Evening star., 1936-05-19
BLANTON SCHOOL
BILL S|DETRACKED
UNTIL THURSDAY
Indications Are Committee
Will Fix Proposals
Fate Then.
BODY MORE FRIENDLY,
THAN DISTRICT GROUP
Legislation Embodies Provision to
Bar Judges from Outside
Work.
BY JAMES E. CHINN.

Action on the Blanton resolution
which would radically alter the pres
ent administrative set-up Of the Dis
trict public school system was side
tracked today by the House Judiciary
Committee.
Confronted with number of other
resolutions and bills which had pre-
ferred status, the committee, it was
said, was unable to find time to con-
slider Blanton's proposal. Indications
are, however, that the Blanton resolu-
ton may be taken up at a meeting OF
the committee Thursday and its fate
definitely determined at that time.
The resolution was referred to the
Judiciary Committee by the House
instead of the District Committee
because Blanton, in his parliament
tary wisdom, embodied in it pro-
vision which would prevent all Fed
eral, as we'll as District, judges from
teaching law classes or engaging in
other outside" work. Blanton Is
aware that the District Committee
is hostile toward him and that the
resolution probably would die in its
Education Subcommittee, which is
fighting to repeal his so-called red
rider" to the 1886 District appropria-
ton act which forbids the teaching
or advocacy of communism in the
public schools.
Committee More Friendly.
In the Judiciary Committee, how
ever, it has more chance for life.
The chairman is Representative Sum-
ners, who, like Blanton, is a Texas
Democrat. The committee members
also are more friendly toward him
than some of those on the District
Committee.
Even in Summers committee there
Is some doubt whether the resolution
can be acted on before adjournment
of Congress. The chairman pointed
out the committee has a heavy
schedule" before it and that adjourn
ment date is not far off. He promised
to call the resolution up for considera-
tion, however, and said an effort
might be made to squeeze in hear
ings.
The resolution is aimed chiefly
at the present school administration,
providing for substitution of the
Board of Education with board of
trustees to be appointed by the Com
missioners instead of the justices Of
the District Supreme Court, as at
present.
1t also provides for abolition of
the office of superintendent OF schools
and creation of a new Office to be
known as the supervisor of public
schools. The board of trustees would
be given power to remove the super
visor "at any time for causes deemed
BY it to constitute unfltnesS."
All Federal Judges Included.
The provision to prohibit judges
from engaging in outside" work
also would apply to members of the
corporation counsel's staff and other
District employees who lecture in law
schools after Office hours. Blanton
had a similar provision included in
the 1887 District appropriation bill
but it was eliminated by the Senate.
The new provision, however, goes
one step further, by making it apply
to all Federal judges-a move which
resulted in the resolution being re-
ferred to the Judiciary Committee.
Schedule of Compensation.
The supplemental report, released
yesterday, showed the annual COM
pensation of justices of the District
Supreme Court for outside" employ
ment as follows:
Justice Oscar r. Luhring, $500;
Justice Peyton Gordon, 81, 400; Justice
Jesse c. Adkins, $500; Justice James
M Proctor, $500; Justice Joseph w.
Cox, $500; Justice r. Dickinson Let's,
S925, and Justice Jennings Bailey,
s2,100.
"I want the committee to notice."
Blanton is quoted in the report, that
practically all of the justices of the
Supreme Court of the District are
drawing outside pay. They are paid
by appropriations handled by this
committee. Last year, as they do
every year, they took an adjourn
ment during July, August and Sep
tember. They have no court at all
. during those three months and they
pay no income tax and they took no
economy cuts like we did"
Blanton was particularly critical
Of Vernon E. West, acting corpora
ton counsel, who disclosed he had
three sources of outside" income.
West insisted his outside" work did
not interfere with his duties in the
corporation counsel's Office. Blanton,
however, read the excerpt of a letter
from George D. Nelson, an assistant
corporation counsel, which said he
did not have time to devote to out
side" work-that his whole time,
both during and after Office hours,
being devoted to my official duties"
Now" said Blanton, "if his time
a so taken up that he cannot lecture
In schools, or take $685. twice year
for examining young attorneys, or
act as a receiver for $45,000 estates,
and you are putting on two new at
torneys here without authority of law
or without ever having had Con-
gress provide for them, how is it
that not only you but others Of your
assistants can do it?"
The unauthorized appointments,
Blsnton contended, were those of
Leo 3. Fee, legislative assistant, and
william ]. Horgan, jr, Junior at