Evening star., 1946-04-30
Bridges Would Bar
High Court Justices
From Political Action
BY the Associated Press

Senator Bridges, Republican,
OF New Hampshire, proposed to-
day an amendment to the ju-
dicial code which bar future Su-
preme Court justices from any
political activity.
The New Hampshire Senator told
his colleagues today that Congress
ought to act now, while there is a
vacancy in the Office of Chief JUS
tice, to require future members toI
devote all of their time to court ac-I
tivities. He said his amendment
would not affect present justices.
Legislation of the sort is pending
in the House.
Without mentioning him by name
Senator Bridges alluded to the serv-
ice of Justice Jackson as prosecutor
in the Nuremberg war trials. Justice
Jackson has been mentioned as
President Truman's possible choice
for Chief Justice.
Appointment Is Delayed.
Mr.. Truman, in the meantime, has
delayed until later in the week his
expected announcement of a sue
cessor to the late Harlan Fiske Stone.
Charles Evans Hughes, 84-year-old
retired Chief Justice conferred for
80 minutes with the President late
yesterday, but refused any comment.
In his speech, Senator Bridges
noted that present statutes provide
that justices shall not Exercise the
profession. or employment of counsel
or attorney. or be engaged in
the practice of law" and added:
Whether or not acting as pros
ecutor in court in Germany can
be said to constitute employment
as a counsel or attorney within the
meaning of this section, I do not
undertake to say"
Contending that a justice should
keep himself aloof from those fields
of activity in which judgments are
formed and actions controlled by
controversies and advocacy" Senator
Bridges said he thinks that if a
court member desires to engage in
such activities 'he should first
resign"
Have Entered Politics.
There have been justices who
have entered the market place of
politics" he said. There have been
justices who could be said to have
sought popularity in their advo-
cacies There have been justices
who have propagandized through
their utterances for particular ma
tional and international causes.
1T has been said that one associate
justice, who in the statutory order
of precedence is eligible to become
acting Chief Justice, has assisted in
spearheading the Nationwide drive
of a so-called Political Action Com
mittee. No existing statute in terms
proscribes such conduct"
Justice Black, as ranking member
Of the court, has been presiding over
the bench since Mr.. Stones death.
Delays Courts Business.
Senator Bridges, saying he was
informed that in Is pending i'm
portant cases the court had been
unable to give a final decision be-
cause of the absence of justice 'on
important public business" added:
Il knew the mind of our late Chief
Justice Stone on these matters.
Since he came from New Hampshire,
1 enjoyed his confidence and his
thinking on this subject and l now
proceed that situation which was
the source of much concern to him
may not again arise
Under Senator Bridges amend
ment any newly appointed member
of the court would be required to
sign an agreement, in a form to be
dictated by the court. that he would
not directly or indirectly engage in
activity political in nature, or use
or lend the use of his name to move
ments OF public character other than
as may be prescribed by law