Evening star., 1949-05-22
Congress Due 10 Act
On Juvenile Court
Legislation This Week

Legislation 10 sO1ve the shortage
of q Judge In Juvenile Court !,
slated for action In Congress this
week.
The Senate probably will act to.
morrow on the McCarran bill de-
signed to relieve temporarily the
situation caused by the absence OF
Judge Fay Bentley. a voluntary
patient in st. Elizabeth's Hos
pital.
Municipal Court Judge Nadine
L. Gallagher now is serving in
Juvenile Court.
The measure, introduced by
Senator McCarran. Democrat, OF
Nevada. has been approved by
the Senate District Committee
and is on the Senate calendar
awaiting action. 1t provides for
an additional judgeship, with the
stipulation, however, that the
post now held by Judge Bentley be
abolished later.
II passed by the Senate, the
measure will go to the House
where a similar bill is pending
before a House District subcom-
mittee headed by Representative
Harris. Democrat. Of Arkansas.
Mr.. Harris indicated his unit
would await the Senate bill before
taking action on the pending
House measure.
Meanwhile, however. identical
bills sponsored by the District Bar
Association to provide for two
permanent judges in Juvenile
Court are pending on both sides
Of the Capitol.
This measure Is slated for a pub
lie hearing at 10 am. Thursday
before the Senate District Judi
ciary subcommittee. Presiding at
this session will be Senator Mar
garet Chase Smith. Republican,
of Maine, in place of Senator
Nicely, Democrat. of West Virginia.
the chairman, Senator Neely has
asked Mrs. Smith to preside be-
cause Of her interest in juvenile
court procedure.
Senator Smith has indicated
she also wants to look into certain
matters at Juvenile Court, includ-
ing the extent OF secrecy. Repre-
sentative Harris has expressed
somewhat the same concern over
the identical bill on the House
side.
The Bar Association bill would
extend the term of the court from
Its present years to 10 years.
Several other District bills are
pending on the Senate calendar
and may come up for action to-
morrow when the calendar is
called.
The House passed bill to extend
the Districts system of day-care
nurseries for children of working
mothers was amended by the Sem
ate District Committee, and awaits
Senate approval.
The House bill authorized an
appropriation Of only $50,000 but
set UP revolving trust fund into
which parents fees would be de-
posted for operating costs. The,
Senate committee substituted for
this plan an appropriation of
$150,000 for next year, the same
as now in effect for this year.
If the Senate version is passed.
the measure will go to conference
with the House.
The House passed joint resolu-
ton giving wide authority to the
National Capital Sesquicentennial
Commission also is on the calen-
dar for action after recent approval
by the Senate District Committee.
II passed by the Senate, it will 60
to the White House.
President Truman's request for
an appropriation of 100000 to
finance the Sesquicentennial is
pending before the Senate Appro-
priations subcommittee now hand
ling the second deficiency bill.
Legislation to authorize the de-
layed pay raise for District govern
ment employees is pending on the
calendars of both Senate and
House.
The pay raise bill for high h-level
Federal officials and District work.
ers has been on the Senate calen-
dar since March l8 when it was
reported favorably by the Senate
Civil Service Committee. But each
time 1t has come up on the Senate
noor it has been put over for later
consideration. Senator LANCER, Re-
publican. of North Dakota. opposes
the measure, contending it fails to
take care of the rank and file OF
Federal workers.
The measure would authorize
$3.50 pay raise for District work
ers, which they were denied at
the end Of the 80th Congress
when the 1948 city revenue bill
died In the Senate. The raise
would be retroactive to last
July !.
Pending on the House calendar
is bill to give District policemen.
firemen and teachers $3.50 pay
raise retroactive to the same l948
date. But Chairman Mcmillan,
of the House District Committee.
has said he will wait until the
new city revenue bill, including
the 2 per cent sales tax, is signed
by the President before calling up
the pay raise measure for a House
vote. He wants to be sure the
money will be in sight to meet
its cost. The revenue bill has
passed both House and Senate
and today was in conference to
iron out differences.
Pending also on the Senate
calendar awaiting action are Dis
trict bills which would:
Provide for appointment and
compensation of counsel to i'm
poverished defendants in GRIM
inal cases in District Court.
Authorize the District Commis-