Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-06-22
Four Witnesses Defend
Cooper Nomination

"A special Senate Judiciary
subcommittee today listened to
four favorable witnesses in the
drawn-out nomination hear
ings Of the administrations
most controversial judgeship
riominee-Judge Irving Ben
Cooper.
Waiting to testify but not
called today because the hear
iI1es were recessed out of re-
spect for the late Senator
Francis Case Of South Dakota,
were such high-powered OPPOSE
ton witnesses as former At
torney General Herbert Brown
ehS and the president-elect of
the American Bar Association.
sAs much action occurred aft
er the abbreviated hearings as
during it. When Bernard SegaI,
Chairman of ABA's judicial
Selections Committee Attempt
ed to give newsmen the back
ground Of Bar Association op-I
position to Judge Cooper,
Chairman Celler of the House
Judiciary Committee chimed in
with his version.
=. Serving on Bench
Judge Cooper has been sery-
ing as a Federal Judge in the
southern district Of New York
unper a recess appointment
which expires with this term of
Congress unless the Senate con-
fnzns him.
The favorable witnesses to-
day included Judge Hyman
Harshay, a Kings County Judge
and three attorneys, Mrs. Fran
ces E. Bilmes, Gilbert Ramirez
ana Mrs. Mary johnson Lowe.
Mr.. Ramirez, who is blind.
testified that he had appeared
before Judge Cooper in the
Youth Part of the New York
Court Of Special Sessions seven
or -eight times.
Outbursts Denied
attempting to refute testi-
mony of earlier witnesses that
Judge Cooper had a trigger
Ike temper and often engaged
ID : emotional outbursts, Mr..
Ramirez described Judge Cooper
as extremely self possessed, Z"
and able to inject a "dignified
but human note" into the youth
court over which he presided.
Judge Cooper was in the youth
court before his nomination to
the Federal bench.
sJudge Cooper did a magni-
ficent job" Mr.. Ramirez testi-
field. HE addressed attorneys
with respect and was the per-
specification Of the proper judge.
He was sharp with interrupters,
but in a proper way. He did
not become impolite or vulgar. -
Defends Speeches
To earlier criticism that
Judge Cooper sometimes lined
up youthful defendants and
made speeches to them, Mr..
Ramirez said he regarded Judge
Cooper's remarks as proper
ones that should be encouraged.
He said the Judge made hard
bitten youths aware of the
majesty of the court.
The youths, he said, realized
that in Judge Cooper they
were dealing with a man they
could not toy with, but who
was quick to extend the help
of the court If they showed a
change for the better"
Mrs. Bjlmes, who, like Mr..
Ramirez, said she did not know
Judge Cooper personally. de-
scribed the chaos in the crowded
court and said that Judge
Cooper presented "a vigorous
purpoSeful figure" regarded by
attorneys with great awe and
respect"
She testified that Judge
Cooper was always courteous
and attentive to the defendants
and their attorneys and said
she never saw Judge Cooper
exhibit any conduct remotely
resembling a tantrum,,
Defended by Woman
Mrs. Lowe, a Negro attorney
who like the others said she
had frequently appeared before
Judge Cooper, said the judge
displayed great Sensitivity" in
handling the problems before
him, was firm but fair" and
was one of the most competent
judges before whom she had
ever practiced.
Judge BarShay testified that
he had never observed any
excessive display of judicial
temper by Judge Cooper.
One of numerous hassles
during and after the hearing
developed when the names of
the 17-man committee which
had voted against Judge
Cooper's nomination, was read
into the record.
This was the executive COM
mittee Of the Association of the
Bar of the City of New York
n.nA AH4a 80 49, -