Evening star., 1934-02-07
WOMAN LAWYERS
SAY MISS BENTLEY
LACKS EXPERIENCE
Nominee for District Juve-
nile Court Bench Opposed
at Hearing.
SOCIAL WORK SEEN
MINOR PART OF JOB
Friends of Attorney Will Appear
for Her at Senate Judiciary
Meeting Later.

Two Washington young "Portias'
opened the fight before a Senate Ju-
dietary Subcommittee today against
confirmation of Miss Fay L. Bentley
to succeed Judge Kathryn Sellers on
the District Juvenile Court bench.
Charging that Miss Bentley is not
qualified by legal experience or tram
ing to sit as judge in the court, the
two women. Miss Goldie S. Paregoi
and Mrs. Nlta S. Hinman. both prac-
tlclng attorneys, urged the commit
tee to oppose the appointment.
Other witnesses heard this morn
ing were Mrs Giles Scott Rafter a
leader in Parent Teacher organiza-
tions: Mrs. Leslie B. Wright, attorney,
and Phillip w. Austin. attorney. Only
those in opposition to Miss Bentley
were heard this morning. A large
number of those favoring her were to
be heard later.
Neither Miss Bentley nor Judge
Sellers was present as the hearing be-
gan. In the crowded room, however,
were Supt. of Schools Frank w. Bal
lou and Assistant Supt. Stephen E.
Kramer, who had been closely asso-
ciated with Miss Bentley during her
career as director of school attend
ance and work permits.
Training Lack Charged.
Miss Pareg0i told the committee she
had often appeared in Juvenile Court,
but had never seen Miss Bentley there,
either prosecuting or defending a case.
she said 1t was her opinion that the
primary qualifications of good Judge
are IN legal experiences and training
and that Miss Bentley apparently
lacked both.
"A person not versed in the law and
the rules of evidence" she said. could
not give defendant a fair trial.
Miss Paregoi also pointed out that
the statute creating the Juvenile
Court provided that the Judge should
have been learned in the law. and
it is her belief that person before
becoming learned in law should have
at least several years experience in
actual law practice.
At one point during her testimony.
Miss Paregoi evidently thought she
was arguing a case in court and ad-
dressing the committee said I'll
say, gentlemen of the jury but she
caught her word there and smiled.
The committee. composed of Senators
King OF Utah. Norris OF Nebraska and
Logan of Kentucky, smiled with her.
Qualification Grounds.
Then she continued: Il hate to
come here TO oppose any Woman's ap-
polntment. I don't think it is right
Tor woman to fight woman"
Mrs. Hinman, like Miss Paregoi
emphasized she was not opposing
Miss Bentley as an individual, but on
the ground of qualification.
How can one sit on the bench who
was admitted to practice three years
ago and who has never, to my knowl-
edge, attempted to try cases in
court?" Mrs. Hinman asked
She added that Miss Bentley's ex-
perience has been in the field of So
cial service work. After Miss Bent
leys work in the truancy department
of the public schools had been ex-
planned. Senator Norris, Republican.
of Nebraska, asked witnesses if they
did not agree that such experience
would be desirable for a Juvenile
Court judge.
Mrs. Rafter began by declaring
that Washington has no juvenile
court, but that it is a court of domes-
tic relations, in which only two days
week are devoted to the trial of
children. Mrs. Rafter said emphasis
has been placed on Miss Bentley's
training as a social worker, adding,
But the Judge has nothing to do with
the social service work Of course. If
a trained lawyer had that experience
it would be all right. but there are
persons employed at the court to dc
the social service work"
Mrs. Rafter complained that "there
has been a great deal of trouble about
the truancy problem" In this con-
nection she said that in 1880 Judge
the truancy problem in the schools.
Mrs. Wright told the subcommittee
she is the mother of four children
and also an attorney and has been
active in home and school association
work.
Mother Knows More"
"I think a mother knows more
about children than a bachelor girl"
Mrs Wright declared,
Mrs. Wright indicated some of her
friends had proposed her name for
the place She said she was Demo-
crat. She also said that some of her
friends in discussing the matter with
her had said they couldn't see why
a Republican should be appointed, all
other things being equal"
1917 RESULTS |