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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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Part:         Session:         Page of 654

they qualified?”

It was just about that time that this dickering within the party for judicial appointments and nominations that would recognize nationalities and religious groups was beginning to be a little stronger than it had been - considerably stronger than it had been. All these people started out Democrats. Anybody who was even thought about was a Democrat. Every now and then, though, they hit upon a very, very good person by just that method of considering the nationality or religious group that was to be recognized and then determining among those which of the people you had lined up was more likely to make the best judge. What the criteria were for deciding what would make the best judge I can't describe because there was certainly no qualifying examination such as the Civil Service Commission would now give. It was determined partly on hunch, partly on estimate of character and judicial ability.

If I'm not mistaken Bernard Shientag was appointed just this way. There was one of the best judges that was ever appointed in the world. Everybody knew that he would make a good judge. He had the quality of mind and disposition that would be fair, honest and penetrating, and would understanding the meaning of the law and the philosophy of the law, if he went on to higher circles of the judiciary.





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