strike his supporters
as indispensable. In that event, it
would remain to be seen whether he
might not feel sufficiently urged to re-
nounce his present ambition to be-
come a private citizen on January 20,
1941.
Standing room only is in sight at the
big caucus room mo. 318) of the Sem
ate Office Building. where on Wednesday
the curtain will rise on the drama OF
the century-hearings on the Supreme
Court reform bill before the Senate
Judiciary Committee. This week will
be given over to proponents of the pro-
gram. Attorney General Cummings will
be the first witness, followed on Thurs
day by Assistant Attorney General
Robert H. Jackson. On Friday two
witnesses are cheduled-former Sena-
tor Smith w. Brookhart of Iowa and
Federal Circuit Judge William Denman
of California, 1885 Roosevelt appointee.
Judge Denman was wartime chairman
of the United States Shipping Board
and president Of the Emergency Fleet
Corp. He is a Harvard Law School
graduate. Next week, when the oppo-
works will begin.
4 r
Apparently the last hasn't been heard
of the action of United States Senators,
said to number roundly bakers dozen,
in lending their signatures and photo
graphs to public Endorsements of GER
tain brand of cigarettes. 1t is well
known that many Senators, including
Democratic Majority Leader Joe T.
Robinson of Arkansas. regard the action
of Senators in permitting the use Of
their names for advertising purposes