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Show Power of Court at Stake The Supreme Court is facing a serious crisis as a result of the President's surprise message sent to Congress February 5. Whether you agree with the New Deal Democrats Demo-crats or find yourself politically aligned with Republicans or anti-New anti-New Dealers in condemning the measure, final decision on this newest new-est constitutional issue will mean an Important settlement of the Supreme Su-preme Court power question. May 30, 1935, the Preisdent maae his famous "horse-and buggy days" statement following the Supreme Court decision of the unconstitutionality unconstitution-ality of the NRA. Since then the administration has won four decisions decis-ions and lost 10 in the Supreme Court tests. Unjustly or not popular opinion has it that four-to-four and four-to five decisions on the constitutional consti-tutional issues are not decisive enough and must be the result of the personal philosophy of a Justice, that their Individual Ideas affect decisions. de-cisions. President Roosevelt has asserted that Supreme Court decisions have set up a "No Man's Land" In which neither State nor Federal government govern-ment could function, that the government gov-ernment has no control on economic or social conditions. As the President was careful to point out, increasing the size of th court is not a new Idea. In all, sev en changes have been made in the number of Justices since the Coun was created. The change in number is not what is worrying a great many citizen. To careful listeners of the Presidential Presi-dential message the significant thing was the idea that the Supreme Court and the Federal courts, are considered consid-ered by the President as subject to the executive and legislative branches branch-es of the government. If Roosevelt gains what he desires de-sires and is able to appoint Justices who will favor his policies In their decisions, the conservative Influence Influen-ce of the court will be defeated. Since the days of John Marshall, Chief Justice from 1801-1835 tlx American people have realized ttie high powers of the Court in preserving pre-serving the essential liberties of th American democracy. If the powers of the Court are subordinated to the President the check and balance system provided by the constitution is destroyed. The problem Is one of deciding where democracy is best served, with this extraordinary power f the hands of the President or the Supreme Court. |