Evening star., 1947-12-25

Chairman Wiley of the Senate
Judiciary Committee believes
that, In the event Of a vacancy
on the United States Court Of
Appeals here, a Washington at
torney should be appointed and
he should be Republican to
provide a better bipartisan bal
ance.
This stand by the Wisconsin Sem
ator was in line with the feeling
of District Bar Association men,
bers and Washington lawyers in
general that this city deserves
greater representation in appoint
ment of judges, particularly to the
Cougt of Appeals.
The matter has become especially
timely in view Of the possible re-
tirement of Chief Justice D. Law
renee Groner Of the Court Of Ap-
pealsk Justice Groner said. on No.
vemb II, that he is considering
retire bent, but he added: Il really
haveff It made up my mind about
It,"
Active Despite Arthritis.
Despite attacks of arthritis, he
has been steadily active at court
sessions and in writing opinions.
He is "A, has been eligible for re-
tirement since he was 10 Apd was
appointed to the Court of Appeals
in 1881 by President Hoover. Pre-
viously he served for 10 years as a
Judge of the United States District
Court for the Eastern District OF
Virginia.
Although the only Republican on
the Court OF Appeals bench now, he
was appointed Chief Justice by
President Roosevelt in December,
1887.
Senator Wiley, whose committee
will consider President Truman's S
forthcoming nomination of a sue
cessor to the late Municipal Court
Judge Nathan R. Margold, said
yesterday he hopes the Justice De-
partment will heed District Bar AS
sociations request that more Dis
trict lawyers and Republicans be
named to the courts here. The
Justice Department ordinarily
makes suggestions to the White
House on judicial appointments.
Local Wishes Ignored.
The District has always beer
treated as sort of occupied zone
that is, occupied by some foreign
power which brings in its own ap.
pointees and ignores local wishes,
Senator Wiley declared
Urging consideration of District
Bar Association recommendation.
and bipartisan appointments te
remedy the lopsided balance ol
Democrats over Republicans namec
to the courts in recent years. Sen.
ator Wiley told The Star that:
Il want to affirm and reaffirm
in connection with all future ap.
pointments to the judiciary, that I
for one, am determined to see 8
policy prevail whereby there viii
be a bipartisan balance on tht
judiciary. At the present time, ac.
cording to the latest statistics fur.
nished to me by the Attorney Gen.
eral. 237 members OF the Federal
judiciary are Democrats and only
"A are Republicans.
This is completely lopsided un-
balance, in which 76.2 per cent OF
the incumbent judges are Of the
minority. party while a mere 23.s
per cent are supposed to represent
the political faith OF the overwhelm-
Ing. :. ptajorttS OF the AmErtcar
! people, as registered at the last ma.
tional election. am not only seek.
ing a balance as to numbers among
Republicans and Democrats, but
am seeking to have the finest pos
sible menA and woman appointed Il
the FederaT judiciary-jurists Of
outstanding legal competence, o.
long experience. of judicial tempera.
ment.. of complete and answering
loyalty to our constitutional system
Of checks and balances.
IN the past I have deeply re-
GREETED and deplored the failure Of
the Justice Department to give full
recognition and respect to the
choices and designations of local
bar associations, particularly the
choices of the District Of Columbia
bar. During my period Of service as
chairman of the Senate Judiciary
Committee, I believe and trust that
we have made progress along the
line OF fuller recognition and re-
spect Of bar association sentiments
and Judgment.
In connection with all future ap-
pointments to the Municipal Court
OF the District, to the Washington
District Court and to the Washing
ton Court Of Appeals. 1t is my
earnest. hope that the Department
of Justice will follow policy of
"a giving full recognition to the
judgment of the District Bar As
sociati ton; (b) to the need for bi-
partisan appointments to remedy
ths lnnsi6ed 11nhalance. and (c)