Evening star., 1939-03-20
THREE CENTS.
Named
Supreme Court
Justice
Choirmon of S. (. c.
Choice of President
To Replace Brondeis

10 Replace Brondeis
William Orville Douglas, chairman
OF the Securities and Exchange Com
mission, today was named by Presi.
dent Roosevelt to be an associate
justice of the United States Su-
preme Court.
Mr.. Douglas, who is 40, will fill
the vacancy caused by the recent
retirement of Associate Justice Louis
D. Brandeis.
The President sent the nomination
to the Senate at noon today.
The White House in announcing
the Douglas appointment said he
was being named from Connecticut.
Before his selection there had been
widespread demand for appoint
ment of a Westerner to succeed
Justice Brandeis. the argument being
that the Far West is not now rep-
resented on the Court. Mr.. Douglas
was born in Minnesota and educated
IN Washington State, but has lived
IN the East for many years.
Taught at Yale.
Mr.. Douglas appointment figured
prominently in speculation on the
appointment of a successor to JUS
tice Brandeis and Senate confirma.
tion was expected
Chairman Ashurst. Democrat, of
Arizona, of the Senate Judiciary
Committee Immediately appointed a
seven man subcommittee to con-
slider the nomination. With Western
Senators predominating, ire COM
mittee was listed as follows: Hatch
OF New Mexico, King of Utah,
McCarran of Nevada, Burke of Ne
braska and O'Mahoney of Wyoming,
all Democrats, and Borah of Idaho
and Danaher of Connecticut, Re-
publicans.
The committee was expected to
order hearings within the next few
days.
Senator Borah strongly 1avors Mr..
Douglas appointment, and has been
active in lining up Senate support
for him.
Senate Burke told reporters he
had been "favorably impressed" with
Mr.. Douglas and that the latter
would make an able justice.
King Has Objection.
Senator Danaher described the
nomination as splendid" and said
Mr.. Douglas was highly qualified
and competent"
Senator King. however, had this
to say: d..
They ought to have appointed a
man who had some judicial expe-
rience-a man like Justice Harold
Stephens of the Court of Appeals
for the District of Columbia or
Federal Circuit Judge Sam Bratton
of New Mexico"
Senator Hatch said the subcom-
mittee would meet at the earliest
possible time and "if hearings are
desired they will be held"
Mr.. Douglas, who had been asso-
ciated with the law faculty of Yale
University for a number of years,
was appointed chairman of the
S. E. C. in 1896 when Joseph P. Ken
nedy retired For several years he
had been associated with the COM
mission and earlier had been q
collaboration with the Department of
Commerce in bankruptcy studies.
Mr.. Douglas is considered liberal
Democrat.
Since the administration began
its current effort to reassure and
stimulate business, the S. E. G. re-
laxed its rules concerning short"
sales of securities. Mr.. Douglas
baked Indignantly a few days ago.
however, at proposal from the ma
tional exchanges to make further
changes In trading rules. He
charged that the proposed changes
would not help legitimate business
but would benefit "manipulators"
instead.
Fourth Roosevelt Appointment.
Since his association with the
New Deal, Mr.. Douglas had been
recognized as a brilliant law au-
thority and an able councillor not
only on law but matters relating to
economics and finance.
The appointment was President
Roosevelt's fourth since he has ac-
cupied the White House. The other
three are Justices Hugo Black, STAN
ley Reed and Felix Frankfurter.
Mr.. Douglas, who will not be Il
until next October will be the
the youngest appointee since Joseph
Storey OF Massachusetts, was named
in 1872 at the age of 80.
New Stage of Career.
Bill Douglas" a prominent WASH
lngtonian recently said of the NOM
lnee, reminds me OF the small boy
who never had a chance to play"
Today, ready to enter q new
stage in his career, he is tall and
thin-shouldered. Much of the time
his cold blue eyes have a strained
and tired look.
Stop him late some night as he
is hurrying along the dingy corri-
dors of the Securities Commission.
Likely as not he will have q sub
dued and pleasant manner. He
will probably scratch the back Of
(See DOUGLAS, Page A-l2.)