Evening star., 1940-12-18
Plan for District.
Bar Association
Building Studied
Special Group to
Canvass Members
On Proposal

A special committee OF the District
Bar Association will begin looking
into the feasibility of having build
ing to house the associations activ-
tiles under orders given the commit
tee by the association last night.
The association unanimously
adopted report by the committee,
named at the last meeting, which
was read by Paul Hannah.
The committee, headed by F. Regis
Noel, will canvass the members to
ascertain their interest in having
building, whether the structure
should >be near the Courthouse or
nearer the financial district, and
whether and how much members are
willing to contribute to it's cost.
The committee also mentioned the
possibility that a wing might be
added to the present Courthouse or
the proposed new courthouse, to
house the associations library, to
serve as a meeting place and to
house Offices of the executive Sec
retary.
Find Favorable Sentiment.
The committee report added that
In the past month those members
OF the association who had been
approached had seemed to be highly
in favor of such a building.
The association, on another ques-
ton, voted not to permit colored
members of the bar to use its library
now housed in the District Court
Building.
The Committee on Library Priv
lleges, headed by William E. Rich
ardson, recommended in an amend
ment to the bylaws that colored
attorneys be permitted to use the
BOOKS IN a separate room to be
provided.
Before this amendment came to a
vote the first time, it was amended
by one offered by Henry I. Quinn
that would have given the colored
members permission to use the
same rooms now used by members
OF the association.
Both Plans Voted Down.
The association defeated, how
ever, the amended amendment to
the bylaws, which required a two
thirds vote to pass.
In a reconsideration of the pro-
posed amendment to the bylaws,
minus the Quinn amendment, the
association again voted it down.
A suit lnquiring into the right of
the Bar Association to occupy space
in public building with its library
Is now pending in the Court of
Appeals after having been dismissed
in District Court Speakers at the
meeting last night said this suit
was to be withdrawn had colored
members Of the bar been per-
mitted to use the library books in a
separate room. This had been agreed
to between litigants and the office
Of the Attorney General, it was
said. The Justice Department has
jurisdiction over the operation of
the Courthouse.
The association adopted several
proposals made by the Committee
on Relations With Municipal Court.
headed by Harlan Wood.
Favors Single Bond.
The recommendations in changes
in rules and procedure approved
included the following:
l. In attachment and replevin
cases, a single bond costing SIS shall
suffice for marshal and clerk, in
stead of separate bond for each.
Cost of this bond shall be taxed
in the discretion of the court.
2. Cost for demanding jury
trial be reduced from $40 to SIS re-
gardless of the number of de-
PENDANTS.
The meeting also approved the
committees recommendation that
legislation be enacted making a
judgment in the court act as a lein
against real estate
Establishment of limited library
in Municipal Court Building also
was recommended.