FDR and Chief Justice Hughes
The overlooked story of the hardworking justice who stood up to one of America's most popular presidents – and won a victory for posterity.
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After Roosevelt’s landslide reelection in 1936, he quickly sent Congress a plan to allow him to appoint one additional justice for every member over the age of 70. Ostensibly designed to ease the heavy workload facing the justices, the proposal was really designed to allow Roosevelt to “pack” the court with nominees likely to uphold the New Deal.
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The idea quickly encountered resistance from Democratic political leaders and the public and was rejected by Congress. Chief Justice Hughes played a quiet but important role in defeating the president’s plan when he sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee that demolished the administration’s central argument that the Supreme Court was having trouble managing its workload. “ 'The Supreme Court is fully abreast of its work…’ he wrote, ‘There is no congestion on our calendar.' ”
Equally important, the court began to uphold key pieces of the New Deal – beginning with the National Labor Relations Act – which undermined the criticism that it was fossilized. Even more important, the conservative justices began to retire which gave President Roosevelt the opportunity really wanted – to appoint more liberal judges.
Roosevelt would later claim that he lost the battle to pack the court but won the war. Simon, however, concludes that Hughes was really ‘the victor.” More specifically, “he astutely steered the Court away from the outmoded constitutional interpretations that had obstructed progressive social and economic legislation. The Chief Justice also demonstrated that he was a wiser statesman than Roosevelt. With dignity, he successfully defended his institution’s dignity and independence, withstanding the taunts and repeated attacks by the most popular president in modern American history.”
This is fascinating history because it raises a fundamental question that we are wrestling with today: the relationship between the president and the Supreme Court on complex, controversial, and vital matters of public policy. It is carefully researched and extremely well written – even the detailed descriptions of the legal reasoning behind the decisions are exceptionally readable. Even the most knowledgeable readers will come away with fresh perspectives and new ideas about this key episode in American history.
It is also valuable because it brings Charles Hughes back into public focus. He had a long and remarkable career but is little known today. Indeed, the last significant biography of him was written about 60 years ago. History has a way of overlooking individuals and events that were instrumental in shaping the country that we live in today. Thanks to James Simon, the life and legacy of Justice Hughes is likely to receive renewed and welcome attention.
Terry Hartle is senior vice president of government relations for the American Council on Education.
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