Evening star., 1937-06-17

proposals. vice Dav;dI.vr.rc. |
President Garner
has gone home, discouraged because he
cannot persuade Mr.. Roosevelt OF the
error Of his ways.
Tho President is aware OF the in
kurgency, but unquestionably under
estimates its character and scope. For |
several days word has been coming |
officially from the White House that
the President would insist on a vote
on the Supreme Court bill at this ses-
sion. After the devastating report
filed by the 10 members Of the Senate |
Judiciary Committee, demolishing the
Presidents argument for enlargement
of the Supreme Court, 1t might have
been thought that Mr.. Roosevelt would
be content to drop the issue.
But Start of Challenge. |
But Mr.. Roosevelt's insistence on a
vote, even though he knows it may go
against him. is but the beginning OF
challenge to the courageous men IN
the Senate which may awaken the
whole Nation to disregard party lines
and support those individuals, lrrespec-
tive of party, who have placed principle
above ambition.
The reason why Mr.. Roosevelt wants
i vote on the court bill is that he wants
to put the members Of his own party
''on the spot" He Is represented as be-
lieving that, after the vote on the
court bill, Congress might we'll adjourn,
and then the President would under
take to explain to the Nation and to
the constituents Of the Senators IN
their particular States just why his
program of reform, as he sees it. has
been supposedly blocked by failure
to reorganize the judiciary.
want a record vote. They DO not
Wwant a record vote. They do not
see any sense in having any vote,
because they believe the debate has
been, in effect, disposed OF by the
report of the Senate Committee.
The President, on the other hand,
Is said to be intent on Furnishing
politically those who disagree with
him and wants to carry the issue to
the country. His argument for con-
senting to an adjournment, Of Con-
eress at this time would be that there
was no use trying to pass any legis-
lation until the Supreme Court was
Infused with new blood" Lately
the idea Of young" blood has been
superseded by the use Of the phrase
new blood"
Question of Solidarity.
Certainly, so far as the President
Is concerned, the question raised by
the controversy over the plan to en-
large the Supreme Court is funda-
mental one of party solidarity. II
the President believes the time has
come to split the Democratic party
and compel a realignment OF groups,
then the Supreme Court controversy
affords the best fighting ground that
has been available for the purpose in
many years.
The Presidents opponents inside
and outside Congress would welcome
. battle on the question of packing"
the Supreme Court. The Senate Com
mittee report furnishes the platform
on which Republicans as we'll as
Democrats are willing to stand. It
Is one of the greatest state papers
in the history OF the American Re-
public. The 10 men who signed it,
along with the others in the Senate
who oppose the bill, will stand out
in future history as ranking along
with the courageous men who dared
to declare Americas independence
OF British King, risking their lives
and their fortunes and their sacred
honor for what they deemed to be a
principle Of human freedom and
democracy.
There are some interesting angles
to the present situation which can
hardly be overlooked if the President
carries the battle to the country.
Large groups which have benefited
from the administration spending or
from its craftsmanship will stay lined
up with the administration, but there
are large independent groups which
will not. 1t is doubtful whether the
eo-called masses have paid much at
tention anyway, to he Supreme Court
controversy, because it is after all
An abstract question to many persons.
But the thinking people have con-
cerned themselves about it, and once
they are united they can swing the
balance of power.
3,500,000 Could Turn Tide.
II, for example, only 100000 out
OF the 100000 who supported Mr..
Roosevelt in November, 1896, were
to switch to the side OF the 1900, 900
who opposed Mr.. Roosevelt at the
polls, there would be a numerical
majority on the side of the opponents
Of the Presidents program to break
down judicial independence.
This does not actually require a
change of 100000 at all, but an
actual change of minimum of $780,
600 persons who voted for Roosevelt
last Autumn. Judging by the letters
received on Capitol Hill, such a
change has been slowly but surely