TLS signed “Harry,” one page, 8 x 10.5, United States Senate letterhead, July 7, 1937. Letter to Col. John W. Snyder, State Manager, Reconstruction Finance Corporation. Later his Secretary of the Treasury. In full: “I have just received a letter from Frank McQueen from Forrest City, Arkansas, and he informs me that he is working under your brother, Colonel Neil Snyder. He seems to be very highly pleased with the situation, and wanted me to tell you about it.” Under his signature, Truman adds a handwritten postscript: “The Court fight is going good. No chance to get away.” Punch and staple holes to top edge, and faint edge toning (heavier spot along left edge), otherwise fine condition. Accompanied by two carbons of texts of newspaper articles about Senator Truman and the Court issue with numerous Truman quotes.
Truman’s handwritten comment concerns President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed Judiciary Reorganization Bill of 1937—controversial legislation that, in part, would grant the chief executive power to appoint additional associate justices to the US Supreme Court. FDR planned on ‘stacking’ the high court with men supportive of his New Deal programs stalled in Congress. As FDR did not consult Congressional leaders before proposing the plan, representatives refused to endorse the bill. As an additional measure to circumvent this obstacle, the administration arranged for the bill to be first taken up in the Senate.
In one of the news articles accompanying this object, Truman said ‘I’m inclined now to support the President, but I am going to become thoroughly informed before I decide. I can’t see that a little new blood in the court would hurt the country.’ On July 22, 1937, the Senate voted to return the judicial reform bill to the Judiciary Committee and strip it of its court-packing provisions. Truman was one of just 18 Democrats to vote against recommitting the bill, which eventually died in committee. A rather offhand but outstanding reference to the political drama of the day, events that ultimately would mark the beginning of the end of his landmark idea that helped America survive during the Great Depression. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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