Evening star., 1950-03-26
Supreme Court Faces
Term 5 Biggest Cases
As Douglas Returns
BY Robert K. Welsh

Joined his Supreme Court COL
leagues yesterday for the first
time since he suffered severe in
juries in a riding accident near
Yakima, Wash, October 2.
His return to the bench tomor-
row will coincide with hearings on
several of the biggest and most
controversial cases of the current
term. It also will tighten the
tug-of-war between so-called lib
eral and conservative sides and
bring action on some major petit
tions that have been hanging fire
since the tribunal convened Oc-
tober 3.
Two suits by which the Federal
Government hopes to get full
dominion and power over oil-rich
tidelands off Louisiana and Texas
finally come up for argument to-
morrow.
Real Estate Case.
Even more bitterly fought and
far-reaching issues, involving
racial segregation and the sep
arate but equal" doctrine, are due
for argument next week.
Still another case, of particular
interest to Washington, will be
argued late this week. 1t is the
Justice Departments appeal from
United States Court of Appeals
dismissal of antitrust proceedings
against the Washington Real
Estate Board and the National
Association of Real Estate Boards.
The Government contends the
boards conspiredf to fix brokers
fees for real estate transactions
in the District.
Justice Douglas arrived in
Washington yesterday from
Florida where he spent the last
eight days. For several months
previously he had been in Ari-
zona recovering from injuries sus-
tanned when his horse slipped and
fell on him in the mountains near
his Yakima home. Justice Doug
las suffered punctured lung and
IA broken ribs. He was well
enough to resume horseback. rid
ing last January and do bit of
hunting in recent weeks.
The 51-year-old Justice who
rounds out his tenth year on the
court next month called at his
office briefly yesterday. His staff
said he would be On the bench to-
morrow and for the remainder of
the term.
- May Vote on Pending Cases
= He has taken no part in de-
cisions since October but has kept
in close touch with litigation.
Court officials explained he still
may vote on pending cases al
though he did not hear the oral
arguments.
A visit that he and Justice
Black had in Arizona several
weeks ago centered further atten-
ton on the influence Justice
Douglas might exert on his re-
turn to the court this week.
:, Justices Black and Douglas and
the late Justice Murphy and Rut-
ledge often banded together as
the liberal wing" at past ses-
sions. Justices Clark and Min
ton thus far have shown some
what conservative or middle
ground tendencies in written optn-
ions. But Justice Douglas may
be expected to give strong help
to Justice Black in trying to sway
the newcomers.
Second only to the return of
Justice Douglas, tomorrow's main
subject for speculation by lawyers
and laymen facing the Supreme
Court bench will be the return of
Chief Justice Vinson. The Chief
Justice also has been in Florida
where he visited President Tru-
man. Reports out of Key West
indicated the conference dealt to
some extent with the question of
harmony" on the high court.
There have been firm denials of
any impending change in the
court. particularly rumors that
Chief Justice Vinson might be-
come Secretary of State.
Were Purposely Delayed.
Argument on the tidelands cases
and several others such as three
racial segregation controversies
were purposely delayed until a
full court was on hand.
One of the latter cases will test
the railroad dining car segrega-
tion practice and the two others
involve alleged discrimination