Women Voters Dodge Court Stand League Holds Time for "Effective Action” Passed. BY DAVID LAWRENCE. SINCE the National League of Women Voters is such an im portant national organization, the announcement that its general council “refused to take ac tion for or against the President’s Judiciary reform proposal” may have David Lawrence. come as a mat ter of surprise to those who are unfamiliar with the league’s processes. The reasons given in the for mal announce ment were “that the time for 'ef fective action’ has passed, and that the league mem bership Is too closely dl l' i d e d on the question.” It ■will be noted also that the league's "news release” quoted Mrs. Marion A. Cheek of Buffalo, chair man of the league's economic welfare department, as having discussed the motion to withhold action on the court plan as follows: "In view of the fact that action could not have been taken by the National League before this council meeting and congressional hearings have concluded, the league is not in a position to act effectively at this time. There is a diversity of opinion and the delegates here are not able to reflect correctly the rec ognized division of opinion among the membership.” Amendment to Be Studied. It occurred to me as passing strange that any spokesman for the League of Woman Voters would consider that the time for "effective action” had expired when congressional hearings • re concluded on any pending bill, especially as in this case, before it has been reported from committee in either the House or the Senate and before any votes had been taken tn either house of Congress. It also seemed odd that at the same meeting, at which no action was taken on the President's judiciary pro posal, the General Council, by a two-thirds vote, decided to put on *s "program item” for subsequent •tudy a proposal to make it easier to amend the Constitution. Indeed, the news release said: "Action regarded by league lead ers as more fundamental and more reflective of the league's interest in the pending constitutional discussions vas an earlier vote to "advocate an amendment to the Federal Constitu tion’ which will make ratification of the amending process less difficult end more responsive to the will of the electorate.” Accordingly, I sought an interview Wth Miss Marguerite Wells, president Of the League of Women Voters, and Mrs. Harris T. Baldwin, vice presi dent, and propounded a number of Questions along the foregoing lines, 4tie position taken that the league’s Attitude at the General Council is in no way to be construed as favoring or condemning the President’s judi ciary proposal, that the league itself had not had time for “effective ac tion.” By this is meant that a sub ject is put on the two-year program And. as a rule, a thorough study is conducted by one of the departments of the league and by the members be fore a position is taken. In other words, there has not been time for “effective action within the league it self.” Deny Power to Speak. As for the powers of the council, it was explained to me that many of the members felt that they were not in a position to speak for the constituent bodies which they represent at a coun cil meeting. It was also pointed out that the reference to congressional hearings was not to be construed as limiting the league hereafter to the taking of positions on current ques tions after hearings have been held, but was merely in reference to the situation in which the council found Itself at the meeting this week in Washington. Unlike the General Federation of Women's Clubs, which recently by overwhelming vote condemned the President's judiciary proposal, the League of Women Voters is a study group primarily and does not pass resolutions until after a long period of situdy. Unfortunately for the Gen eral Council meeting, the President’s Concrete attack on the judiciary did rot come until February 5, so there was not time to prepare a lengthy Study for members on which action could be taken in time for the meeting here this week. What is, of course, just a bit puz zling is the fact that the council did support the study of a proposal advo cating an easier way U, amend the constitution. But this is defended on the ground that the league’s attention is devoted thereby to a broad process related to the structure of Govern ment rather than to a single phase of the problems raised by the present controversy over judicial interpreta tion. Problem Importance Recognized. It is apparent, of course, that the league of Women Voters, which more pxrurately should be described as a League for the Study of Current Problems by Women Voters, recognizes the importance of finding some answer to the present agitation over judicial Interpretation. If It be conceded, it seems to me, that the Supreme Court when tinder liberal influence stretches the powers of Congress derived from the interstate commerce clause and lienee “amends” the Constitution, then the converse is also tenable, namely, that the refusal of the four cbnserya tive justices to add to the powers of Congress at the expense of the States is a refusal to "amend” the