Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-12-16
TWO MORE JUDGES
| DECIDED UPON FOR
D. c. POLICE COURT
Joint Congress Committee
Approves of Additions With
Little Discussion.
TRY TO FRAME MODEL
DISTRICT TRAFFIC LAW
Five Year Residence Favored for
New Magistrates-Would Re
duce Jury Service.

An addition of two judges for the
local Police Court was decided upon
today by the joint District committees
of the House and Senate, which is
preparing a model traffic law for
Washington.
Doubling of the present court, with
the necessary assistants, members Of
the committee believe, will relieve
congestion and bring traffic offenders
to speedy justice.
Two other innovations which are
expected to be incorporated in the bill
and upon which the committee voted
favorably are a shorter term for jury
service in the Police Court and a re
striction increasing the limit of resi-
dence necessary in the District for
eligibility of judges.
Question of Judges.
There was little discussion by mem
bers of the committee in regard TO
the additions to the local court, after
Representative Rathbone OF Illinois
had pointed out that it was not
question of needing more judges, but
how many more than two We're
needed. He said that doubling of the
present court would probably take
care of conditions for time and Con-
gress at a later date, if it was found
necessary, could increase the number
still further
When the provision of the tentative
bill was reached involving jury Serv-
ice it was pointed out that the Police
Court is only allowed a panel of 20
men, who serve for a period of three
months, while the grand jurors serve
for only one month. Representative
Blanton Of Texas said that he thought
three months was entirely too long
and that this limit should be con-
siderably lessened.
Limit for Jurors.
After considerable discussion it was
decided to limit the time of Police
Court jurors to two weeks and TO
give the court authority to increase
the panel il business demanded.
In this connection Representative
Rathbone asserted that II was a. great
hard ship for . business man to give
up more than two weeks to jury
service. He expressed as his opin-
ion that g. better type OF Juror could
be secured with the shorter term.
He also said that with the short
term judges should be good deal
more strict in accepting excuses from
jury service.
Representative Blanton's motion
for a f1ve-year tenure of residence in
the District for eligibility for ap-
pointment of Judges was at first de
feated, but when it was discovered
that judges of the Municipal Court
were required to live in the District
for Ave years, the committee reversed
itself and adopted his motion.
1t is evident from expressions of
members of the joint committee that
Postmaster General New will make
little headway in his attempt to re-
lieve postal drivers from obeying
municipal traffic regulations. He has
transmitted a letter to the chairman
of both committees urging that Con-
gress take action to allow postal
drivers the freedom of the streets. 4
scathing attack on the proposition
was made by Senator Heisler Ball OF
Delaware in the general discussion
today.
IT have told the Postmaster Gen
eral," said Senator Ball, that l con-
slider the post office drivers probably
the most reckless class in the city and
the greatest offenders against the
traffic laws. I have also told him
that it would be fatal If the privi-
leges he asked were granted. I have
seen drivers of postal vehicles turn
corners on two wheels. and 1 believe
that, as an average, they are the
worst drivers and the most reckless
in the city"