Washington, Feb. 1 President Roosevelt" will not accept a compromise on his pro gramme for reform of the Federal Judiciary, sources close to the Ad= ministration said to-day.
Washington, Feb. 14.
Elements opposed to' President Roosevelt have revived the technique adopted in the recent presidential campaign in an effort to defeat the President's campaign for reform of the Judiciary, the Attorney-General, Ins, Homer 8; Cummings, declared In a radio broadcast to-night, Mr, Roosevelt, he asserted, "is now the storm centro of a virulent attack, We are being solemnly assured that the courts would be mere appendages to the executive amice. 'Tragedies. despotism, we are assured, await only the. adoption of the President's recommendations.... What is the real objection—those' who wish to preserve the status quo want to retain the Supreme Court justices who may be relied, upon to veto progressive measures, The Attorney-General said that opponents of the programme were unable to call the proposed measure Unconstitutional and were therefore calling it immoral.
"If It produces a wholesome result in a perfectly legal manner it can scarcely be immoral," he. replied, Regarding charges that the President s to "pack" the Supreme Court, Mr. Cummings said that every ap: ointment is open to the same ae-ensation, He pointed out that the 'Senate must confirm all appointees fu, any event, "Let us be done with irresponsible talk of dictatorships....1f we are sueccess(ully to, defend' our institutions, we must make them work," he urged, Demands for an amendment of the programme, he continued,—would lorely bring about the tragedy of delay. The Attorney-General relterated the points which President Roosevelt emphasized In hig message to Congress regarding "the programme, and also quoted present and former members "of the Supreme Court who have said that "ihe Constitution is the channel through which the life of our people flows, directing, guiding and facilitating, but at no. Boint"allempling to "hall" United ress, 'AL the same time, Mr, Hatton W. Sumners, chairman of the House Representatives judiciary committee, whose measure for voluntary retire ment of Supreme Court justices was passed by the House yesterday, cancelled a meeting of his committee to-day, with the cryptic comment "Phe visibility Is not" very food," The remark was interpreted as desire for eclarifieation of the White House attitude on the matter Judielury reform and emphasized the general confusion prevailing ax to the President's exact views, "The cancellation delays further consideration of the programme Gntitnext Tuesday unless a special meeting of the committee is called.
The House passed the Sumners Bill after a" Mery debate, the votings being 318 in favour to 75. Immediately after passing the measure the House suddenly ad~ Journed without considering a second proposal by the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Mr, Hatton Sumners of Texas, that the Gov: ernment intervene in the lower courts when.constitulionallty of a Federal "statuie is Involved. Mr, Summers announced that the White House had intervened directly to halt the introduction of the latter bill.—United Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.