Evening star., 1940-04-21
By Raymond p. Brandt.

Democratic wheel horse, former director
of the mint, told Wheeler he had heard
the Republican administration would in
dict him in the District of Columbia as
well if he joined Robert NJ La Toilette,
vino had just been nominated for Presi-
dent on third party ticket. Wheeler
already had refused to run, but now he
got La Toilette on the telephone and told
him he had reconsidered. That is the
story. here told for the first time, of
how Wheeler came to run for Vice Presi-
dent in 1924. And sure enough, the fol-
lowing March he was indicted in Wash
ington. He was acquitted in both courts
and exonerated in the Senate by an
overwhelming VOTE
Beat Supreme Court Bill.
In some respects his greatest fight was
other man, beat the proposal to pack
the Supreme Court He had been a
New Deal supporter from the start, had
steered through the Senate some of its
most important legislation-for instance,
the holding companies death sentence"
act. Most of his liberal friends-reluc-
family or otherwise-were for the Su-
preme Court reorganization bill. In the
opposition were elements he had scorned
and who had scorned him.
But he did not hesitate; he was one
of the first to announce his opposition.
"A liberal cause" he said, was never
won by stacking a deck of cards, by
stuffing ballot box or packing court"
He had no hope of beating the bill
when the fight began, but thought that
he might be able to win notifications
Popular sentiment gradually swung his
way. Senators slowly were won over, and
eventually Wheeler administered the
coup de grace.
Chief Justice Hughes had declined to
testify before the Senate Judiciary Com
mittee, although obviously the best per-
son to present the views of the court
Wheeler went to see Justice Brandeis,
his close friend. Telephone to the Chief
Justice, Brandeis urged; maybe he will
write a letter. Wheeler demurred; he
didn't know the Chief Justice.
We'll, the Chief Justice knows you,
and what you're doing" said Brandeis.
He led Wheeler to the telephone, stood
with his arm across the Senator's shoul-
ders as Wheeler made the call. Hughes
was, possibly. just waiting to be asked.
Next day Wheeler had an eight-page
letter on which the Chief Justice and his
law clerk had worked most of the night.
The Supreme Court was not behind in
Its work, said the Chief Justice. The
Presidents proposal to add six more
Justices would impair, not increase, the
courts efficiency. That letter killed the
bill.
No Longer Called = "Red."
Conservatives suddenly discovered this
man Wheeler wasn't so bad after all.
Has Wheeler himself changed? There
is evidence that his views have broad
ened. The railroads shuddered when he
became chairman of the powerful Inter-
state Commerce Committee of the Sem
ate, in 1884. but they have found him
notably fair and ready to hear both
sides Of any case. He made speech
last December to the National Associa-
ton of Manufacturers which that organ
ization still is circulating in pamphlet
form. It pleads for Government Coop
Grafton with business. Nobody calls him
a "red" any more. But it is probable
that though he is less impatient, not
so sure of quick panaceas, he is un-
changed fundamentally. He still is the
fN>s y - R@,
silver, for labor.
To be for monetization of silver is good
politics in Montana. A high price for
silver means jobs for miners. And silver
imitation would mean that farmers could
pay off their debts with debased dollars.
Wheeler has twice proposed coinage of
silver at the Bryan ratio of 16 to l. It
is likewise good local politics to be
against the Hull reciprocal trade treaties,
for Montana is cattle-raising State
and fears competition of imported beef.
This man from Montana, now II years
In the Senate, is not q student in the
sense that La Toilette and Borah were;
his liberalism grows out OF personal ex-
periences. He is essentially q scrapper,
a courtroom lawyer. Born in Hudson,
Mass, he talks the earthly Western YER
nacular with q residual trace Of Yankee
accent. He puts the New England "r''
on hadn't orter" But he cusses in pure
Montanese.
He was the youngest of 10 children on
farm. After going through high school
and business college he worked in
hardware store, an optical goods factory
and lawyers Office to scrape together
$3.50. enough to enroll in the University
of Michigan Law School. At Ann Arbor
he waited on table and did clerical work
In the deans of1ce. Summers he ped.
died Dr.. Chases cookbook, published In