WASHINGTON -- Conservatives applauded, but feminists expressed alarm that President Reagan's two nominations to the Supreme Court would move the nation's highest tribunal far to the right well into the next century.
Eleanor Smeal, president of the National Organization for Women, said Tuesday the women's group was disturbed over Reagan's nomination of Justice William Rehnquist to replace Warren Burger as chief justice and the nomination of Judge Antonin Scalia as a justice. Both must be confirmed by the Senate.
Smeal said Reagan's action 'puts the leading opponent against women's rights to the top of the bench in the position of chief justice.
'We can't think of one time he (Rehnquist) has voted with us. He's always the most extreme position against women's rights,' she said.
Kate Michelman, executive director of the National Abortion Rights Action League, said her group was concerned the appointments 'move us a step closer toward packing an anti-choice Reagan court which could sit for 40 years.'
And Planned Parenthood president Faye Wattleton said the group would closely scrutinize Scalia's appointment to make sure it is 'in the best interests of our country and not a self-serving move by the Reagan administration.'
Just last week, abortion opponents lost a battle when the Supreme Court issued a decision reaffirming a woman's right to an abortion.
At the time, anti-abortion groups said it would take a new appointment to the court to change the balance of power. However, the new appointments are not expected to immediately change the balance since Burger is being replaced by another conservative.
Douglas Johnson of the National Right to Life Committee said his group welcomed Rehnquist's nomination. He noted Rehnquist dissented in 1973 when the Supreme Court legalized abortion and has consistently opposed that ruling.
On Scalia, Johnson said, 'We know of no writings or pronouncements on the abortion issue by Judge Scalia.
'He is known as a judge who believes that judges should not abuse their power by imposing their social preferences on the courts,' he said.
Emily Sack, director of the liberal Nation Institute, said the nominations 'extend a pattern of ideologically based court packing that we have seen for the last several years at the federal level.
'Capturing the Supreme Court has been the unfulfilled dream of White House ideologues for nearly six years,' she said.
The Rev. Jerry Falwell paid tribute to Burger, saying he is 'to be commended for his many years of service to the American people and the cause of justice in this nation. He has served with distinction.'
Falwell praised Reagan's nominations, calling the selection of Rehnquist as chief justice 'very wise.'
The Rev. M.G. 'Pat' Robertson, television evangelist and possible contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 1988, also praised Reagan's choices.
'Americans will miss the great contribution that Chief Justice Warren Burger has made to the nation's highest court,' Robertson said, calling Rehnquist's nomination 'a superb choice,' and Scalia's nomination, 'one of the finest that could be made to the court.'
The conservative Heritage Foundation also lauded Scalia's nomination, saying, 'He is a star in our eyes.'
'Of the two appointments, Scalia clearly outshines Rehnquist who has been O.K. but not great on the court,' said Heritage Foundation spokesman Lou Cordia.
In Los Angeles, a fundamentalist pastor who two days before called for five Supreme Court justices to repent, retire or die, called Burger's resignation the 'answer to our prayers.'
'God answered our prayers,' the Rev. R.L. Hymers said, choking back tears. 'It's astonishing. ... It's not only an answer to our prayers, but a victory for the Jews, Catholics and Protestants who have fought so hard against abortion.'
