Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-04
Judges of Police Court May Be
Charged With Duty.
COMMISSIONERS FOR PLAN
Purpose Sending to Congress Bill
Embodying Changes.
MAY BE A THIRD MEMBER
Judge Of Juvenile Court Would
Likely Be Choice-Higher Sal
aries Are Proposed.

All excise matters in the District in the
future will rest with a board consisting
of the two Judges of the Police Court
and probably the judge of the Juvenile
Court, If the present plans of the Com
nissioners materialiZe.
The practical decision to recommend to
Congress legislation of this nature has
been reached, not only on the basis of
facts disclosed during the kalDfus-excise
board investigation. but as the result OF
eighteen months of study the District
heads have given the subject. according
to an announcement by Commissioner
Rudolph today.
Unless some new plan is suggested.
which is not likely, Commissioner Ru-
dolph stated, Corporation Counsel
Thomas will be directed to prepare q
pl.l containing the commissioners recon-
mcndauon.
Higher Salaries for Judges.
The Commissioners have decided that
not only should the excise board be sep
arated from the board Of assessors, put
the DlsIrict heads should be renewed OIL
all supervision over excise matters. The
earned, will provide increased compen-
sation for the judges OF the Police court
and the Judges or the Juvenile Court, if
I should De decided to add third MEM
ber to the board.
No provision will be included in the
measures, 1t was announced, for limiting
the number of saloons that may be MAN.
tanned in the capital, although certain
rules will be prescribed. which will put
considerable more of Il limitation upon
the new board than is the case with the
present one.
formed of the Commissioners decision,
stated that the plan. IN his opinion. is a
practical one.
The assessor. It became known today
submitted to the District authorities d
scheme calling for the creation of a new
excise board. which will consist of seven
members. The judges OF the Police Court
were among the seven members enum-
Grated. the others being heads of de-
partments.
Small Board Favored.
In deciding to limit the membership OF
the board to two and possibly three
members the Commissioners believe that
excise matters may be the more effective
ly handled. If 1t should be decided to
add a third member to the board the
judge OF theJuvenile Court will be almo It
certain to be designated. 1t is stated
Because the Police Court judges. are the
first officials to learn OF any violations
on the part of saloon owners. the Com
missioners reached the conclusion that
excise board
An interesting feature of the situation
is that the proposed legislation may lead
to the judges of the Police Court being
civ x.nv Sv~ of1 r. 10
opinion of the Commissioners that men,
bers of an excise board should serve for
life, or during good benavior and the
proposed bill may recommend that the
positions of the Police Court judges be
made permanent, as are those of the
justices of the Supreme Court of the
District
How much added compensation will he
recommended has not been deci ed. The
judges CT the Police Court receive sa'ar es
IL is stated, that the Commissioners VIII
recommend increasing their salaries to
5000 year each, If they are made
members of the excise board.
Several Plans Considered.
An objection TO creating a separate ex-
else board that found favor with the
Commissioners. il is learned, is the ex-
pense that would he incurred. 1t is
pointed out that, with separate beard.
the members, who. necessa. lily, would
have to be paid big salaries. wouli be
required TO work only about one month
in each year.
Commissioner Rudolph this morning
said that the Commissioners have
considered q number of plans, bu,
that the scheme to place excise mat
ters with the Police Court judges me- {
with their unanimous approval TINS
pan. lie declared, was considered many
months prior TO the decision 10 cCnduc
an investigation into the affairs of ne
excise board, and the inquiry failed to
throw any new light on the situat. on o.
a nature calculated to convince the Com
mi: sioners that ii would be advisable 10
work out different scheme.
Draft Bill for Congress.
The plan, it is expected, will meet with
approval generally. as Assessor Richards
and other members of the excise board
during the Ia bfus investigation, ex.
pressed the opinion that ii would re ad-
Vantageous In many respects to relieve
the board OF assessors from excise duties
1t Is announced that the Commissioners
will hold several board meetings in re-
gard 10 the matter and that whatever
rec concentrations they decide on will be
; embodied in one bill to be presented tc
Congress rather than in several.
/ liz the proposed bill becomes law /,
will mean the second change since 1885,
in the administration of excise matters in
the District. Formerly the Commission.
ers themselves constituted the excise
board, but in 1898 they were relieved OF
these duties. the board of assessors lal.-
ing heir to them.
MUST WALK FLOOR WITH BABY,
Novel Sentence Imposed on Man