Evening star., 1940-03-15
Pine Is Nominated
For Bench, Curron
As u. S. ATTORNEY
Names Of Appointees
Sent to Senute
For Approval
BY J. RUSSELL YOUNG.

ed David A. Pine, now United States
attorney for the District, to be as
sociate justice Of District Court.
At the same time, the President
appointed Judge Edward M. Curran
Of Police Court to succeed Mr.. Pine
as United States attorney.
These two nominations were sent
to the Senate for confirmation.
Mr.. Pine will fill the vacancy
caused some months ago by the
death of Associate Justice Joseph
M. Cox.
His selection came as no great
surprise, as he had the Endorsement
of the Bar Association, as well as
many individual attorneys and 9TH
ers prominent in the District.
The selection Of Judge Curran as
District attorney, however, did come
as surprise. It was known to only
q few that he was being considered.
Follows Many Conferences.
After Justice Cox's death, more
than a score Of names were pre-
sented for consideration in the selec-
tion OF a successor. It was not until
late yesterday that it was learned
that the final decision in the matter
of a selection was being reached.
Attorney General jackson has con-
ferred with the President several
times in the last 10 days and it is
understood that it was upon the
Attorney Generals recommended
ton that the President nominated
Mr.. Pine.
Among individuals who had per-
sonaly urged Mr.. Pines appoint
ment was Chairman King of the
Senate District Committee, who
was insistent that the President
appoint a local man to this District
Court.
Pine Expresses Thanks.
Asked by newspapermen to COM
ment on his designation as a new
justice of District Court, Mr.. Pine
said:
Il am deeply grateful to the
President and the Attorney General
for the nomination"
Mr.. Pines Office was the center
OF much activity, shortly after noon,
after word of his nomination became
widely known throughout the Court
House.
During the morning, Mr.. Pine was
before the grand jury, presenting a
case involving David D. Mayne, ac-
cused Of selling letters designed to
show link between William Dudley
Pelley, Silver Shirt leader, and
Chairman Dies Of the House Un-
American Committee.
After recess, when Mr.. Pine was
returning to the grand jury room,
the jurors stood and applauded.
News Of his selection had been an
nounced by Deputy United States
Marshal James B. Mccarthy.
Mr.. Pine was appointed United
States Attorney here early in 1898,
succeeding Leslie c. Garnett. He
had been assistant United States
Attorney for four previous years.
Born in Washington September %,
1891, Mr.. Pine attended Central
High School, a local business COL
lege and Georgetown University
Law School, from which he was
graduated in 1913.
After serving as confidential CLERK
to Supreme Court Justice NC
Reynolds, then Attorney General,
Mr.. Pine became a law clerk and
later an assistant attorney in the
Department of Justice. Entering the
World War in 1917 as a first lieu
tenant, he was promoted to a CAP
taincy before being mustered out in
1919.
Aided Coolidge Dam Case.
Again associated with the Depart
ment of Justice, Mr.. Pine worked
with Mr.. Garnett in what was
known as the public lands division.
One of the cases he helped pre-
pare involved settlement of water
rights between Indians and whites
oil the Gila River, thus clearing
the way for construction of the
Coolidge Dam.
Mr.. Pine left the Government
service IN 1871 to practice law with
his wartime commander, Col. James
s. Easily Smith, and in 1925 Joined
the firm Of Easily Smith, Pine &
Hill, the latter member being Fran
els w. Hill, former assistant corpor-
alton counsel. The firm was dis
solved four years later, and Mr..
Pine became associated with A. F,
Myers, former chairman of the Fed
eral Trade Commission, and Judge
John w. Price, formerly of Bristol,
Va. He was sworn in as first as
sistant to Mr.. Garnett, then United
States attorney, on February /, 1894.
Mr.. Pine handled many important
Government cases, including private
power company attacks on the Fed
eral power development program.
Mr.. Pine married Miss Elizabeth
(See APPOINTMENTS, page A-7J