ROOSEVELT’S PLAN DECRIED

Southland Times, Issue 23227, 16 June 1937, Page 5

ROOSEVELT’S PLAN DECRIED

SENATE REPORT ON BILL FOR COURT REFORM (Received June 15, 6.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, June 14. The Senate Judiciary Committee, in its report on the proposal of the President (Mr Franklin D. Roosevelt) to reform the Supreme Court, calls the Judiciary Reorganization Bill a needless, futile and utterly dangerous abandonment of the constitutional principle and asks for its defeat “so emphatically that its parallel will never again be presented to the free American people.” It is now expected that the question will come before the Senate. The Senate Judiciary Committee on May 18 decided by. 10 votes to eight to report unfavourably to the Senate on the Judiciary Reorganization Bill. It was considered significant that the Judiciary Committee's vote was closely followed by the retirement of Mr Willis Van Devanter, one of the associate justices of the Supreme Court. Seven Democrats were among the majority on the Judiciary Committee. The two occurrences meant virtually certain defeat for Mr Roosevelt’s Bill. Even some of his warmest supporters admitted that the retirement of Mr Van Devanter accomplished the President’s alm of giving the Court a Liberal majority of six to three.