The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1939-04-20

protesting virtues which 1T has failed
to practice. We never have had in
Washington an Administration so
adept at drawing white robes of purity
around its shoulders. Nor have we
ever had an Administration which
has talked one way and acted another.
Easily recalled are the frequent
laundering words Of the President and
his satellites on the subject of monop-
olies. Yet no Administration ever did
more to break down the antitrust
laws and promote monopoly than did
the New Deal through the N. R. A.
and similar legislation.
Odium and reproaches have been
heaped on everyone who undertakes
to do business for a profit. Economic
royalists" and money changers in
the temple" are but two of the nasty
epithets hurled by the New Deal. Yet
never have we had a White House
family so jealous in pursuing the illu-
sive dollar for personal gain as now.
What other Administration ever had
the gall to get campaign funds by
shaking down corporations on the pre-
text of selling them the Presidents
autograph for $3.50 each?
More SanctimoniOus Breast-Beating
Lately the New Deal is entertaining
US with much breast-beating and
many sanctimonius gestures on the
subject of Cleaning up the machinery
of justice" and assuring the indepen-
dence and competence of the Federal
judiciary.
The high-minded and sanity Attor-
ney General Frank Murphy, has SOL
EMMY announced that he proposes to-
establish division in the Justice De-
partment to keep watch on Federal
judges and take prompt and vigorous
measures whenever there is cause to-
believe that unhealthy conditions and
irregularities exist.
President Roosevelt in his recent
letter to Floyd H. Robert, the Vir-
ginian whose nomination as a Federal
judge was rejected because of the OBJ
jections of Senators Glass and Byrd,
likewise struck a lofty attitude. He
indicated he was fighting solely toI
keep politics out of judicial appoint
ments.
Now as result of all this, the New
Deal spokesman and apologists have
been deluging the country with de-
scriptions of the Roosevelt Admins
tration's great crusade for raising the
level of the Federal judiciary. Why it
took this crusading Administration
almost six years to find out about the
transgressions of Circuit Court Judge
Martin T. Manton is not explained.
Political Hacks Named
Nor is anything said about the char
acter of the judicial appointments
made by Mr.. Roosevelt during the last
six years. AS a matter of fact, Presi-
dent Roosevelt's appointments to the
Federal bench have been among the
worst ever made by any Administra
ton. Not only has he named a long
string of mediocre political hacks, but
he has appointed to the Federal bench
men whose lack of fitness and quail
fcation easily can be demonstrated
To go no further back than the judi
cial appointments made this year, we
find the President manning as a Fed
eral district judge in Louisiana, Gas
ton Louis Porterie, who was expelled
by the Louisiana Bar Association in
1888 because of the part he played in
seeking to hush up election frauds in
that State. Long a henchman of the
late Huey P. Long and the Democratic
machine in Louisiana, Mr.. Porterie
was elevated to the Federal bench at
the behest of two Senators from that
State. Is that taking politics out of
the judiciary? Will that appointment
inspire confidence in the integrity of
the Federal bench? We doubt it.
We also find since Congress con-
vened Mr.. Roosevelt named Federal
District Judge in Pennsylvania, a for
mer newspaperman, with little legal
experience but henchman of former
Governor Earle of that State, one
Harry E. Kalodner.
Nominee Accused OF Graft
His inexperience is bad enough.
What is worse is the fact that at the
time this nomination was sent to the
Ser"te Pennsylvania grand jury was
engaged in investigating a charge of
graft and corruption filed months pre-
viously against him and others by the
District Attorney of Dauphin County,
Pennsylvania. The grand jury is still
taking evidence in respect to that
charge. We suppose that appointment
was designed to inspire confidence in
the judiciary.