Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-17
WELFARE BOARD
PRACTICE SCORED
Judge Sellers Objects at
Hearing to Method of
Discharging Wards.

Judge Kathryn Sellers Of Juvenile
Court made strenuous objections to
Congress about the practice Of the
Board Of Public welfare OF diEchargtng
juveniles on temporary commitments
without waiting for the permission of
the court, the record Of the hearing be-
fore the House appropriations subcom-
mittee. released today, shows. She
made an effort to limit the power of the
board In this respect to wards over II
years of age, in whom the court is not
concerned
w. w. MILAN, vice chairman Of the
board. explained that he had secured
the enactment of the present law 10
wears ago. under which the board may
discharge from guardianship any minor
ward. He said this power had been
used 'sparingly." The committees at
tention had been called by Judge Sell
lers to cases where she committed
minors to the Board of Public Welfare
and they had been discharged without
reference to the court.
up to last April the board had never
dropped a temporary ward, she SAID
Last April I had a letter from the
board and another letter in May, stating
that they had dropped 19 children from
care temporarily committed TO the
board. I committed two OF these chill
dren to the board on probation for go
DAYS and ordered the father to pay $40
a week for them. AT the end OF 80 days
the board dropped the children from
care. wrote in and said: We have
dropped these children from care: You
can see that this, in effect, set aside Inc
courts order to the father TO pay the
$40 a week. If the father mao Deen
brought into court under rule to show
cause why he should not be adjudged In
contempt for failure to keep the court
order. could he have pleaded that the
board set aside the court order? THINK
If a man had been sitting In the court
he would have been pretty vigorous IN
his objection: but, being a woman,
have to move more softly.
Don't you carry Dig sticK9 m
uuired Representative Thatcher. 40
not" replied the Judge.
Later in the hearing RepreSenteClVe
Simmons asked her what she had done
about the situation.
II could have done a number OF
things" she replied. II wrote two very
sharp letters to them. which never
sent; filed them in box keep for
those things"
suggested Mr.. Thatcher.
II prefer not to put the letters into
the record at this time" she replied,
"There are a number of things I could
have done. but I did not do any OF
them; / waited to come before you"
While the colloquy was In progress
Judge George c. Aukaun, presiding jus
tice. was waiting to testify. Judge
Sellers appealed to him as to the legal
Interpretation of the boards power.
1T am glad Judge Aukam is here pc
cause he can give you the benefit or his
opinion" she said.
II have troubles enough Of my own"
said Aukam, and dropped out OF the
conversation.
Later Mr.. MILAN offered defense Of
the action Of the board. II think the
Board of Public Welfare" he said, with
the better opportunity it has for inves-
tigation, through its trained workers and
its paid staff, to make these careful In
destinations and to make report ana
then to sit In a judicial way to pass
on these cases, has better opportunity
TO inform itself than the judge OF the
Juvenile Court can possibly have, even II
she were endowed with the wisdom OF q
Solomon"
II took it yesterday from Judge Sell
ers' statement" said Representative
Holiday, that she did not have so much
objection to these particular cases as a
precedent, but rather took the attitude
that lie was trifiing with the dignity OF
the court"
I'm discussing this matter we had just
as well call spade q spade" said Mr..
MILAN "That is the real atmosphere
that surrounds 1t, the feeling on the part
of the Judge that 1t is inconsistent with
the dignity Of the court for the board to
have this power"