Evening star., 1940-05-13
Seal Criticiizes
Judge Nelson
As Ticket 'Fixer'
Charges Follow
Proposed Choice
For Traffic Cases

For Traffic Cases
Corporation Counsel Elwood H.
Seal charged before the House Dis
trict Committee today that George
d. Nelson, newly appointed Police
Court Judge, had fixed" more traffic
tickets while he was an assistant
corporation counsel than any other
attache of his office.
Mr.. Nelson was the Police Court
prosecutor for the corporation cuun-
sells Office until his elevation to the
Police Court bench.
Mr. Seal made the charge after
Washington I. Cleveland, District
manager of the American Automo-
bile Association, had suggested that
MI Nelson might be willing to be-
come full time traffic Judge.
The committee at the time had
under consideration a bill spon-
sored by Representative Schultz,
Democrat, of Indiana. providing for
designation of one of the four Po-
lice Court judges as a full-time Traf-
fic Court judge. The four judges
now rotate on the Traffic Court
bench for one month at a time.
Burden on Traffic Court.
Il don't know of any man who
has fixed more traffic tickets than
did Mr.. Nelson when he was an
assistant corporation counsel" de-
clared Mr.. Seal, who previously had
told the committee he did not be-
lieve the Traffic Court alone could
possibly handle all traffic cases. He
pointed out that traffic cases in
which jury trials are demanded are
not now handled by the judge on
the Traffic Court bench.
Mr. Schultz sought to have the
committee favorably report his bill
so it would be placed on the House
calendar in time for consideration
on the last District day of the
month, May q. He met some re-
sistance, however, especially from
Representative Nichols, Democrat,
OF Oklahoma, and as result it was
agreed to ask the Subcommittee on
Streets and Traffic to hold spe-
cial hearing at which the four Police
Court judges would be called on to
express their views on the plan.
Mr.. Schultz declared that under
the present rotating system there
is no uniform system of penalties in
the Traffic Court and that favoritism
has resulted. He said he heard of
fncfonpoc u,b Ia tol ooeoe
postponed until more favorable"
Judge was on the Traffic Court
bench.
my bill will do away with such
D situation" he declared.
Commissioner John Russell Young,
who for the fourth successive week
occupied seat at the committee
table, when asked for his views on
the proposed legislation, indicated
he believed judge should serve on
the Traffic Court bench for at least
six months at time.
Cleveland Urges Approval.
Mr.. Cleveland, in urging approval
Of the Schultz bill said the weakest
link" In the Districts traffic safety
setup is in the enforcement of the
traffic laws and regulations in the
courts. He declared one judge who
would mete out the same sentence
in each particular type of cases
would improve the situation.
The committee favorably reported
a long pending bill sponsored by
Representative Dirksen, Republican,
of Illinois, which would prohibit the
sale of prison made goods in the
District. The measure was originally
introduced in 1896. Mr.. Dickson said
the legislation is needed now in
view of recent complaints that con-
vlct-made shirts, underwear and
brooms are being sold in WASH
ington on large scale.
Mr.. Schultz said he had been told
that Maryland attempted to control
the sale of prison-made products by
labelling each article with the letters
''P. NJ" to indicate they were made
by prisoners. But, he declared,
labor union official had reported to
him the dealers handling such
products had told customers the
p. M" meant Pride Of Maryland"
Representative Dirksen also sought
to have the full committee favor
ably report his bill designed to clar-
ify the existing income tax law and
to extend the levy to non-residents
whose income is earned here. The
bill is similar to an amendment the
House adopted to the combination
sales-income tax plan several weeks
ago just before it scrapped the en-
tire tax program.
Despite Mr.. Dicksen's insistence
that the legislation is needed to
clear up confusion" about the pres
ent law, the committee referred the
bill to its Fiscal Affairs Subcom-
mittee for study. Representative
Nichols, who sponsored the dual
sales-income tax plan, is chairman
of the subcommittee