The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-06-18
by Dre1C Pearson

Tt occurred to other members of the court " Hughes said, that Justice Field had served on . committee which waited upon Justice 0rier to sug- gest his retirement and was thought that recalling this to Justice Fields memory might aid him to de- eide to retire.
 Justice John M Harlan was deputed to make the suggestion. He went over to Justice Field, who sitting alone settee apparently obltvious to his surroundines and after arousing him. asked if he did not recall how anxious the Court had become with respect to Justice GrierS condition. Justice Harlan asked if Justice Field did not remember what had been said to Justice Grier that occasion The old listened, gradually became alert and finally his eyes blazing with the old fire of youth, burst out:
 "Yes, and dirtier days work never did in all my life"
 Another period of near-clvi war took place fin the Court after the last war; when the nine justices called upon to pass on the espionage cases. The Court was so split, that committee including Justices Willis Van Devanter and William R. Day called on Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes to ask that he write one of his usual vigorous dissenting opinions.
 You know what my ideas of the law are and will not change them," he replied. And for some months following this the justices stopped speaking to each other
 Probably the most vitriolic criticism ever lev- eled against the Court by anyone in high places came from Abraham Lincoln, when Chief Justice Roger B. Fancy called upon the commanding officer at Fort McHenry in Baltimore to reinqUSh prisoner during the Civil War This the commanding general refused to do.
 '"The judicial machinery" remarked Lincoln at the time, seems If 1t had been designed not to sustain the Government but to embarrass and betray it."
 Frankest observation regarding the Court came from one of its own members Justice David J. Brewer, in 1893.
 Tt is mistake" he said "to suppose the Su- preme Court is either honored or helped by being spoken of as beyond criticism The time Is past in the history of the world when any living man or body of men can be set pedestal and decorated with halo"
 Franklin D. Roosevelt, IT,, guiding spirit of the American Veterans Committee, recently attended Q coseddoor meeting of veterans leaders with Housing erans housing problems when Wyatts assistants brought out that between 350OOO and 5OOOoO vets would be evicted this year.
 John Stelle aggressive President of the American Legion, jumped to his feet demanding that some thing be done.
 There must be some solution" said Stelle, 1T assure you that the American Legion won't twid- de its thumbs while men who served their country in this being thrown out on the streets.
 T suggest that groups of perhaps 20 veterans band together and erect their own pre-fabricate6 houses in localities where there is a labor shortage, providing there is no conflict with labor unions"
 I'm inclined to agree with that" spoke up FDR, Jr. but must be careful not to conflicS with organized labor. Let's be sure of our ground first by sounding out the union leaders in areas affected I'm inclined to question the wisdom of or ganzing such husking bees unless the labor unions approve.