Evening star., 1937-06-15
Dirt, Confusion and Lack of
Dignity Charged by Rep
resentatiVe Quinn.
COLLISION QUESTION
Anglers BAR MEMBERS
Permission to Bring Chief Magis-
trate to Defend Tribunals
Integrity Asked.

The District Police Courts we're
sharply criticized and stoutly defended
today at hearing before House Dis
trict subcommittee on bill to provide
retirement pay for judges of Police,
Municipal and Juvenile Courts.
Criticism came from Representative
Quinn, Democrat, of Pennsylvania,
chairman of the subcommittee. who
charged lack Of dignity, confusion and
dirt marked the Police Courts.
Quinn aroused indignation of men,
bers of the District Bar Association
by asking If there was any "collusion"
between the court system and pro-
sessional bondsmen.
Thomas E. Rhodes of the Bar As
sociation Immediately asked the
chairman for permission to bring the
chief magistrate of the Police Courts
before the committee to defend the
practice. integrity and honesty" Of
the court.
Hears of Rake off"
Quinn charged he had heard per-
sonally from a man seeking a job III
connection with one Of the courts that
there was "a pretty good rake-off be-
tween prisoners and bond people
Rhodes declared that If the judges
had known there would be any intima-
ton of collision between the court and
bondsmen the magistrates would have
been here in toto
Several spokesmen for the Bar As
sociation defended the magistrates,
speaking Of their long hours on the
bench and sessions during hot Sum-
lner months when other courts are in
recess. They championed the retire.
ment bill.
Julius I. Peyser, in plea for passage
Of the measure, branched off into a
general discussion of the voteless
plight of the District. taxed without
representation and governed by a
municipality. most of the principal Of
ficers of which, he said, are non-resi-
dents.
Says He Is Friendly.
Chairman Quinn said he was friend
~ to the District, but almost in the
next breath he charged that the sit
uation here had been allowed to de-
velop to q point where Congress is
-"hostile to you" No city in the
country, Quinn declared, provides the
taxpayer with 50 much value for his
tax dollar.
Milford F. Schwartz, former assist
ant corporation counsel, presented
documents explaining that the group
OF Police Courts constitutes what is, in
reality, United States Court" and
that therefore it is the only court of
the United States for which provision
for retirement has not been made"
Judges of this court, he said, We're not
included in the act of Congress pro-
viding for retirement for District en-
ployes.
Attempts by Schwartz and others to
show the Police Courts had made a
profit" were sharply attacked by
Quinn, who insisted the courts should
not be considered on profit basis, but
from the point Of view of justice and
humanitarianism The cost of the
retirement measure was estimated by
witnesses at between $4,000 and $780,
900 year.
Appears for Judge Hit.
Edgar B. Frey appeared for Judge
Isaac r. Hit Of Police Court, who, he
said, Is in hospital now because of
overwork on the bench.
James K. Hughes of the bar asso-
citation, supporting the bill, admitted
that acoustics were very poor in the
Police Courts and that the physical
conditions there should be improved.
He pointed out, however, now that
new Police Court building is being
provided more dignity will prevail.
Representative Hull, Progressive, of
Wisconsin requested information as
sto what other States and cities had
done for retirement Of their judges
and was promised brief on the mat
ter by Peyser.
Micael J. Lane, Mayor of North
Beach, Md, who said he also is a
District taxpayer, told the committee
that judges Of Maryland courts Of
record were retired at half pay.
Chairman Quinn called another
hearing for Thursday, June "a.