Evening star., 1945-06-14
Po|ice,Fire
Pay RaiseVoted
ByHouseGroup
Commissioners Fail
In Effort to Exclude
Retired Members

Retired Members
The House District Committee to-
day ordered a favorable report on
a bill providing pay increases to
members OF the Fire Department
and the Metropolitan, White House
and Park Police, In keeping with the
scales Of the Federal pay raise bill.
In approving the measure, the
committee disapproved a proposed
amendment submitted by the Conn
missioners which would have pre-
vented the increase to policemen and
flremen retired before the effective
date of the bill, July /, 1945.
There was considerable support
for the bill as is, and several re-
tired officers opposed the Com
missioners' amendment, which had
been defended by Richmond B.
Keech, corporation counsel. Mr..
Keech, however, suggested that the
Commissioners felt the matter
of increased pay to previously re-
tired officers should be the matter
Of special legislation.
Others Bills Approved.
Other bills approved by the Dis
trict Committee included:
Postponement for one year, from
July to July /, 1916, of the effec-
tive date of the ban on occupancy
of alley dwellings in the District.
To permit juvenile defendants in
criminal cases as well as older de-
PENDANTS to be sent to Gallinger
Hospital for psychiatric examina-
tion when the court has reason to
believe they may be of unsound
mind.
Authorizing the Commissioners to
require vaccination of amy or all
dogs against rabies in the discre-
tion of the Commissioners The
cost of dog vaccination would be
paid by the District and to meet
this expense the annual dog tag
fee would be raised from 50 to SO.
To ban use of special congress
sional automobile tags 30 days after
the end of sessions of Congress for
which they are issued. The COM
mittee Endorsed slight amendments
made by the Senate.
Opposition to the District Com
missioners' attempt to amend the
police and fire pay raise bill was
led by former Asst. Supt. of Police
w. S. Shelby, who insisted the in
tent of Congress was to protect
officers of the Fire and Police De-
partments in view of their espe-
cially hazardous occupation.
He charged that these men re-
tired before July l, 1945, should
not be arbitrarily chosen for cru
.ciflxion on the cross of economy"
In colloquy between Mr.. Shelby
and Representative Murphy. Demo-
crat, of Pennsylvania, defending the
pay raise for all, and Mr.. Keech.
| insisting on the Commissioners
amendment, Mr.. Keech explained
that the Police and Fire Pension Act
of 1923 had been amended by the
Act of 1890 which gave the District
Commissioners discretion in grant,
| ing increases to individuals,
| Among the witnesses opposing the
Commissioners plan were George j.
Richardson, secretary of the Inter-
national Association of Fireflghters:
J. M. Jameson, president of the
Retired Firemen's Association; Hor-
ace w. Lineburg, retired policeman
who is past department commander
of the American Legion and past
post commander of the Police and
Firemen's Post of the American
Legion which opposed officially the
Commissioners amendment, and
c. P. M. Lord, retired police captain.
Chairman Randolph of the District
Committee brought out at the close
of the hearing by questions that
there were more than 800 retired
men who would be affected by the
District Commissioners proposed
amendment.
Mr.. Randolph indicated the COM
mittee might use part of Mr.. Shelby's
brief in its favorable report to the
House.
George A. Corbin, attorney. asked
the committee to hold up the per-
mission given by District authorities
for erection of television tower in
the area of the Manor Park Citizens
Association. He charged the action
of the District officials constituted
a violation of the zoning Act. Mr..
Keech, in reply, told the committee
that results of a hearing indicated
that the majority of the citizens of
the area wanted the television facil-
tiles so that this city would not lag
behind other cities.