The Supreme Court Fleet

Abstract

The Supreme Court Fleet James B. O’Hara Mere service in office guarantees a conspicu­ ous place in the national memory to every Presi­ dent. Americanhistory textbooks customarilyare subdivided in terms of elections and the succes­ sion ofadministrations, and every chiefexecutive has a “shrine” somewhere, a library perhaps, a birthplace or museum home, a tomb.1 Honors for Justices of the Supreme Court are far more hap­ hazardly bestowed. Indeed, the names of Justices -except for a few—are unlikely even to ap­ pear in the index ofhistory textbooks. The author for a number ofyears has asked graduate students to identify a list offive former presidents and five former members of the Court. Inevitably, the obscure William Henry Harrison, who was presi­ dent foronly a month, is identifiedby the students. In contrast, Justices Samuel F. Millerand Stephen J. Field, whose jurisprudence massively influ­ encednational industrial policy and constitutional law for half a century, are always unrecognized. By and large, Justices are forgotten, their service to the nation uncommemorated, their final resting places neglected.2 There was, however, a period during World War II when the Justices were systematically honored in a singular yet highly appropriate fash­ ion. The United States Maritime Commission named a large number of its emergency cargo vessels, popularlycalled“Liberty Ships,” in honor of Supreme Court Justices. Almost all of these ships were involved in wartime combat. Al­ though some were lost at sea, all rendered superb service during the war, and many remained in merchant service long after the end ofhostilities. The story ofthis “Supreme Court Fleet” is forgot­ ten now, but deserves to be remembered. The Maritime Commission Following the end of World War I, military readiness was a low national priority. The voters President Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivering a speech in 1937, a year after signing the Merchant Marine Act. Roosevelt had served as Assistant Sec­ retary of the Navy during World War I and was fascinated by ships and the sea throughout his life. 88 JOURNAL 1992 and their elected leaders seemed to believe vic­ tory in the Great War had indeed guaranteed a lasting peace, thatthe world had become “safe for democracy.” Manpower levels in the military began to dip precipitously, trainingwas neglected, morale was low, and arms and equipmentobsolete. Then the GreatDepression contributed more to this already alarming vulnerability as heavy industry grew moribund and millions lost theirjobs. The American shipbuilding industry was par­ ticularly weak. Hundreds ofnaval and merchant ships constructed before and during World War I were, by the mid’30s, rusty and unreliable. Finan­ cial constraintsprevented construction ofreplace­ ments. An earlier pool ofskilled workers was lost as shipyards closed. Labor-management strife was commonplace and desperate management sometimes would turn to unethical and illegal practices to maintain profits or cut losses. A special Senate investigating committee chaired by Hugo L. Black ofAlabama exposed many ofthe ills ofthe industry and triggered the demand forgreater government intervention and regulation. In 1936, PresidentFranklin D. Rooseveltsigned the Merchant Marine Act3, designed not only to solve industry problems, but also to stimulate employment and general economic recovery. A key provision of the new legislation was the creation ofthe United States Maritime Commis­ sion, with broad powers to set maritimepolicy and to rebuild the merchant fleet. The President’s choice as first chairman was a recognized prob­ lem-solver, Joseph P. Kennedy, the Bostonbanker, former chairman ofthe Securities and Exchange Commission, and father of the future president. Kennedy began the work with characteristic en­ ergy. By 1938, when he resigned to become ambassador to Great Britain, settlements of old contract disputes between the companies and the government had been negotiated. Labor prob­ lems also abated somewhat as the unions sawjobs being created. The administration recognized, even ifthecompanies didnot, thatlaborunions were to be an integral part offuture industrial growth? Kennedywas replacedby RearAdmiralEmory Scott Land, an old friend of Roosevelt’s from the President’s earlier service as Assistant Secretary of the Navy. Admiral Land turned out to be an Rear Admiral Emory S. Land, left, served as the second chairman of the Maritime Commission. The Admiral and President Roosevelt were longtime friends, going back to World War I. Right, The World Record Liberty Ship, Robert...