Evening star., 1955-02-05
Kefauyer Will Seek
Early Vote on Court
Reports 10 Congress
BY Miriom Gutenberg

| NIldlELudI1 ACldufCl Vi VAC
Senate Judiciary subcommittee
considering proposals for peri
odic addresses to Congress by
the Chief Justice said today he
expects to hold a meeting of his
subcommittee early next week
to vote on the measure.
An all-day hearing was cli-
NAKED yesterday with the first
public expression of the views
of Chief Justice Warren.
In a letter to Senator Ke-
fauver, the Chief Justice wrote.
IF the Congress should be OF the
opinion that it, and through 1t,
the public might become better
informed on the subject tof the
courts through a statement OF
current conditions and recon-
mendations of the Chief Justice.
I would be happy to cooperate"
Mr.. Warren voiced the opinion
that if the procedure were to
become effective, it should be
done at stated intervals on a
permanent basis rather than
occasionally.
Opinion Sought.
Senator Kefauver had asked
the Chief Justice for his opinion,
based on his experience as chair
man of the Judicial Conference
of the United States. Senator
Kefauver left the way open for
the expression of opinion to be
either in confidence or made pub
lie and the Chief Justice allowed
its publication.
The form the resolution should
take in inviting the Chief JUS
tice to appear is one of the ques-.
tions to be settled at next weeks
meeting of the subcommittee.
Some favorable witnesses argued
for a resolution to provide for
one or two addresses to this Con-
gress only. Others favored a per-
manent arrangement.
There was also question about
whether the address. if approved
by Congress, should be made an
nually or to each new Congress.
The Chief Justice himself said he
believed that a biennial message
in the early days of each Con-
gress would be sufficient to &C
complish the objective OF those
who make the proposal"
Written Message Opposed.
Senator Kefauver asked each
witness whether he thought the
resolution should provide for the
alternative of a written or oral
message. All the witnesses
frowned on the idea Of a writ
ten message, pointing out that
the Chief Justice is now required
by law to send written reports
to Congress. The trouble, both
testifying members of Congress
and members of the bench and
bar declared, is that the written
reports aren't read.
Senator Kefauver commented
after the hearing that the testi-
mony had shown that "the prog
nosticators who interpret polit-
ical motivations in this proposal
have no foundation in facts"
He referred to testimony Of
Chief Judge Harold M. Stephens
of the United States Court Of
Appeals for the District of Co.
lumbia and Chief Judge John
Biggs. jr., of the Third Circuit
that they first proposed the idea
of periodic addresses to Con-
gress by the Chief Justice.
He also cited testimony by
Robert Minor, representing the
Justice Department at the hear
ing, that the proposal had orig
mated with the judges and not
with the Justice Department.
IT am satisfied" commented
Senator Kefauver, that this
proposal originated with judges
whose responsibility it is to see
that the problems of the Judi
ciary are understood. They are
judges serving lifetime ap-
pointment and they are certain
ly without political angles"
Discussed With Vinson.
Both Judge Biggs and Judge
Stephens testified that the idea
for the courts to have a spokes-
man before Congress came to
them when the late Chief JUS
tice Vinson was still on the
bench. They said they had dis
cussed it with him informally
but he had not committed him.
self.
IF Judge Biggs or I thought