Constitution. President Roosevelt in his radio address told the country that there was a crisis ahead and that it took too long to amend the Constitution because 13 States could block the amendment. Mr. Roosevelt, therefore, concluded that instead of changing the Constitution, it was much easier to change the Judges. When the League of Women Voters in its cus tomary non-partisan approach to all question- holds discussions on how to amend the Constitution in the easiest way, there will no doubt be New Dealers on hand to argue that the simplest of all is the Roosevelt method which avoids the so-called bother of A News Behind the News Congressmen Have Had Cause to Fear President but Not to Show Him Gratitude. BY PAUL MALLON. IN CONNECTION with this new self-assertiveness within Congress, It is an overlooked fact that the President and Congressmen have never got along very well together personally. Frankly, the average Con gressman does not like President Roosevelt. He has never had much cause to. Two emotions dominate congressional thought. One is fear, the other gratitude. The Congressmen have had cause to fear the President politically, but they have not had much cause for personal gratitude. Contrary to the popular opinion, not much patronage has been doled out to the average member of the House. They get a few post masters now and then, but this really causes them more trouble back home than any other pari of their business. The best jobs have been going to the few powerful chairmen of the big congressional com mittees. On top of this, several Congressmen have come back from their districts, after making speeches for the President’s court program, com plaining that there was a notice able lack of popular interest in the plan. One Congressman, making a speech in a large Southern city, drew an audience of only 150 people. Also their mail indicates there is far more popular concern over the approaching nuptials of the Duke and Mrs. Simpson. Of such practical things are revolts made. --— The strange preachings of Agriculture Secretary Wallace lately have stirred considerable commo tion among the thinkers of the new order. They are all thumbing through copies of his speeches which are supposed to be prophetic of the coming "social democracy” (Wallace’s phrase), but apparently he means something like a socialized democracy. There is not much new in the Wallace philosophy. He merely says frankly uhat some of the less courageous new ordainers have been hinting at. He says straightforwardly, for instance, he ivants permanent confiscatory taxes upon every one who is making money so the Government can continue to give to those who have little money, and thus operate a supergovernmental spending machine to “balance the economic order." One point which is new is that he wants to crush out all corporate power and have the Government supervise corporations in some kind of co-operative arrangement for the control of production, prices and labor. He does not know how it can be done, but is trying-to promote thinking along these lines, in hopes that the solution will develop. When this is done, he says the Government will then be able to control capital, labor and agriculture in a near-perfect state. ♦ * * * It sounds slightly Fascist in some particulars, such as the control of group influences, but would preserve the democratic elective processes. What many of his hearers are wondering is how long democratic processes would last with the Government in control of everything. It might work as long as wages and prices are being fixed ever higher and higher by the Gov ernment, but you can imagine what would happen to the democratic proc esses the first time this perfect democratic state decreed a wage cut for the national economic well-being. What Mr. Wallace will have to do first is to make every one as pure and unselfish as he is, and this may require a constitutional amendment repeal ing the law of human nature. Quite an inside scramble has developed over the high hats to be worn by that World's Fair Com mission which will strut officially for the Government in New York in 1939. When the bill passed the House, the Foreign Affairs Com mittee fixed it up to give two of its own committeemen, Messrs. Fish and Bloom, places on the commission. The bill provided for a commission composed of the Secretaries of State. Agriculture. Commerce. Labor, and chairmen and ranking members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House and Senate. But the Senate did not propose to let that go The Senate elim inated the Secretary of State and added the chairman and ranking majority and minority members of its own Senate Committee on Commerce, instead of Foreign Relations. But this left Senator Wagner of New York out. so the bill was again changed to add the two New York Senators, Wagner and Copeland. The effect was to name Copeland twice, as he is also chairman of the Commerce Committee. The commission serves without pay. but not without honors. * * * * Representative Louis Ludlow's new book says that among the 77 major laws passed during the New Deal. 59 were written downtown by the execu tive branch of the Government. That is, the legislative branch really wrote only 18 of the New' Deal laws. (Copyriaht, 1937.) 