Evening star., 1938-01-18

puOllCall as we'll $$$$$$$#:::: X (s:$3$:*.s
as Democratic @&S $$
administrations. r.-.. ,.m-.-.
to describe Stanley Reeds qualifica-
tions for the highest court in the
land is to state. first, that he Is funda-
mentally honest. and, second. that he
has a judicial mind. What his views
are on class conflicts of today, on
politics, on stretching the Constitu-
ton to fit changes in economic condi-
tions may be dismissed as irrelevant
because Mr.. Reed is the kind of man
who can be depended upon to take
the law and the facts in every case
and decide the issues truly on their
merits. He will never be a political
Judge and the chances are he will be
classified some day as Brandeis
liberal.
Victories Before Supreme Court.
Nobody in the legal end Of the New
Deal has made better presentation
of cases before the Supreme Court.
and it is to Mr.. Reeds credit that he
has won string OF victories. Being
Solicitor General. he has had charge
of the prosecution OF the major cases
in which New Deal laws have figured
In the courts.
As background of Mr.. Reeds
standing with the President. II is in
teresting to note that Attorney Gen.
eral Cummings had recommended him
and the President had approved him
for appointment as a Federal judge
in Kentucky, when vacancy occurred
in the office Of the Solicitor General,
Whereupon the Attorney General
promptly urged Mr.. Reed to forget the
bench and come in the Department
Of Justice.
The appointment Of Mr.. Reed to the
Supreme Court is really no surprise
For many months he has been con-
sidered by Republicans and Democrats
alike in Congress as the most out
standing lawyer in the New Deal set
up and the person most likely to get
the first vacancy. An interesting bit
OF history Is that, when President
Roosevelt was considering last August
the appointment Of successor to JUS
tice Van Devanter, there were two
names on his pad during his final con-
ference with the Attorney General.
One was the name Of Senator Black
OF Alabama and the other was that Of
Stanley Reed Of Kentucky.
Runner-Up Chosen.
It is significant that the President.
when 4 second vacancy occurred, lost
little time In picking the man who
had been runner-up. so to speak. on
the first occasion. 1t is a sign, more
over. Of the confidence which the
President has in Homer Cummings, his
Attorney General. In a sense the in
eident represents q triumph for the
Attorney General over those on the
feft-wing side. who have been sniping
at him and trying to force him out
of the cabinet by spreading rumors
that he Is In presidential disfavor, etc.
People who say such things about
the Attorney General do not know
Mr.. Roosevelt himself. There is one
quality which the President has, and
which may not often be emphasized
because it is one of those Intangible
things which are not demonstrable in
words, but he has loyalty to his po-
litical friends which Is steadfast and
unbudging He has known Homer
Cummings since the days Of Woodrow
Wilson. Mr.. Roosevelt does not for
get that before 1892. when there was
q sharp division inside the party on
his candidacy, it was Homer Cum
mings who unhesitatingly lined up
with him and bore some Of the brunt
Of the battle that gave him his real
opportunity.
Mr.. Cummings is not the type Of
lawyer who has specialized in consti-
tutional law to the same extent as had
his Solicitor General His has been q
broader training as legal consultant.
Hence he never permitted his own
name to be brought forward for the
Supreme Court, and 1t Is q mark of
the mans unselfishness and devotion
to his own chief that he could 80
earnestly recommend his own subordi-
nate FOR = promotion that most every
lawyer in the land would give q great
deal to win.
Value in Cabinet.
Mr.. Cummings, on the other hand,
remains one Of the most valued Of
cabinet officers because he is Of the
type of general adviser who is most
helpful to the President. Himself
schooled In conservative doctrine, he
has never failed to proclaim the Wood
row Wilson liberalism. The guidance
OF Mr.. Cummings, whose heart beats
stronger for . constructive New Deal
than most Of the left-wingers, becomes
more essential to a busy President in
times like these than at any other era
in the administration.
There has been talk of the Attorney
Generals retirement to 60 into pri-
vate practice. No doubt, with his
knowledge of public affairs today,
he would hnd such practice both in
teresttne and lucrative. But, 10 far
Is Is known, the Attorney General
has not indicated any desire to leave
here, and, II he does some day. it win
be Of his own free will and not 1T the
behest of the left-wing conspirators
who are trying to force Assistant At
torney General jackson into the politi-
cal limelight. They run the risk OF
overplaying their hand with man Of
the strong friendships which Mr..
Roosevelt forms for those who have
-. e.. IT, ~.