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problem of the court. Hatton Sumners would admit that politically the court was a problem, because it had turned down so many of these decisions, and he thought that this was a way to remedy that.

The court itself was taking steps to remedy the situation. I've already described the conversation between Hughes and Roberts at the Roberts farm that Mrs. Roberts told me about. I confirmed that with Mr. Stone, who also told me that Hughes and Roberts had had a talk. They believed that that would save the day. So the court did change its position.

In the meantime also, Hatton Sumners' bill had passed. That's how Van Devanter retired. Then things were all right. If Roosevelt had just sat tight, he would have had two appointments to the court within a very few months.

At any rate, during this whole period Cummings became more and more secretive inside the Department of Justice, although they suspected what he was doing. Harold Stephens suspected not exactly, but he knew that among other things Cummings was counting on increasing the number of members of the Supreme Court. Following one of Hatton Sumners' visits, Stephens talked to the Attorney General about just backing