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FDR and the Supreme Court
July 19, 1937
July 19, 1937
Having voted for you for governor of New York and twice for President of the United States, and approving your splendid efforts in behalf of the great masses of our citizens, I am deeply concerned about the present situation with reference to the bill for re-organization of the Supreme Court.
I quite agree with you that something needs to be done about the whole Judiciary system-- and I hope something can be done to improve the existing conditions not only with reference to the Supreme Court but with many of the lower courts.
But it does not seem that it would be wise to stake everything that still needs to be done-- and which can only be done under your leadership-- and in co-operation with the present Congress-- on the passage of the Court Bill in the form you desire.
There is such determined opposition to this NOW, not only among all the Reactionaries who have always opposed you, but from so many of your whole-hearted friends and supporters (these last at least honest and sincere-- and desiring above all else that your leadership may not be imperiled and the many other important things in your program defeated) that we who look upon you as the chief hope of the United States in the years just ahead hope you will not force this court issue further until conditions are more favorable. It really seems that your worst enemies want this issue forced, believing they will defeat you on it, and if so then they will be able to marshal all the elements of dissatisfaction in the Democratic party with all the other opposition of whatsoever nature and thereafter defeat your entire program. We hope that you will not play into their hands and risk everything on this one point. The masses of the people who have supported you and have hoped so much for what you have accomplished in part and still might accomplish do not wish to risk a major defeat now, many more things need to be done and in the doing of them Public Sentiment will give you such support that Congress will have to support you. In time, no doubt, this court business can be taken care of so you may win a victory there too. Why not let it ride for awhile and ask Congress to get busy on some other matters vitally needed?
Some of us remember what happened to Wilson in his second term of office. He read the "willful" Senators in his party-- out of the party-- but his program was lost and the Reactionaries went in. We don't want this to happen again.
Sincerely,
R-- W-- D--
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