Evening star., 1922-12-31
POLICE COURTS PAY
| PROFIT OF 800 PCT.
Money Annually Appropriated
Far Short of Actual Needs
For Work.

In the police courts of the District
of Columbia the United States govern
ment has Il paying business PROPOSE
ton. The profits run more than 500
per cent. This is shown by the ad-
vance sheets of the annual report
made by Chief Clerk Frank Sebring
and completed at the close of the
courts yesterday afternoon.
The report shows that il cost the
government $59.S40. including every
expense. to operate these courts. The
income from fines and forfeitures was
s439. 9.6S1.4O. which is more than 500
per cent profit on the investment of
expense to operate of S59.SiO. TINS
aggregate of receipts is more than
100000 in excess of the receipts for
The calendar year of 1921. In large
measure this increase is due to fines
and forfeitures from cases arising
from violations of the prohibition law.
sos: Cases Filed.
The number of cases in both courts
fled during the year past was ST.
aS2. divided as follows: In the Dis
trict of Columbia branch. 44.402. and
In the United States branch. $3.50. This
is a large increase over the preced-
ing year.
OF the total income OF s439.6S7.i0,
the fines and forfeitures in the United
States branch totaled s120.o91.l9 and
in the District OF Columbia branch.
S%la595.49.
Expenses of operating the courts
are divided as follows: Salaries. in
Guiding the two judges. ar $4,000
,'sch: chief clerk. 5000; all other
clerk hire. bailiTs. turnkeys. engi-
Ueer. janitor. charwomen and all 9TH
"r employees. S4O.140; contingent. $4.-
100. which includes coal. light and
water, stationery and all supplies:
witness fees. $500; furniture and re-
G,airs. $500: lodging and meals for
jurors, $500; jurors fees. $4,000. and
repairs to the building. $4,000.
The amount of money annually ap-
propriated by Congress for the sup
port of the police courts falls far
short of the actual needs of the work.
Chief Clerk Sebring says. There are
times when the appropriation ls so
taxed that ice water cannot De sup
plied to the jurors and it is common
hing for the court to go without
postage and on short supply OF the
necessary blank forms.
The growth of the business of the
courts. as shown by the reports from
year to year. is increasing at such a
rate that the limited number OF
clerks makes il almos, impossible 70
do the work. 1t is an everyday oc-
currence that Mr.. Sebring coming To
his office at o'clock in the morning
cannot get home until o'clock.
-Four Clerks in ONCE.
There are four clerks in the office,
who, by reason of the shortage in the
personnel Of the clerks. have not been
able to get away except for few OF
their annual thirty days leave. Some
Of the clerks have had no leave this
year In the financial clerks office
where two men handle all of the cash
these men are there at . o'clock each
morning and never get away-not
even for a bite of lunch until 5 or
o'clock. There have been no increases
IN numbers of clerks or salaries in
the police courts for many years; they
did not enjoy any of the advance OF
wages that came along with the world
war, and the advance in the high cost
of living and their salaries are on a
basis of twenty years ago. inadequate
20 meet the present prices. Judges
Hardison and Mcmahon have from
lime to time made efforts to induce
tha District of Columbia committees
nf the House and Senate to give adj
di,ional help to the courts and
reasonable living wage. That effort
will be renewed again the coming