SUPREME COURT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22657, 19 February 1937, Page 9

SUPREME COURT

MR ROOSEVELT'S PLAN FURTHER CONTROVERSY (Received February 18, 7.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 Two resolutions proposing amendments to the Constitution to limit the number of Supreme Court justices were introduced in the Senate to-day. One would permit Congress to reenact by n two-thirds vote each branch of the law invalidated by the Court, but only after a regular election of members of the House. The other provides for the voluntary retirement of justices at the age of 70 and compels their retirement at 75. * .

In a debate Mr. K. D. McKellar (Republican—Tennessee), in a two hours' speech, defended President Roosevelt's programme. Ho was interrupted frequently by Messrs. W. F. George and T. Connally (Democrats for Georgia and Texas respectively).

Mr. McKellar stated that the Court's decision in regard to the National Recovery Act was correct but that concerning the Agricultural Administration and other close decisions wero blunders. He argued that Mr. Roosevelt's victory at tho polls gave him a mandate to do something about the Court.

Mr. George insisted that the plan was un-American. Mr. Connally merely interposed questions. Mr. William Green, president of the American Federation of Labour, announces that tho federation will support the President. Tho latest poll of the Senato shows 34 members against the plan, 33 for and 29 not committed.

A copyright article in the Christian Science Monitor says a poll showed that more than two-thirds of tho newspapers which supported Mr.' Roosevelt's re-election, have declared against his Court proposal and only 19 have approved.