Evening star., 1940-02-01
Supreme Court
Continued From First Page.)

"in this sense this age is one OF
founding fathers to those who will
follow"
"Of course" he continued. "they
will re-examine the. work of this day,
and some will be rejected. Time will
no doubt disclose that sometimes
when our generation thinks 1t is cor
recting a mistake of the past 1t is
really only substituting one of its
own"
Problems to Test Court.
Explaining that there seems no
likelihood that the tensions and
conflicts of our society are to de-
crease" Mr.. Jackson continued:"I see
no reason to doubt that the prob
lens of the next half century will
test the wisdom and courage of
this court as severely as any half
century of its existence.
"The destiny of this court is in
separately linked to the fate of our
democratic system of representative
Government.
"The future of the court may de-
pend more upon the competence
Of the executive and legislative
branches of Government to solve
their problems adequately and in
time than upon the merit which is
its own"
Charles A. Beardsley of Oakland,
Calf, president of the American
Bar Association, said there are
forces at work in the world today
that are inimical to the continued
fulfillment by this court of the
purpose for which it was created. u
He said it was desirable for the
American people to recall that this
human institution will endure and
that justice, under and pursuant to
law, will be preserved for the
American people only so long as
the American people, by their alert
ness, fidelity and sanity cause them
to be preserved and to endure"
Bloom Heads Committee.
A joint congressional committee,
headed by Representative Bloom,
Democrat, of New York, directed
the exercises, and placed the
wreaths on the graves about the
Capital. Elsewhere in the country,
special committees were in charge.
The Senate and House planned to
! observe the occasion this afternoon.
In the Senate, speeches were sched-
uled by Senator Hatch, Democrat,
of New Mexico, and Senator Aus
tin, Republican, of Vermont, and in
the House by Chairman Summers Of
the Judiciary Committee, and Rep
resentative Guyer, Republican, of
Kansas. All are members of the
joint committee.
The wreath-laying started this
morning after the committeeman
and guests had breakfasted in the
Senate restaurant. In addition to
the Taft grave, others visited we're:
Chief Justice Edward Douglas
White, Oak Hill, and Justices Oliver
| Wendell Holmes, veteran of the
Union Army, Arlington; Bushrod
Washington, Mount Vernon Noah
H. Swayne, Oak Hill; Joseph Nc
Kenna, Mount Olivet; John NJ
Harlan and Stephen j. Field, Rock
Creek, and Philip Barbour, Congress
sional.
First Meeting in New York.
The first meeting of the court a
century and a half ago today in the
small ROYAL Exchange in New York
City was little more than a for
mality. The court consisted of six
members and only three showed UP
at the appointed time. This was
considered good average, however
in those days of almost impossible
roads and snail-like transportation
The three members made them.
selves comfortable and few hour:
later another justice showed up
Four constituted quorum and the
court was organized under Chief
Justice John Jay the next day.
1t was ready for business-bu
there was no business; so, after II
days, the tribunal adjourned unit
August. More than two year.
elapsed before case was argued.
How the jurists were attired al
the first session is moot question
but most historians say they wore
red and black robes and no wigs
Now they wear black robes-ano
still no wigs.