6 AIDES OF C. I. 0. JAILED IN MAINE Shoe Strikers’ Reaction to Im prisoning of Leaders Waited by Officials. Ey the Associated Press. LEWISTON, Me., May 8.—Tense and under guard. Lewiston and Auburn yesterday awaited shoe strikers’ reac tion to the jailing of six strike leaders for contempt of Maine’s Supreme Court in violating a temporary injunction outlawing the 44-day walkout. While the six aides of the Com mittee for Industrial Organization be gan six-month sentences, eight deputy sheriffs guarded the home of Justice Harry Manser, who presided at the trial and issued the court order for bidding further strike activity. A seventh defendant convicted yes terday had not been sentenced. John D. Nolan, C. I. O. organizer, was m Elmira, N. Y„ for his mother's funeral with the court’s permission. Those in Androscoggin County Jail were: Powers Hapgood, Boston, New England C. I. O. secretary; Sidney Grant, Boston C. I. O. attorney, and these organizers of the United Shoe Workers, a C. I. O. affiliate, William J. Mackesy, Ernest Henry and Martin J. Lawless, all of Lynn, Mass., and Paul Salvaggio, East Boston. SWEEPSTAKES TICKETS SEIZED IN NEW YORK 40,000 Books ‘Just Plain Phoney,’ Says Inspector, Who Denies Race Is Planned. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, May 8.—Post office in spectors here yesterday seized 40,000 books of engraved sweepstakes tickets which Chief Inspector James J. Doran called “just plain phony.” The tickets purported to entitle pur chasers to shares in the “St. Paul's Hospital, St. Anne de Beaupre, Quebec, drawing,” to be held June 23, 1937, on the running of the Northumberland Plate Handicap In England. There is no such handicap and no one In St. Anne de Beaupre knows of the drawing, said Doran. He declined to reveal where the tickets were seised, but said Massachusetts inspectors, as well as those here, are Investigating distribution of the tickets. asking the people to vote on specific issues at all. The League of Women Voters in cidentally says in its news release that the popular will “could best be expressed through State conventions, a direct referendum to State voters and a time limit for ratification,” but it is to be presumed that the league will not limit its studies and explorations to these three methods, but will include Mr. Roosevelt’s de vice, which has the merit of being the simplest and most direct as well as the easiest way to amend the Constitution that any liberal has yet advanced. CCopyrlght, 1937.) RESORTS. NEW HAMPSHIRE. LAKE WINNEPESAUKEE—Lsrreot N. f lake—Bpaelona woodland earns at water'! edge facing White Mto.: eeelndedt attrac tively furnitheds 4 double bed room*. t large pcreheat modem plumbing: IMC mo. or hum rats. Ain. 1989-W. WEIRTON WORKERS TO FILE CHARGES Forcible Ejection of I. 0. C. Mem bers From Steel Mill Com plaint to Board. By thy Associated Press. STEUBENVILLE. Ohio, May 8 — Paul Rusen, Ohio Valley subregional director for the Steel Workers Organiz ing Committee, said yesterday charges would be filed with the National Labor Relations Board concerning forcible ejection of Committee for Industrial Organization members from the Weirton Steel "Mill at Weirton, W. Va. The charges, the C. I. O. organizer said, would deal with employes’ right to join the union of their choice with out outside interference. He also said additional charges would be filed with the La Follette Civil Rights Senate Committee, with 154 individual cases of interference cited in violation of the national labor relations act since 1935. He declared the ejection occurred Wednesday night when the Security League, formed after the company discontinued its employe representa tion plan and headed by Claude Conway, called on workers to get rid of their C. I. O. membership cards. DR. GRIFFITH PRAISES SETTLEMENT PROGRAM Philosophy of Movement Basis of Address at Celebration Held at Y. W. C. A, Dr. Ernest Griffith, dean of the Graduate School of American Uni versity, spoke on “The Background of the Philosophy of the Social Set tlement Movement’’ Thursday night at a celebration of the founding of social settlements in the United States, held at the Y. W. C. A. Mrs. William Kittle, chairman of the Washington Social Settlement Council, presided, introducing the speaker of the evening and the resi dent directors of the eight settlement institutions in the District, each giv ing a brief talk on the origin of their respective establishments. Entertainment by children of the houses was a feature of the evening’s program, composed of dancing and music, both vocal and instrumental. CTHE opinions of the writers on this page are their own, not necessarily The Star’s. Such opinions are presented in The Star’s effort to give all sides of questions of interest to its readers, although such opinions may be contradictory among themselves and directly opposed to The Star’s. _ _ f Action on Court Near Roosevelt Must Decide Whether to Accept Compromise on Reforms. BY MARK