Evening star., 1939-02-14
The Political Mill
Roosevelt Might Appeose RuffIed Feelings
By Numing Bratton to Supreme Court

that Stephenson would not get the
job at that time.
Jackson Seen as Possibility.
If the President again disregards
the demand of Western Senators
and others to place q Westerner on
the bench, he may select Robert
H. jackson of New York, solicitor
general of the United States under
his appointment. Jackson was one
of the most ardent and effective
supporters of the Presidents court
bill in 1887. He has been thorough
going New Dealer ever since the
New Deal had its start.
The retirement OF Justice Brandeis
had long been rumored as a pos
sibility. Indeed, it was said at one
time that Justice Frankfurter had
been selected to fill the Brandeis
vacancy when it should occur. Both
are from Massachusetts,, both are
Jews. The announcement of Justice
Brandeis' determination came yes
terday, however, as surprise, and
a week after Justice Frankfurter
had taken his place on the bench.
Justice Brandeis was the 61st as
sociate justice of the Supreme Court
and Justice Frankfurter the list,
during all the history of the court.
There have been only II Chief
Justices of the United States and
one Of them-the second, John
Rutledge Of South Carolina-was
given recess appointment and
sat on the bench during an Au-
gust term in 1795 and was not con-
frmed by the Senate.
Some Of President RooSevelt's ju-
dicial appointments have been sub
ject Of criticism in the Senate and
elsewhere. The Virginia Senators
charged that he was playing politics
when he nominated Judge Floyd H.
Roberts to be United States district
judge for the western district of
Virginia-and they beat Judge Rob-
erts in the Senate when the show
down came. There is pending
presidential appointment of a Fed
eral judge in Pennsylvania that
seems to be on the road to trouble
Harry Kalodner. The nomination of
Representative Goldsborough of
Maryland to be member of the
United States Court in the District
of Columbia smacks also of politics,
for it was Mr.. Goldsborough who
invited the President to come into
his State to speak during the cam
paign put on by the President to
purge" Senator Tydings last year.
Plane Purchase Probe Checked.
Temporarily the Senators who
have demanded full publicity re-
garding the administrations efforts
to pave the way for the French to
buy the best military planes possible
in this country have been checked.
Not only has the Senate taken three
day adjournments for more than q
week, and thus kept debate to q
minimum, but also the Senate Mill
tary Affairs Committee yesterday
voted down, II to 5, motion by
Senator Clark Of Missouri to make
public the hearings on the subject.
Nothing daunted, the Senators
WAN AAAoAoS Ak<OAA R0bA(AIy-CSCl1 IL ~
shows that there was q serious con-
f1ict between the military authori-
ties and the President and Secre-
tary Morgenthau over the matter Of
showing the French mission what
this country has In the way Of mill
tary planes-are planning new hear
ings. They put through the Military
Affairs Committee q resolution say
ing that members Of the committee
should be at liberty to tell what goes
on in the committee hearings-be-
hind closed doors-hereafter except
those things touching on military
secrets. So they plan to ask Mr..
Morgenthau, Secretary Of War
Woodring, Gen. Craig, chief of staff,
and others to reappear before the
committee. And when they do they
will ask some more questions about
the proposed purchase Of planes by
the French.