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t ' r ‘ ' - a o = = & t oa ee ae ee RT Ever since Chief Justice Earl arren wrote the &-to-0 school tegration opinion in 1954 there as been a tendency to credit him «. MORE ge de a with ao great and growing in-- flu on the other Justices of , the upreme Court. ; of controversial civil rights and security decisions in which the Chief Justice sided with the ‘ majority, there has been frequent . reference to the “Warren Court.” In fact, one prominent national ‘tO say publication last week asserted that the court has now “made eect Eee leeturing some years suo. 5 a ati ,lumbia University. Chief Hughes, widely regarded aa one the three or four best . Justices in American, ,_lste a went on to say:. «FO _ “In a small body of able men : - with equal authority in. making . fe Wake of the recent geries sharply slear how much it has iesine pray come to reflect its Chiet Justice's: views.” Among “ethdents of Supreme: , | Loom eet LO, _ Court history and among lawyers ' acquainted with present members ‘of the court, statements such as the foregoing are taken with a . large grain of salt, : Mr. Warren, by ‘virtue of’ his office, ability, industry and per- sonality doubtless has influence with his fellow justices. But to suggest that he could succeed at creating a tame court acquiescent to his. views—even if that were his alm—is to lapse into fantaay. _At least, most experienced lawyers “seem to think it is. ~— ’ Here is an observation by one .well qualified to comment: . Justices, as men of mature years and wide experience, undoubtedly -have thelr convictions, politicat and economic, and their views of the nature and purpose of ovr reo ’ ‘Government: but “they (are? not. ‘the Instruments of political mea- - inulation or tocls of power. One! nnot study their lives and deci- ons without confidence in their erity and Independence.” . - . ‘Waite and Melville “ decisions, if is evident that (the Chief Justice's) actual influence. will depend upon the strength of. his character and the demonstra-, tion of his ability in the intimate — relations of the judges. It is safe. that no member of the court ot ts under any ‘lusion as to . the mental equipment of his ° ‘brethren, Constant and closa association discloses the strength - weakness of . ‘pnd exposes the each.” yweakne Doubts Doniination Soe In essence, Chief Justice Hughes”. was driving home the Point that, most Supreme Court justices are ‘foo experienced, knowledgeable and firm to be intellectually pushed around by other court members, | They may be persuaded by supe , frior legal reasoning, but seldom, ‘! if ever, do they merely “reflect” the views,. of some dominant member. - Influence © can be exerted by any ‘ member of thé court. Associate, “Justices such as Joseph Story | and Benjamin Curtis probably... had as much influence within the | court as any Chief Justice. Con-,- versely, such able Chief Justices. ; as Salmon P, Chase, Morrison ig Fy Ae cording to Mr. Hughes, “gained » nothing by their headship of nea court over such men as Samuel , Miller, Stephen Field, Joseph + Bradley, Horace Gray and Davi Brewer") 4... me DabeL da - Chief Justioe Hughes felt th ; . That was Charles Evans Hughes - “Jatter assdciate justices “rose te ere eden AA te ant icc ne: nie 8M ss ad leniines ae r 6g Knee fot “ YY e 4 "NOT NOT RECORDED | 44 JUL 19 1987 | Wash. Post and Times Herald Wash. News Wash. Star AAS N. Y. Herald —__-__ Tribune N. Y. Journal-______. American N, Y. Mirror N. Y. Daily News WW N. Y. Times Daily Worker The Worker New Leader a Date —_ JUL 7 JSas