SULLIVAN. PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT will return to Washington about May 13. Five days later, May 18, the Senate Judiciary Com mittee is scheduled to act on the President’s court measure. Sometime between now and the Senate Com mittee’s action Mr. Roosevelt must make an important decision. He must decide whether he will insist on his court measure in the form in which he sent it to Congress, or whether he win accept a com promise. It is pos sible Mr. Roose velt may express his decision by silence. Silence would mean that he stands pat, that he wants the bill as written. Many Wash ington observers think Mr. Roose velt will stand pat. The existing situation about the court bill is not css entially Mark Sullivan. amerent. irom wnat it nas Deen during the past 12 weeks. During that whole period many Democratic Senators have told the President It would be dangerous for him to insist, and have recommended various compromises. All that has happened has been merely confirmation of what the Democratic Senators told him. The danger of his lasing his measure has now become apparent to all. Whether the President has the kind of temperament that compromises ! when faced by danger, or whether he Is one who insists on a showdown, will shortly be seen. He may conclude that even if compromise must be, the time for it is not yet. Probably the best judgment Is that the President will not retreat and that in due course there will be a showdown, a roll call in the Senate on the court measure in its original form. As respects the Senate committee, the measure in its original form is last. There are 18 members of the committee. Ten are opposed to the measure as It stands. Several have alternatives which they propose. Others are against it, against all of ! it and against any variation of it. J With 10 out of 18 opposed, it is | obvious the measure cannot get a favorable report from the committee, j This, however, makes no material dif- i ference. The eight who* favor the measure, or less if they are less, can send the bill to the Senate with a minority report. Of the eight who favor the measure the most outspoken is the chairman, Senator Henry F. Ashurst of Arizona. He says he insists on "a clean-cut vic tory or a clean-cut defeat; I don't want two justices or three or five, I want six justices.” By a clean-cut decision, Senator Ashurst means a de cision in the Senate as a whole. Sen ator Ashurst's position alone, unless he changes it by request from the Presi dent. would seem to assure the Presi dent's measure going on the Senate floor and there being voted on. In the Senate, would it be ‘‘clean cut victory or clean-cut defeat?” In dications point toward defeat of the measure in the form the President asked. Senator after Senator, among the Democrats who at first indorsed the measure, now say they favor a compromise. Some eight Democrats have put forward alternative measures, others have indorsed one or another of the alternatives. That does not look like clean-cut victory for the original measure. I he existence of so many alterna tives may give rise to an interesting parliamentary situation. Let us say there are half a dozen small blocs, each favoring some change about the court, but each favoring its own alternative over the original and over all other agernatves. And let us say there is a fairly large bloc who don't want any change in the court what ever, who will vote against the original measure and against each and all alternatives. That would be some thing like the League of Nations fight. In the League controversy, like in the present court fight, there were blocs of Senators who favored the League, but favored it only with vary ing reservations. The sum of those blocs was for a long time a majority of the Senate—a majority of the Sen ate favored the League in one form or another. Against them was a bloc, larger than any one of the others, who wanted no League whatever. This latter bloc was, in the beginning, a comparatively small minority of the Senate as a whole. The group of Senators who in 1919 opposed any League whatever was much smaller than the group who today oppose any court change whatever. But in the end that little 1919 “battalion of death,” by their personal force and by astute management of the parlia mentary situation, with the help of time and growing popular opposition to the League, defeated the League and all variations of it. Essential in the defeat of the League, however, was President Wilson’s un willingness to accept any compromise. Had he been willing to accept reser vations proposed by Senators faithful to him, he could have won. But he rejected all modifications. As the fight in the Senate began to go against him, he looked forward to the then approaching presidential election of 1920. That election, Wil son said, should be “a great and sol emn referendum” an the League. In that 1920 election the Democratic can didate, ex-Gov. James M. Oox of Ohio, running on a platform of whole M Pm QUALITY CANDIES FOR MOTHER'S DAY Plain and Fancy Gift Boxes 60c, 80c & $1.00 lb. FREE LOCAL DELIVERY No. 2300 1309 F STREET No. 2301 hearted indorsement