TLS as president, one page, 7 x 8.75, White House letterhead, February 11, 1937. Letter to Leroy E. Rodman of Columbia University’s School of Law, in full: “This acknowledges your letter of February sixth. I am transmitting it to the Attorney General who is familiar with the situation to which you refer. Thanking you for your letter and with kind regards, I am.” In fine condition.
Given the date, the recipient, and FDR’s forwarding of the letter to his Attorney General, Homer S. Cummings, the situation in question likely relates to the Judicial Procedures Reform Bill of 1937. Unveiled on February 5, 1937, the bill, often called the ‘court-packing plan,’ was a legislative initiative proposed by Roosevelt to add more justices to the U.S. Supreme Court in order to obtain favorable rulings regarding New Deal legislation that the Court had ruled unconstitutional. The central provision of the bill would have granted the president power to appoint an additional justice to the U.S. Supreme Court, up to a maximum of six, for every member of the court over the age of 70 years. Although the initiative ultimately failed, Roosevelt did prevail in establishing a majority on the court friendly to his New Deal legislation.
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