Evening star., 1953-10-01
The Political Mill
The Political Mill
Gov. Warren Called
Outstanding American
Chuirmon Lunger Seeks
Speedy Confirmation
Dv Gould Lincoln

By Gould Lincoln
A recess appointment Of Gov. War
rem Of California to be Chief Justice
Of the United States has no terrors
for the Eisenhower administration. The
President, the Vice President and the.
Attorney General all expect favorable
action on the Warren appointment as
soon as Congress reconvenes. They,
do not regard as jinx the unhappy
ending Of another recess appointment,
of q Chief Justice, that of John Rut-,
ledge Of South Carolina who was named
Chief Justice by George Washington
July i, 1795. and whose nomination
was rejected by the Senate December.
Is the same year.
The Senate struck down Mr.. Rut-y
ledge, who had been serving under his
recess appointment, because Rutledge,
had made statement criticizing the
Jay Treaty settling our differences with
England. negotiated by John Jay, the.
first Chief Justice and to whose place
Rutledge had been named. The state
ment was made by Rutledge after he
had been appointed Chief Justice. It
is scarcely likely that Gov. Warren will
make any political statements from,
now on.
No Cloud Seen.
AS Of today there is no cloud in the
sky casting a shadow of uncertainty
on the Senate confirmation of Gov.
Warren. Those Democratic and Re-
publican Senators who have been
reached proclaim their admiration Of
the California Governor. Senator Xii.
gore of West Virginia, a Democrat
member Of the Senate Committee on
Judiciary which will pass upon the
Warren nomination, is emphatic in his
Endorsement of the Warren selection.
Three full months. however, must elapse
between the time the new Chief JUS
tice takes his seat on the bench and
the day when the Senate votes on con-
f1rmation. In such an interval any
would-be troublemaker will have op-
portunity to go into Gov. Warren's
record with a f1ne-tooth comb. It is
not difficult to remember the case Of
the late Chief Justice Charles Evans
Hughes-whose appointment as Chief
Justice was made by former President
Herbert Hoover in February, 1890.
Hughes had been a great Governor
of New York, great jurist on the
Supreme Court, a candidate OF the
Republican Party for President-and
his easy confirmation was predicted.
Yet, group of Republican progressives
in the Senate quickly started a cam
paign against Mr.. Hughes, charging
that in his practice of law he had
been aligned with big interests. The
opposition ballooned and while Mr..
Hughes was confirmed 1t was by an
Unexpectedly narrow margin. :.
The President could have withheld
an appointment of the Chief Justice
until the opening of Congress next
January. thus avoiding a recess ap-
pointment. Or he could have called
a special session Of the Senate to act,
on the nomination at this time. He
and his advisers. however, considered
that the Warren appointment as Chief
Justice would be generally approved
and there was no danger Of rejection by
the Senate later. The immediate re-,
sponse to the appointment from many
sources justifles that opinion. For Gov.
Warren is an outstanding American
figure, with reputation of great hon.
esty and integrity and ability. a
Speedy Approval Likely. e
Plans for his speedy confirmation as
Chief Justice have already been mades
by Senator LANCER of North Dakota
and chairman of the Senate Judiciary
Committee. He has appointed a SUBJ
committee to consider the nomination,
consisting Of himself as chairman, SEM
ator Hendrickson of New Jersey, an
other Republican, and Senator Ke-7
fauver of Tennessee. The subcommit-
tee, it is expected, will hold such hear
ings as it may consider necessary on the,
Warren nomination in advance of the
opening Of Congress, so that it will be-.
able to make report to the full judi
ciary Committee promptly, and If pos,
sible get confirmation on the opening
day of the session. It is recalled that
Senator LANCER, as chairman Of the
Judiciary Committee at the opening Of
the last session, took similar steps to
expedite the confirmation Of Attorney
General Brownell.
If any opposition exists to the ap-
pointment of Warren as Chief Justice
it is not among the Republican Sena-
tors belonging to the progressive wing
of the party. The California Governor
is considered liberal Republican
and has been described by the President
as a middle-of man. Some Of
the more conservative Republicans, in.
California and out, have taken a dim
view of his Republicanism. 1t does not
appear in the cards, however, any revolt,
against the appointment of the new.
Chief Justice will develop on the Re-
publican side Of the Senate chambers.
So far as the Democrats are concerned,
they could with difficulty oppose him
he won the Democratic nomination for
Governor Of California as well as the
Republican nomination-on his second
try for the Governorship.