of the League, was defeated. He was defeated very badly, receiving an even smaller pro portion of the popular vote than the Republicans got last November. If President Roosevelt were to fol low the parallel to Wilson, he would reject all compromise proposals on the court. If, after several weeks of debate, it appeared that his court plan could not get a majority of the Senate, he would then propose that next year’s congressional elections be a "great and solemn referendum.” To that the opponents of the court proposal could not object. Indeed, they already suggest it. They say the present Congress was elected in a campaign in which the court pro posal was not mentioned. Therefore, they say, the proposal should not be voted on until after an election, at the least a congKssional election, in which the court proposal is an issue. On this contention rests the Justifica tion for any filibuster the opponents may feel called on to make. Prob ably Mr. Roosevelt would have little difficulty in getting an agreement that the court proposal should be voted upon in the first week of the first session of the Congress following the present one—that is. during the first week o/ January, 1939. CCopyruht, 1937.) PLAYGROUNDS SHIFT HIT BY CITIZENS Chillum Association Fears Con fusion, Expense and Employ ment Juggling. Opposition to the transferring of $97,565 from the Department of Play grounds to the Community Center De partment of Public Schools was voiced by the Chillum Citizens’ Association last night at a meeting in the Keane School. The association said this transfer would increase expense, double over head and servicing, create more con fusion in an already complicated set-up for the District and not assure employment of playground employes by the Board of Education. To provide safety for the school children the association asked for traffic signs and a 15-mile speed limit at Keane School zone. The associa tion also asked that a policeman be stationed there to aid children cross ing the street. Oil for dirt streets to eliminate dust was requested. The meeting marked the close off an active year for the association, and after a four months' recess it will meet again in October. Various committees will continue the work assigned them during recess. New members who were introduced at last night's meeting are P. Par tello, Mr. and Mrs. P. L. Lawhorn. E. O. Henry, G. L. Naramore, Fred Kannel and Mr. and Mrs. William H. Keil. We, the People Roosevelt Resumes Old Battle of President Against the Senate. BY JAY FRANKLIN. IN BRINGING the sword of the 8upreme Court issue instead of the well padded peace of an era of good feeling, Mr. Roosevelt has resumed the old battle of the President against the Senate of the United States. 8ooner or later this was bound to happen. No responsible party leader could let matters stand as left by Woodrow Wilson after his defeat by the Senate in the league of Nations fight. The idea that "a little group of willful men" are free to break party lines at pleasure and to repudiate party leadership is contrary to political common sense. In theory, of course, these independent Senators are pure souled patriots who place their country’s good before the tinsel rewards of partisan loyalty. But in the first decade of this century the suspicion grew that, while this might be true of some Senators, other members of the Senate used this theory in order to represent the nefarious "interests” rather than any substantial body of public opinion or regional rights. This conviction finally led to the adoption in 1913 of the seventeenth amendment, providing for the popular election of United States Senators, Instead of their appointment by balloting in the various State Legislatures. This amendment completed a process of popular sovereignty never desired by the founding fathers of the Constitution. The latter distrusted democracy so completely that they quarantined it in the House of Repre sentatives. The Senators were to represent the sovereignty of the States. The President was to be chosen by the electoral college. Thomas Jefferson got around the electoral college idea by the simple device of letting people vote for electors pledged to vote for him, since when we have voted for our Presidents, in fact if not in theory. * * * * But so long as the Senate remained Immune to popular votes, all was lost. The Senate's impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson for trying to follow Lincoln's policies sharply reduced the powers of the presidency and from 1868 to 1900 our Chief Executives were mainly figureheads. Theodore Roosevelt was the first one to tangle with the Senate again, but Boss Aldrich and Boies Penrose could Ignore T. R. and run the country and the party without 1 im. Wilson’s defeat on the League issue put a senatorial clique in the position to shuffle and deal Warren G. Hardings administration like a pack of cards. Only now—nearly a generation after that dis astrous event and largely as a result of the big business misman agement which resulted from it—is it possible for Franklin Roosevelt to resume the battle for responsible