The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-10-07
Supreme Court Opens '46 Tern, Amid Inner Enmities

Washington, Oct. T. CUP)-A Supreme Court ridden with personal emmities assembled today for the opening session of the 1946 term with Fred M. Vinson ascending the bench for the first time as the new chief justice.
 Associate Justice Robert H. Jack son and Hugo L. Black faced one another in public for the first time since Jackson blasted their feud into the public gate early last Sum mer. Their declared war Is the loudest but not the only cleavage which splits the justices appointed to the bench by President Roose- welt.
 Black is the courts most liberal member. Jackson is often on the other side.
 To Go Into Conferences
 Todays brief session Cat noon EST) was expected to be strictly ceremonial.
 Then the nine justices will go into daily private conferences TOT a week to discuss new cases hled with the court during the Summer. These conferences continue inter- mittently through the term.
 It is in these private sessions that Vinson will be called upon Ill hls hole of peacemaker with the feud- ing justices. Here the justices pres ent their votes on cases and nave their closest associations.
 Both Jackson and Black have in- dicated that they will have nothing more to say publicly on their per sonal and legal differences, But this truce will not necessody carry over to opinions handed down during the term. Tn almost any case Ill which the feuding justices are on opposing sides, they are likely to take none-too- subtle jabs at each other
 Expect to Sit It Out
 Neither Black nor Jackson has shown the slightest inclination to resign. Both seem determined to slt the feud through. It remains to be seen whether their bitter quarrel can be contained within the sedate judicial chambers. It was brought into the open last Spring With blistering statemen by Jackson charging that Black should have withdrawn from a case that was argued by his former law partners.
 A heavy docket awaits the trlb- unars attention. The badly-spl1t court was unable to reach decision on 20 cases last year which will be argued this Fall. More than 5oo other cases appealed from lower court decisions also have been hleo with the cdurt. A decision possibly will be handed down with this year in case brought by Gov. Ellis Arnall o1 Georgia contesting so-called ''un- fair" freight rates for the South. Another freight rate case, which may change the entire structure of the nations rates, is before the court on the appeal of nine north ern states.
 The question of whether a vet eran may retain his seniority status at the end of the protective year guaranteed in the Selective service Act is before the court.
 Hatch Act Challenged
 Two cases challenging various phases of the Hatch Act, which forbids Government workers to ln- dulge in politics, await hearings.
 It also has received suits test ing the validity of Georgia's sys- tenn of political units which per nits 8 candidate to receive the primary nomination although he doesn't receive majority Of the popular vote. Another political case has been re-appealed to the court contesting the validity of Illinois present division of congressional districts.
 And the court must decide finally whether Willie Francis, 17-year- old Louisiana Negro, must de III