Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-26
COURT BUILDING
DEFEATED IN HOUSE
Mrs. Rogers offers Three
Amendments to Deficiency
Bill, but All Are Lost.

Effort 10 restore to the second de.
Fciency appropriation bill IN the
House Yesterday an appropriation for
starting work on the new Police Court
building authorized by substantive
law ana additional contract authorlza :
ton was defeated when Mrs. Edith
\ourse Rogers of Ma ssac husetts of
fared successfully three amendments
TWO of which were rejected on points
of order and the third by a vote OF
81 to -.
Chairman Zihiman OF the House
District committee and Representative
Rlanton, the acting ranking minority
member, argued stubbornly i'll sup
port Of Mrs. Rogers amendments,
carrying out the instruction or the
legislative committee by unanimous
vote.
Madden and Zihlman Clash.
When the third amendment was
offered Chairman Madden of the APP
nropriations committee asked: why
was not that offered in the fret place?
Why did YOU not play fair with the
committee" Mr.. Zihlman, TO whom
1t was addressed. heatedly replied that
he had not prepared the amendment
and had SO stated and resented the
The distressing conditions at the
Police Court and the delay in carrying
out the provisions of the Substa ntlNe
law for relief of those conditions were
described by Mrs. Rogers, who said
II do not believe many OF you
realize the horrible condition in our
District Police Court, the police court
nf the District of Columbia. / should
not have realized that condition II
had not been there as q witness and If
] had not gone there to inspect the
conditions. 1t seems incredible TO me
that any one who has been there
should not be willing TO support this
amendment in order to secure
At least, we ought to recommend the
beginning of a new building.
DO you realize that in the cells the
prisoners are crowded in to the num-
her of $50 or 1856? They are so
crowded there that in the morning.
when they are given their cup OF
coffee and their sandwich, which is
the ration for the entire day. they can
scarcely lift their hand with the cup
OF coffee to their lips.
Cites German Prison Camps.
Il know something about the Ger
believe the Germans treated their
prisoners during the World War as
we are allowing the prisoners TO be
treated in the District courts. 1t is
owing, of course, entirely TO the
crowded condition. 1t is not inten-
tional. The people of the District
and the courts do not want TO be in
human even to prisoners. You know
a good many of these prisoners are
found not guilty"
Mrs. Rogers introduced letter from
the Fine Arts Commission, which
stated that the location of the Police
Court Building had been fixed in Ju-
dietary Square end emphasized that
the Budget Bureau supports the
recommendation for appropriation of
&400. 900 and contract authorization for
an additional $500,oo0 for the Police
Court; that il is supported by the
Chief Justice, all the justices and
lawyers and by the citizens associa
tons.
Representative Cramton Of Michi.
gan opposed action at this time say
Ing:
MY own opposition to action at this
time is that the information which
came before the committee on appro-
piiations demonstrated that building
which would meet with the approval
Of the Fine Arts Commission. erected
on the site that is proposed, which will
balance up the existing building for
the Court Of Appeals on the other side
Of the square, and that as large a
building as can be erected at that
point to properly balance up with the
other court building win accommodate
only four or, at the most, five court
rooms. There are today four Police
Court judges. The number is entirely
insufficient.
More Judges Asked.
There Is a request today from the
district attorney OF the District for
two more judges, and the clerk Of the
Police Court urges additional judges.
/ say that If this motion carries and
you spend 100000 for this Police
court building under the existing
plans and at. the place proposed, the
very minute you make the appropria-
ton 1t Is insufficient to meet the needs
OF the court and the situation does not
permit Of proper expansion thereafter.
Let me substantiate what / say. /
am in sympathy with having proper
court facilities, but / am not in sym.
pathy with our spending money for q
building to the extent Of $500, 900 and
then when the building is ready for
occupancy find it is already insufi.
cient for the things for which it was
built and that It can not be enlarged
without running UP against the Fine
Arts Commission"
Representative Collins. Democrat, of
Mississippi, a member OF the sub
committee on District appropriations,
also spoke in favor Of deferred action
until a complete agreement is reached
as to just what is needed and as to
the site on which the new Police
Court Building Is to be located.