party government in the Senate of the United States Mr. Roosevelt's court program is designed to force the Senate to become a representative assembly which will speak for the people of the different States and follow the dictates of party discipline and doctrine. Independents like Senator Norris of Nebraska. Senator La Follette of Wisconsin and Senator Borah of Idaho remain to remind us that, in this process, we shall lose something rather fine and important to our national life when the Senate becomes as democratic as the House of Representa tives. Yet this is the price we must pay to get rid of the intolerable situation in which a Carter Glass of Virginia can meekly seek and accept New Deal indorsement in 1936 and then in 1937, when the votes are in the bag. turn and attack the New Deal measures. How else can we terminate a system which permits a Senator Burke of Nebraska to pose as an ardent and liberal New Dealer and then organize a revolt against the New Deal's judiciary reform bill? * * * * This is an issue which cuts even deeper than the vital problem of curbing the judicial soviets which have been running the country for the big corporations. It is the whole issue of democracy. So the court fight must carry over into the 1933 and 1940 elections. If Messrs. Roosevelt and Parley believe in democracy they have no choice but to fight any and every Dem ocratic Senator who has broken faith with the people who voted for Roosevelt and the New Deal in 1932. 1934 and 1936. This is irre spective of whether the Roosevelt plan is a good or a bad policy. For only by the defeat of these rebels can the democratic process be tested and confirmed in American government. This issue is drawn much more snarpiy man any one at wasnington cares to admit, isvery one Knows whom the President represents. He represents the 27,000.000 voters who trusted him to give substance to their hopes and satisfaction to their needs, with due regard for the basic rights of the 17,000.000 who voted for Gov. Alfred M. Landon. The question is: Whom does the Senate represent? From time to time, I shall try to answer this question. ICOpjrirllt, 1P37.) An American You Should Know Irey Brings 30 Million Dollars to U. S. Annually. BY DELIA PYNCHOV. THE chase goes on for tax evad ers. Elmer Irey, chief of the intelligence unit of Internal Revenue, Treasury Depart ment, with a force of 215 special agents, extracts from shy taxpayers about 30 million unexpected dollars a year. Irey has been 30 yeass in Gov ernment service. Almost he qualifies Elmer Irey as a - cnn aweu* er.” At the age of 5 he moved to Washing ton from Kansas City, where he was born. Edu* cated in Wash* ington public schools, with a year's sniff of law at George town, Irey was holding a cleric's job at 19 in the Post Office Department. For 12 years he wonted up inside and outside as the “eyes and ears" of the postmaster. Athletically speaking, he is "no bench warmer." Criminal inves tigations have sired qualities of physical and mental activity. Here is a man, you say. who will not give up nor lose his good nature, his ready smile. The intelligence unit harks bask to war times. In 1917 Daniel C. Roper, present Secretary of Com merce, was appointed commission er of internal revenue “Almost over night.” Irey says, “Roper was charged with the duty of building up a tremendous organiz ation to take care of work incident to the new income tax and other tax laws to rai.se money for war needs.” Roper sent for Irey. The intelligence unit was born in 1919. with Irey its first chief from inception to date. Volume and needs increase with the Nation's growth. Internal Rev enue personnel is now 24.000, Treas ury, 85,000. The unit investigates all income, inheritance and miscel laneous tax evasions. It investigates all charges affecting Internal Rev enue personnel, attorneys and agents practicising before the Treasury De partment and all persons being con sidered for appointment to responsible positions in all branches of the Treas ury. Tax evaders have continued hope ful. Irey has had some dramatie cases. For two years he worked on A1 Capone and his "gang" before these public enemies "took the count" on tax evasions. The "big shots" in New York racketeering came next. Forty seven gamblers, bootleggers, public officials and a new type of racketeer, who exacted tribute from legitimate business—all landed in jail The movie colony came in for a bit of unen viable publicity. In excess of several millions was collected from tax-shy "stars.” RECo*0 HOLDS ITS HEAD HIGH 9h 74d€ff GrtHpOMy BEER —like the great racing driver—covers a lot of ground in setting its sales record. In homes, restaurants and hotels, the demand speeds on, for there is universal appeal to the Senate flavor. That’s because the tang is not too tingly, but it’s there, and the yeast has brought it across the finishing line with the help of picked quality ingredients. If you’d have new relish for your next meal start with a glass of Senate! CHR. HEUBICH BREWING CO. WASHINGTON, D.C. Dine Out Durinf National Restaurant Week, May 3rd to 9th I BEER ^Uv&£* 06* tyujk 0n rhttj ContpOAMf