Evening star., 1938-03-13
By Mary.Carfer Roberts.

At4No TcdQ UIllS OOOk, tIle
reviewer is of the opinion
that. short of the realm OF
Il IL fable and satire, there are
few more delightfully."- revealing ac-
counts of the true nature of politics,
1t Is the story of the fight over the
Presidents late plan to enlarge the
Supreme Court, told with magnificent
detachment and picturesque detail,
and it has not only the intrinsic claim
to attention which the importance of
that fight gives it; it is immensely
entertaining, too. The authors-two
Washington respondents-have not
attempted to give irony to their devas-
tating story, to be sure. They have
simply set the story down and let it
speak for itself. But-how it speaks!
1t should be made required reading
for all youths and maidens who dream
wide-eyed of craftsmanship as a
career, and for all patriots who think
to serve their country by the use of
idealism. What funny stuff it is, to
be sure!
fairness, first set the scene by de-
scribing what they conceive to be the
need of the country for social legis-
lation, and point out that the action
of the Supreme Court in repeating
the N. R. A., the A. A. A. and so on,
gave those interested in social legisla-
ton some real reason to expect that the
Justices would continue to be hostile
to measures of similar nature. Thus
there is included justification for the
court-packing bill-or such justifica-
ton as could be found.
The scene then moves to the White
House during the days of the bills
preparation. Just what the sources
of the authors information are the
book does not state. but clearly they
have been both intimate and abun-
dant. The picture of the President S
personal interest in the bill, his close
attention to it, his changing moods
as regarded the strategy of its intro
duction-these aspects of the subject
are treated in almost day-by day
fashion. As the writer's present them
they show the bill to have been a
revenge measure. pure and simple. If
we are to believe this book. the Presi-
dent lavished eager and tirelessly
close thought on this measure be-
cause he saw it as means for wreak-
Ing personal vengeance on the legis-
lative body which had dared to
thwart his favored plans. In this
spirit the whole bill was written, for,
say the authors, the bright young
men who surround him and who did
the actual writing, were too sycophan-
tish by far to tell the Executive
those possible consequences which a
less personal view of the legislation
disclosed.
THE White House indeed shows as a
sort of ivory tower during this
period, tower in which a success
intoxicated man planned and schemed
so to alter the traditional structure
Of our Government as to make it
henceforth memorable of himself
rather than of the founders, utterly
forgebful of the fact that he had
been elected by people to represent
them and interpreting his place there
as indicative that the people would
support him no matter what he did
The authors relate indeed that Mr..
Roosevelt at this time often repeated
the words: "The people are with me-
I know it," He made this statement,
say the authors, lover and over again,
to his advisers, his lieutenants, his
vavering supporters, any one who
would listen" He was quite forgetful,
apparently. that the platform on
which the people had elected him
contained no word about a court
packing plan Moreover, says the
book, the court had actually been his
friend up to that time, for, by re-
pealing the N. r. A., it had saved his
first administration from a major
disaster. But, as these writer's see it,
Mr.. Roosevelt was quite cut off from
reality by this time through the re-
action of his own nature to his
success. He believed that the people
must hold him infallible. Quite pos
sibly he thought that he was so him.
self.
The picture of the Executive mind
at work in the days OF the preparation
Of the court bill is certainly not a
one as these authors pre-
sent It, Nor can the surroundings
in which that mind is set seem par
ticularly wholesome, if one views them
from standpoint of democratic tra-
dition, for, If we are to believe the
writer's of this book, the President
no advice that is not tenn
pered strongly with agreement and
submission. BY this means, .i,ey tell
U.s. he cut himself off from the coun-
Gel of the practical leaders of his
party. who might have warned him of
the certain popular rejection Of his
measure. Such men-notably Sem
ator Robinson-were snubbed aid
ignored, as lacking the higher social
vision. as being mere politicians. And
30 alone, save for the agreeing chorus
VI AA'S OisuI young appOlnCeeS, and
actuated by hatred and revenge, the
Executive Of the lifted States set
about 70 destroy the country's highest
tribunal. No. there is nothing par
ticularly comforting in the picture.
This unlovely scene gives way, how
ever, to the heartiest sort of comedy.
and that very shortly. For when the
authors begin to describe the marhina-
tions Of the two parties in Congress
the supporters and opposers of the
bill-they have much more entertain
Ing material to deal with. The record
there simply bristles with absurdity.
ONE particularly diverting incident
relates to the preparation of
amendments by the opposition. these
amendments to be used for the pur-
poses of filibuster. A flying SQUAD
ron" of the Bar Association, says the
book, met at the Mayflower to prepare
the proposals. The squadron" was
composed of very young lawyers who
were naively anxious to show their