Evening star., 1948-02-20
Miller Hopeful
For:EarIy Action
.0n 7 Sex Bills
House Unit Choirmon
Notes D. c. Situation
Worse Thun Nations S

Representative Miller, Republican,
Of Nebraska, declaring that sex Of
fenses in the District present pic
ture which seems worse than in
the United States as whole" ex-
pressed the hope today that new
legislation to help control the situa-
ton may be reported out shortly
by the House District Health SUBJ
committee.
DR.. Miller, who is a physician and
chairman of the subcommittee, pre-
sided over a long hearing on two
pending bills dealing with sex Of
fenses. Afterward, he planned to
have an executive session of all
parties concerned to work out a
measure on which his subcommittee
could agree.
The two measures before the sub
committee, designed to curb sex Of
fenses, are entirely different.
DR.. Miller emphasized the impor-
tance of the pending legislation and
substantiating his statement that
the District looks worse than the
country at large in regard to sex
offenses, asserted that there were
$50 sex offenses of all kinds reported
here between July, 1916, and July
1947. Also, he added, there un-
doubtedly were a great many un-
reported cases.
Minnesota Law Cited.
The figures, he emphasized, repre-
sent an increase of 400 per cent over
1910, when there were only 80 such
cases reported.
Representative MacKinnon, Re-
publican of Minnesota, strongly
urged measure he has introduced
based on the law in his home State
The other measure, prepared by
United States Attorney George
Morris Fay in cooperation with
police, prison and medical authori-
ties, was designed specifically for
the District.
This bill provides heavy penali-
ties for sex offenses and the COM
mitment of habitual offenders to
st. Elizabeths Hospital.
Mr.. Mackinnon contended that
the Minnesota law had been up
held by the Supreme Court and was
broader in its scope than the Fay
bill. He said the Minnesota law
does not require that a criminal
charge be filed against a sex often
Ger before treatment.
SperO Articles Praised.
Mr.. sMacKinnon praised a series
of articles on the general subject
appearing in The Star which were
written by A. j. Spero. Washing
ton attorney and member of the
District Bar Association's mental
health committee. His articles were
placed in the committee record.
+. Invited to cooperate with the
Miller subcommittee on health, edu-
cation and recreation in preparing
a final draft were Mr. MacKinnon,
Mr.. Fay, Corporation Counsel Yer
non E. West, James v. Bennett, di-
rector Of Federal prisons, and Rep
resentative O'Hara, Republican, OF
Minnesota, who is chairman of the
House District Judiciary Subcom-
mittee. They appeared at the hear
ing.
Mr.. Bennett recommended that
valuable data might be obtained on
specific cases in the District as the
background for helping to solve the
problem here if clinic for treating
sex offenders could be set up, prob
ably at st. Elizabeths.1 This is not
in either of the pending bills.
DR.. Winfred Ove"n ~" T. ''-'
tendent of st. Elizabeths. pointed
out what he Consl cIco
in the Fay bill, which might pro.
vide opportunity for sexual psyche.
paths to escape its penalties.
Insane Are Spared.
The bill provides that the tern
criminal sexual psychopath" shall
include neither insane nor feeble.
minded persons as subject to the
penalties in the bill. The wore
feeble minded" might we'll be lef
out, DR.. Overholser pointed out, be.
cause a person charged with VIC.
lation of the proposed act nigh
insist he was feeble-minded, ane
therefore be exempt.
Mr.. West reported the Distric
Commissioners were in favor of tht
Fay bill, but had not made a repor
IN the MacKinnon hill
Mr.. Spero emphasized the neee
for study of the background O
sex offenders here.
(l D-J.l.