Evening star., 1938-07-10
ROOSEVELT HITS
I. CHANDLER ACT
Charges Bid to Traffic in
Court Appointment in
Letter to Logan.
BY the Associated Press,

BY the Associated Press.
A parting presidential shot at Gov
A. B. Chandler. opponent Of New
Deal-favored Alben w. Barkley in
Kentuckys Democratic senatorial pri-
mary. exploded in the Capital yes
terday.
Politicians here were still talking
avidly about the Presidents unprece-
dented Endorsement of Senator Bark
ley Friday when Senator Logan. Dem
ocrat. of Kentucky made public a
letter from Mr.. Roosevelt dated Feb
ruary /.
1t said the Governor had made a
proposition" to the President the
day before and had seemed sur
prised when told him that you and
would be the last people in the
world to traffic in judicial appoint
ments in order to satisfy the ambi-
tions of one ce-seeker."
Proposal Not Revealed.
Mr.. Roosevelt's letter did not say In
80 many words what Gov. Chandler S
proposition" was. But. coupled with
an announcement which Senator Lo-
idea clearly that the Governor had
suggested that the Junior Senator
from Kentucky be appointed to a
Federal judgeship. This would have
permitted Gov Chandler to be ap-
pointed to succeed him in the Senate.
and would have left Senator Barkley
q clear field in his race for renom-
nation to .Kentucky's other Senate
seat.
Il want you to know how fine I
think your statement of Monday was, +"
the President wrote. referring to Sem
ator Logan's announcement that he
would decline any judicial post offered
him. 1.-The Governor put you and AL
ben and me into a most disagreeable
situation and wholly without any ne
cessity therefor.
II want you to know that the Gov
ernor came to see me yesterday, re-
peated the same proposition and
seemed surprised when told him that
you and I would be the last people
in the world to traffic in judicial ap-
pointments in order to satisfy the am
bitions of one office-seeker-
You deserve all the credit in the
world for the splendid and unan-
swerable and unselfish position you
have taken
Logan to Serve Out Term.
Senator Logan. in his statement of
January 81. said he would refuse to
take part in anything that looks like
q bargain with respect to the judi
ciary." One of the lieutenants in the
Presidents unsuccessful fight to reor-
game the Supreme Court last year,
he said he intended to serve out his
term and seek reelection in 1912.
Another political development in the
Capital yesterday was statement by
W. P. A. Administrator Harry Hop
kins. accusing critics of "trumping up"
charges that the work relief agency
was engaged in political activity.
Mr.. Hopkins denied, in a letter to
Senator Vandenberg. Republican. of
Michigan, that the w, P. A. had dis
tributed groceries and other COM
modities to relief clients in Kentucky
in large paper bags bearing the in
scription, Paper bags donated by a
friend of Senator Alben w. Barkley."
Senator Vandenberg had sent Mr..
Hopkins a photograph of bag bear
ing the inscription.
The w. P. A. head explained that
the bags were supplied by an "un-
named friend" of Senator Barkley to
q general store across the street from
q w. P. A. commodities distribution
center in London, KY.
Asserting that they were handed
out to any one who asked for them
to be used for any purpose that they
might see fit to put them" Mr.. Hop
kins said this. was an instance which
typified ''the loose and unfounded
charges that are being trumped up by
persons who are anxious to find po-
litical activities in any and every act
of this administration"
At Lexington. KY, Ernest Rowe
district w. P A. director. reiterated
that Nv. P. A. people had nothing to
do with the bags.