Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-23
NO QUORUM FOR BILL
Police and Firemen's Pension
Measure Not Reported.
S0LONS WAIT TWO HOURS
Committeeman Fume at Inability to
Act on Carlin Measure.
DELEGATIONS GIVEN HEARING
Representatives of Departments
Argue on Various Phases of
Proposed Legislation.
SOLONS WAIT TWO HOURS
DELEGATIONS GIVEN HEARING

lice and firemen's pension fund failed of
a unanimously favorable report by the
House District committee this morning
because of the lack of quorum.
Chairman Johnson has stated. on the
floor during the present session that he
finds great difficulty in inducing quo
rum of members Of the District commit
tee to attend the regular meetings His
statement was substant:ated today when.
with no objection registered against the
Cariin bill, and indeed with the admission
from all sides that its immediate enact
ment is essential, it was impossible to
obtain quorum.
The committee was just one shy. Ten
members were on hand, and as the COM
mittee consists of twenty-one members,
the presence Of one more would have
given the necessary quorum. Finally
Representative Carl Anderson of Ohio
was found in his room in the House Of
flee building, and promised, over the tele-
phone, to be up in a few minutes.
I'VE have been here for more than an
hour waiting for g. quorum" remarked
Representative Dyer of Missouri. '"Tele-
phone him again and tell him to come
Immediately 1 don't propose to wait any
longer"
''The committee clerk, on instructions
from Chairman johnson, finally tele-
phoned to Mr.. ANDERSON that unless he
came to the meeting within ten minutes
he nendn't come at all, as under the
permitted to sit during sessions, but must
adjourn on the stroke of noon This time
the clerk reported to the committee that
Mr.. Anderson would be right up" But
he did not come.
Gavel Stops Discussion.
The committee remained in session
until the last moment, however. hop
ing against hope and grumbling
freely. Representative Sulloway Of
New Hampshire took out his watch and
laid it on the table in front of him.
This is absolute foolishness," re-
marked Mr.. Sulloway. Il have been
hanging around here for two hours
now waiting for somebody to show up
and make a quorum so we can report
this bill and attend to other business.
Representative Kahn of California nod
ded emphatic approval to Mr.. SulloWay's
comment and added: ut is a shame that
we can't get a quorum Of the committee
and report this bill today. so That 1t can
go on the calendar and come up next Dis
trict day."
Finally the clock in the committee room
indicated the hour Of noon, and CHAIRMAN
Johnson remarked under the rules of the
House the committee must adjourn. Rep
Redfield of Brooklyn, n. T.,
one Of the most earnest supporters OF the
Carlin bill, objected.
..Surely that clock must be wrong"
Mr.. Redfleld suggested. II am certain
my watch is right, and it indicates that
1t is only 1855
Suppose we turn the hands Of the
clock back? suggested Representative
chairman Johnson's gavel fell, putting
stop to the discussion and adjourning
the committee. The ten faithful men,
bers were just leaving their seats when
Representative Anderson entered the
room. He wanted to know what was the
matter and was informed that the COM
mittee had waited two hours trying to
get quorum.
but where are the other members of
the committee?" Mr.. Anderson demanded.
Absent, just as you were,' retorted
Mr.. Dyer.
well, don't put all the blame on me-"
rejoined Mr.. Anderson tartly. II was
with two of my constituents and couldn't
get here one minute earlier.
Just before the committee adjourned it
was suggested that the Carlin bill be
favorably reported and that the other
members of the committee be polled in
order to obtain the necessary quorum,
but Mr.. johnson objected.
II cannot consent to polling the COM
mittee," said Chairman johnson. I'VE
tried that once before and got into all
sorts Of trouble on the floor. Here
after when a bill is reported a quorum
must be present or ] shall oppose the
measure on the floor
Interested Persons Present.
The bill introduced by Representative
Carlin of Virginia that the committee
tried so hard to get on the calendar
today provides:
THAT the Commissioners of the District
of Columbia are authorized and directed
to deposit in the Treasury of the United
States to the credit of the police and fire.
mems relief fund of the District Of CO.
lumbia, from the receipts from licenses
other than liquor licenses, in addition to
the revenue now authorized by law. such
sum as may be required to meet the de-
ficiency now existing in the fund, and
thereafter such sums as may be necessary
from time to time to prevent deficiencies
in the same"
Throughout the entire time that efforts
were being made to obtain a quorum the
District committee room was crowded
with active and retired members Of the
police and fire fighting force, with a
sprinkling of widows of policemen and
firemen who died in the line Of duty.
These women expressed great uisappoill..
ment when it was found impossible to get
action on the bill in which they are so
much interested and which means so
much to them.
While the committee was waiting for
Mr.. Anderson Policeman Charles r..
Smith. chief spokesman for the Police
mems Association, addressed the commit
tee with reference to the bill INTRODUCED
by Chairman Johnson, at the request OF
the Commissioners, proposing the crea-
ton ''of the police and firemen's relier
and retirement fund. to provide Tor the
relief and retirement of members OF the
police and fire departments. to establish
a method Of procedure for such relief and
retirement and for other purposes
Opposes Court Fines Clause.
''Of the thirty-seven cities which now
have retirement fund laws similar to the
one proposed in this bill," said Policeman
Smith, "twenty-four provide for retire
ment after twenty years Of service. We
approve this bill as a whole. but We
would like to have 1t amended SO as to
make retirement possible after twenty
years instead of twenty-five years 'serv-
ice. We also would like to have the bill
amended SO that Police Court fines shall
not be applied to the retirement fund.
Our experience is that police often
arrest men who say, You wouldn't ar
rest IL you didn't need money for your
pension fund lawyer representing
hotel man arrested for selling liquor
on Sunday recently made this insinu-
alton in open court, and 1t is humili-
ating O the policeman Chairman john
son said he did not agree with this view.
I think" he said. that such pro-
vision would encourage the discharge
Of duty, and IL any policeman should
make improper arrests just to swell
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