Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-01
Headline Cases Mark
Judge Bryon's Career


cation decree adds another sig
nificant milestone to the judicial
career Of Alexandria Federal
Judge Albert v. Bryan.
In striking contrast to the
quiet. unassuming man he is,
Judge Bryan'S nine years on the
Federal bench have been packed
with headline cases.
The Arlington case is no ex-
ception. 1t is the most significant
segregation edict since the orig
inal Supreme Court decision.
Like his other DEGREES, it is
marked by a careful attention to
detail and Qualification of all
points involved. If there had
been any questions about how
far the Supreme Court segrega-
ton decree went, Judge Bryan's
opinion should go a long way to
provide an answer.
Won Wide Respect
The same unflinching attitude
toward resolving all issues has
distinguished the career of this
jurist who was commemorative
Attorney of Alexandria nine
years ago when President Tru-
man appointed him to the Fed
eral bench.
His name has been mentioned
prominently for appointment to
the Fourth Circuit Court of APP
peals-just one step below the
Supreme Court.
Lawyers regard him as a legal
wizard. Subordinates know him
as a kind. humorous man. News
paper reporters respect him as a
man of letters capable of reduce
ing the most complex cases to
the simplest terms. And Judge
Bryan modestly regards himself
as a mere mechanic" of the law
"a cog in Americas judicial
system.
Praise was unanimous when
President Truman first nomi-
mated Judge Bryan to the Fed
eral bench in l947. Not one
word of opposition was heard
against the appointment, and it
sailed through the Senate.
First Segregation Case
He barely had donned his black
robe when the first important
segregation case came before
him. Negroes filed suit for adj
mission to dining facilities at
Washington National Airport,
which had been operated for
white patrons only under Vir-
ginias segregation laws. Judge
Bryan held that since the air.
port was Federal property, the
Negroes must be admitted.
His segregation decisions, how
ever. have not been all in one
direction. He was an original
member of the three judge Fed
eral court that ruled Prince
Edward County could maintain
separate schools for white and
colored-provided they were
equal. That decision was over
turned by the Supreme Court in
its degeneration decree, and
subsequently the three judge
court including Judge Bryan en-
tered an order accordingly.
Jack Cowart, former assistant
administrator of the Production
and Marketing Administration
who was involved in kick-back
scandal, was tried and convicted
before Judge Bryan.
Joseph Sidney Petersen, who
was accused of passing out
secrets from the National Secu-
rity Agency where he worked,
was sent to prison for seven
years by Judge Bryan.
Ruled in Windfall Cases
He ruled for the Government
In two precedent-setting windfall
profits cases involving the
Shirley Duke Apartments in
Alexandria and another apart
ment project in Columbus, Ohio.
In 1852, Judge Bryan presided
over a complicated trial involv-
ing the sale of surplus tankers
to a corporation controlled by
Chinese stockholders. He held
that the sale was invalid because
1t was contrary to the Maritime
Act barring sale of such tankers
to foreign interests without ap-
prevail of the Maritime Com
mission.
Judge Bryan upheld the Com
munist Party membership clause
of the Smith Act in finding
Junius Irving Scales Of North
Carolina guilty of violating that
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