Reagan Aides Ask Advice on New Justice

WASHINGTON —  President Reagan, hoping to make a speedy nomination to the Supreme Court, sent White House Chief of Staff Howard H. Baker Jr. and Atty. Gen. Edwin Meese III to Capitol Hill today to sound out key leaders on a “short list” of possible candidates.

Reagan’s choice ran into a potential problem as Senate Majority Leader Robert C. Byrd threatened to hold up a quick confirmation of any nominee for the high court unless the White House stops “slowing down and stalling” the Senate legislative agenda.

At the same time, Byrd predicted that federal appeals court Judge Robert H. Bork, viewed as the front-runner to replace retired Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr., “probably would be confirmed.” (Story on Page 6.)

In announcing that a round of consultations with Hill leaders was getting under way, White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater told reporters: “I don’t expect a decision today; maybe tomorrow.”

Biden and Thurmond

Baker and Meese were seeking the views of Sen. Joseph R. Biden (D-Del.), chairman of the Judiciary Committee, who will conduct the confirmation hearings, and Sen. Strom Thurmond of North Carolina, ranking Republican member on the panel. Biden was in Chicago campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination and was not available to meet with the Administration envoys.

Senate GOP leader Bob Dole also was being consulted on the preliminary choices that Reagan made Monday during a meeting with his key advisers.

“We’re simply asking their views,” said Fitzwater. He said the potential nominees are well known and were taken from a “small field” of those who would be eligible to serve on the Supreme Court. “The purpose would be to ask them their opinion and views,” he explained.

Byrd Cites Delays

Fitzwater declined to comment when asked whether all the names on the list were “white males.”

Byrd discussed his concerns about the coming nomination at the White House after a congressional leadership meeting with Reagan on Persian Gulf policy.

“Until we get more cooperation out of the Republicans in passing the schedule of the Senate, we might want to hold up that nomination,” Byrd said. “There’s been a definite program of slowing down and stalling the movements of the Senate,” he added, citing delays in passage of a variety of bills, including appropriations and campaign financing measures.

“I think we might do a little quid pro quo- ing,” he said.