Sprague and Taussig Uphold Supreme Court Decision; Former Declares Congress Would Force Same Result

Taussig and Harris Comment

Consulted yesterday on the same subject, Frank W. Taussig '79, Henry Lee Professor of Economics, and Seymour E. Harris '20, assistant professor of Economics, upheld the constitutionality of the Court's decision and declared it to be satisfactory.

Professor Taussig, who foresees in the gold decision no possible harm to business, made the following statement: "The decision is not unexpected. The legal questions were not open to argument, and only a constitutional lawyer is entitled to express an opinion on them. Where the law, i.e., the Constitution, is not clear, the Court commonly and rightly is influenced by consideration of public policy. These seem to me to fall in favor of the decision reached."

The following statement was made by assistant professor Harris: "On the whole, I think the decision is a desirable one in that it will prevent a good deal of disturbance. I think that it is perfectly possible to interpret the question within the Constitution, since Congress is given the right to determine the value of money; and in order to do this, it is important to determine the debt-paying power of money."