time the clerk of the United States district court at Muskogee shall act as the clerk of this court? Mr. HASTINGS. I think that is the intent of the section. That section was copied, from some other bill that the House had passed. Mr. YATES. We are not trying to make a tangle of it, but we want to get it clear. Mr. HASTINGS. That section may need amendment. I take it to mean what Governor Yates suggests, that the clerk of the head court would act over there unless or until Congress makes provision otherwise by the appointment of a deputy clerk or deputy clerks to serve at these various places. However, that is a matter of detail. Mr. YATES. I think that would be true. I live at Springfield, and if it were to be suddenly determined to have a term of the Federal court held at Decatur, Ill., there would not be anything for the clerk to do but to appoint a deputy. He would have to appoint a deputy clerk. Mr. MAJOR. I suppose the clerk remains at the headquarters of the court and has deputies at the other places. Mr. HASTINGS. You would have to provide a deputy clerk at all of these places, in order that some one might be there all the time for the filing of papers. Mr. HERSEY. How many judges do you have in this district? Mr. HASTINGS. There are two judges in the eastern district of Oklahoma. There would have to be a deputy clerk there in order to receive and file papers, motions, etc. Mr. HERSEY. This legislation will not affect the May term of the court? Mr. HASTINGS. No, sir. Mr. HERSEY. If the legislation were gotten through before the next October term of court, it would be all right? Mr. HASTINGS. Yes, sir. Mr. HERSEY. We will try to make a report before October. (Thereupon, the subcommittee adjourned.) |