Evening star., 1940-06-19
Judge Bentley
Endorsed at
Senate Hearing
28 Witnesses Buck
Her Reoppointment
To Juvenile Bench

Her Reoppointment
To Juvenile Bench
A long procession of lawyers and
several Social Service workers to-z
day Endorsed President Roosevelt's
reappointment Of Miss Fay L. Bent
ley as Judge Of Juvenile Court at Al
hearing before q subcommittee Of
the Senate Judiciary Committee.
These witnesses were virtually
unanimous in describing Miss
Bentley as fair, capable, impartial
and courteous.
The subcommittee, headed by
Senator McCarran, Democrat, OF
Nevada started the hearing at 1890
o'clock in a room jjammed with
about an equal number of men and
women, some of whom came to OPP
pose the reappointment of Miss
Bentley.
When the subcommittee adjourned,
shortly after noon 20 witnesses had
been heard, all but one of whom
urged that Miss Bentley be allowed
to continue on the Juvenile Court
bench. The hearing will be re-
sumed tomorrow at 10 am, at
which time opponents viii be heard.
Some Complaints Received.
At the outset Of the hearing Sen.
ator McCarran announced the sub.
committee had received q number
Of written Endorsements of Miss
Bentleys reappointment as well as
a number of protests. Later, he
revealed that some Of the com.
plants concerned commitments to
Gallinger and st. Elizabeth's Hos
pitals.
DR.. H. E. Eisler of the University
OF Buffalo led the parade of wit
nesses and declared the Juvenile
Court under Miss Bentley had done
good job"
One of the strongest Endorsements
of Miss Bentley's reappointment
came from Mrs. Helena D. Reed,
former president of the Womans
Bar Association of the District.
She explained that Judge Bentley
had been elected to an honorary
membership in the organization and
that before this action was taken
complaints had been filed against
her with the Grievance Committee.
Called Helpful Adviser.
Miss Bentley is carrying out the
Juvenile Court Act better than any
one available" Mrs. Reed declared.
I'VE need Judge Bentley on the
bench at this time"
Ray H. Everett, executive director
Of the Social Hygiene Society, told
the subcommittee Miss Bentley is an
outstanding social worker and has
been very helpful adviser to his
organization.
Most of the lawyers who testified
had represented clients in cases, in
Juvenile Court and discussed their
own experiences. One of them,
Michael J. Lane said Miss Bentley is
capable in every respect" And in
response to question by Senator
McCarran, declared he had never
heard any complaints she had shown
favoritism to any race or class.
Savings for d. C. Cited.
William j. Kelly, another lawyer,
said he had lost many cases in Miss
Bentley's Court but even so had
found her to be very, very fair"
Miss Bently,' the subcommittee was
told by Jesse H. Chessin, an attorney.
saves the District more money than
any one know in social welfare
work"
She has been criticized by some
young attorneys" he added, "but
The work of the court, in my opinion,
has been executed with the greatest
competency and dispatch"
Mrs. Ernest Parkinson, also an at
torney, described Judge Bentley as
"able, conscientious and sincere" as
well as person who always has a
constructive viewpoint"
Veterans Case Cited. Z
The other lawyers who indorsed
Miss Bentley's reappointment in
cluded:
Robert I. Miller, George Diggins,
Michael j. Lane, Alfred Goldstein.
F. Regis Noel, Harold F. Hawkins.
Milton Conn, Otho D. Branson, Will
liam K. Teepe, Umbert Aiello, JOS
eph A. Menamin, j. l.. O'Connor,
Frederick r. Wilson, Saul G. Litch-
enberg, Jacob Sander, Burton A.
McGann and James A. Cobb.
The lone opponent to Miss Bent
ley's reappointment was Mrs. Fran
ces Williams, who cited a case ham
dled by the judge which involved
World War veteran sentenced to a
years imprisonment in the District
Workhouse at Occoquan, Va, on a
non-support charge. Senator Nc
Carran plans to delve into the rec
ords in this case when the hearing
is resumed.