Evening star., 1935-03-10
FEDERATION BACKS
LUNACY MEASURE
Bill Would Set Up Three.
Man Board to Aid Su.
preme Court.

After two and half hours of heat
ed debate. the Federation of Citizens
Associations last night voted to ap-
prove the bill pending in Congress to
set up a three-man commission on
mental health as an adjunct to the
District Supreme Court in handling
lunacy cases.
The meeting. held in the board
room Of the District Building. was
called especially to dispose of the
lunacy bill after it developed last Sat-
urday night that the members could
not agree.
Three other matters, however, were
acted upon after the lunacy commits
sion vote was taken. The federation
called upon the Public Utilities Com
mission to compel the Capital Transit
Co. to supply an adequate number of
street cars o. reasonable comfort and
modern type" to replace the antiquat-
ed equipment now in use. The reso-
luton asserted the average age of the
cars now in use is % years and that
some of them are sc years old.
Boundary Group Opposed.
Congress was called upon not to re-
new the life of the District-Vlrginia
Boundary Commission. A resolution
is pending in Congress to extend tine
life of the commission. but the fed
Grafton pointed out that the District
has nothing TO gain and much to lose
If the present boundary is changed.
George E. Sullivan pointed out that
the United States Supreme Court has
set the boundary as the high-water
mark on the Virginia shore, and that
the commissions findings may take
part of the present territory and re-
turn it to Virginia.
The Police and Fire Committee
was authorized TO appear before the
Senate Subcommittee on Appropria-
tions and ask for the restoration
to the D. C. budget Of all items for
the fire department eliminated by
the House Provision will be made
for the purchase of additional hose.
a smoke ejector and other equipment
if the Senate acts favorably.
Discussion of the lunacy bill was
opened by statement from DR.. H.
K Shapiro. chairman of the Mental
Health Committee Of the Medical So
ciety of the District of Columbia. who
explained its provisions. and pointed
out that a number of States have
already adopted a similar method Of
handling lunacy cases. The COM
mission. composed of two physicians,
specialists in nervous and mental
disorders. and one lawyer, he ex-
planned. would act as an impartial
Board of Examiners Their findings
would be presented to the court, and
in case there was a disagreement
among them. jury trial would be-
come mandatory.
Option Up to Patient.
The patient. however, would in all
cases have the option to ask trial,
either by jury or by the court, and
this demand could be made also by
his family. friends or counsel.
Charles L. Norris. acting for Thomas
E. Lodge, chairman of the Law and
Legislation Committee. presented a
majority report, urging approval of
the bill.
Mr.. Sullivan presented a minority
report in which he asserted the meas
ure was careleSSly drawn, failed TO
protect the insane person against
unfair incarceration, made the ply
sicians committing officers instead OF
witnesses and failed to guarantee trial
by jury.
He was supported by William J.
Neale, who stressed the alleged threat
TO the jury system.
Nearly 20 delegates participated in
the debate that followed, which boiled
itself down to the question of the
competence of jury to decide cases
Of mental disorder as against the
capability of a doctor-lawyer board.
Patients Not on Trial
Harry N. Stull insisted the question
of a jury trial was wholly beside the
point; that insane persons are handled
by the courts because they are i'll
and not because they are criminals.
Suppose I called in a specialist"
he said. land he consulted with an
other physician and together they de-
cided 1 was suffering from a cancer.
Would there be any necessity what
ever for calling in jury of II men
to decide whether or not I should
be put in a hospital for treatment"
The same situation, he said, applied
in the handling of lunacy cases.
Sullivan's minority report was re-
jected by a vote of 33 to IL. Nea,e
then attempted to table the ma jority
report but lost. The majority report.
favoring the measure, then was ap-