Evening star., 1948-05-14
KEN Advocates
Making Sex Bill
More Specific
DR.. Ruhond Expresses
Fear Measure Might
Result in BIuckmuiI
By HoroId B. Rooers

More specific definition Of sex
crimes should be included in the
House passed sex offenders bill, in
the opinion of Chairman KEN OF a
Senate District subcommittee which
held extensive hearings today on
the measure.
Senator KEN, Republican, OF Mis-
souri, heard many witnesses testify
in favor of the bill while questions
were raised by two.
The subcommittee also considered
two other measures, one to permit
the police to confscate and destroy
dangerous weapons from persons
possessing them illegally and the
other to restrict the location OF
radio and television towers.
Senator KEN announced at the
close of the hearing that his COM
mittee would take all three bills
under advisement and act on them
at a later executive session.
Sees Danger of Blackmail.
DR.. George C. Rutland, District
Health Officer, raised questions
about the broad definition of sex
crimes carried in the sex offenders
bill. He expressed fear that the bill
was so broad in it's language that 1t
might even lead to "blackmail' in
some instances.
Senator KEN pursued this ques-
ton at some length during the
hearings, and said afterwards that
he felt some amendment was de-
sirable.
In my opinion" the Senator said,
"a court should not be given a row.
ing commission to say what is sex
crime"
The section under question in the
sex bill defines the crime of sodomy
but in addition provides heavy PEN
alties for any person who shall be
convicted of committing any other
unnatural or perverted sexual act. :"
A fine would be not more than
$1,000 or Imprisonment up to 10
years except that if the conviction
is for committing the crime with a
person under 16 years of age the
penalty would be a $1,000 or 20
years llIlpl loUIlLlellt.
Witnesses IndOrse Bill.
Senator KEN said. however, he
favors the bill generally and feels
that it should be enacted after
amendment.
The measure was strongly indersed
by several witnesses headed by
Representative Miller. Republican,
of Nebraska, chairman of the
House District subcommittee which
wrote the bill.
DR.. Miller. a physician, said the
measure had been developed after
confereces with legal experts, Dis
trict officials and psychiatrists. He
expressed the opinion that the Ian
guage was satisfactory to all, but
he Joined in discussion about
changes suggested by DR.. Rutland
and Senator KEN.
Provisions Adopted From States.
George Morris Fay, United States
attorney here, outlined at some
length the need for the bill, because
of prevalence of sex offenses, par
ticularly against children. On ques-
tioning by Senator KEN he said
that State laws in many progress
sive jurisdictions which already had
met the issue were carefully studied
and some provisions had been
adopted from the statutes success
fully enforced in other States.
Other witnesses indorsing the
measure included Corporation Coun-
sci Vernon West; Dr. Winfred
Overholser. superintendent of St.
Elizabeths Hospital; DR.. Alvin R.
Sweeney, superintendent. and DR..
Joseph L. Gilbert. both Of Gallinger
Hospital.
John M. Holzworth, Alexandria
attorney, strongly attacked the
measure as unconstitutional. He
asked the committee to kill the bill
Urges Changes in Gun Bill.
The bill to destroy the dangerous
weapons seized by police from per-
sons illegally carrying them should
be amended in some particulars, Mr..
West told the subcommittee. This
Senate measure, he said would be
advisable if if1amended. The bill also
was recommended by Inspector
Robert C. Pearce. Metropolitan Po-
lice Property Officer.
The House-passed bill regulating
installation of radio and television
towers was strongly recommended
by some civic spokesmen. The BILL
long under controversy. had been
approved by the House last July
and had been the subject of a dis
pute at a Senate District Subcom-
mittee hearing last summer.
Asking its enactment were George
A. Corbin of the Federation of Cit
izens Associations and Manor Park
Citizens Association, and Leverett
Meadows, also of Manor Park.
Mr. West said the District Com
missioners opposed the bill. It was
also objected to by Bryce Rea of the
National Association of Broadcasters