Evening star., 1939-02-09
Text of Glass Statement
Judeeship Nomination Held Designed
To Discredit Virginia Senators

1Sed the appointment regardless OF
the Senators and with the ill-dis-
guised purpose to discredit them?
Choices Well Qualified.
Tavenner is one of the brightest
young lawyers in the western judi
cial district, of fine antecedents and
himself splendid character, with
useful experience in Federal Court
practice. He was Endorsed by every
bar association in the second larg-
est congressional district of the
State.
Judge A. c. Buchanan is notable
character on the bench and Supreme
Court records attest that he Is in
comparably superior in legal knowl-
edge to the nominee rejected by the
Senate. Time and time again, as
pointed out to the Senate Judiciary
Committee. the State Supreme Court
had adopted Buchanans opinions
teXtually in important cases as its
own. Some years ago when it was
thought desirable to revise the
States judicial procedure Buchanan
was by the Supreme Court put on
the Judicial Council to do this work.
There is no man in Virginia, on or
off the bench, who stands higher in
reputation for probity and learning.
Although petitions for the Presi-
dents nominee were circulated
through the congressional district
before the ink was dry on the bill
creating this judgeship, scores of
lawyers Endorsed Buchanan when he
was reluctantly induced by the Vir-
ginia Senators to permit the use of
his name. Every lawyer of his cir
cult Endorsed him and lawyers in
every county of his congressional
district. George Peery. Governor
until last January; the presidents
of outstanding colleges and univer-
sites, judges on the bench. members
of the General Assembly, as well as
many men of character and great
worth, approved the recommended
tions of the two Senators. What
objection was there to his appoint
ment except that he had been rec
commended by the two Virginia Sem
ators, charged by the Constitution
with advising and consenting to such
Federal appointments?
Did the President ever open his
lips or communicate directly or in
directly with either of the Virginia
Senators concerning their recon-
mendations for the judgeship? He
did not Did his Department of
Justice discuss with them In any
wise the relative fitness of the six
applicants for the position? 1t did
not. Was not Judge Roberts promptly
brought to Washington for confer
ence? I am reliably told he was.
Was any one of the other six per-
sons mentioned for the judgeship
brought to Washington or COM
municated with in any respect? Not
one of them, am told. Gov. Prices
own testimony, of official record
shows an admission that he was
called over distance telephone
by the Department of Justice and
asked his opinion of Roberts. Was
he asked his opinion Of Buchanan or
Tavenner or any other one of the
six persons mentioned for the judge
ship? He was not. Was Gov. Peery,
four years ago, asked about the quail
iflcations of Judge Pollard for the
eastern district of Virginia? He was
not, nor, in my belief, was any other
Governor since the foundation Of the
State, invited to project himself into
a scheme to purge" the two United
States Senators from State by
practically vetoing their recommen-
dations for executive appointment.
Stands by Statements.
Before the Judiciary Committee, I
ventured the opinion that the Attor-
ney General never had the slightest
idea of giving consideration to the
recommendation of the two Vir-
ginia Senators because the Governor
of Virginia had been promised the
right of veto on nominations that
they made" The President says
neither of these statements is true;
but, with as much difference as the
occasion requires, believe the rec
ord demonstrates that both state
ments are true. If the Attorney
General had any such intention, he
never made the slightest effort to
carry it into effect, not even the
common courtesy of communicating
with either United States Senator
on the subject. If the President did
not delegate the veto power on sena-
torial nominations to the Governor
of Virginia, why did not the latter
deny the offensive assertion pub
lished in all Virginia papers and by
nearly all of them condemned: and
why should the President of the
United States have declined to an
swer simple question propounded
to him by United States Senator
for whom he had repeatedly pro-
fessed friendship?
Gov. Price, as may be seen from