Evening star., 1950-04-23
Hearing Is Scheduled
On 5-Day Week for
; Police Forces Here
By Harold B. Rogers

The Congressional drive to curb
crime here will take another step
forward this week when a bill to
put three police groups on a five-
Gay work week comes up for pub
lie hearing at 10 am. Wednesday,
before House District subcom-
mittee.
The measure, py reducing the
work week. would require addition
Of more men to the forces of the
Metropolitan Police. Park Police,
and White House Police.
Representative Davis, Democrat,
of Georgia. who is spearheading
the drive for stricter law enforce
ment here. will preside at the
hearing before the House District
subcommittee on public service,
streets and traffic. He is chair
man of this group and also head
OF the separate special subcom-
mittee investigating crime in
Washington.
Recruiting a Problem.
'"One of the great difficulties
the Metropolitan Police Depart
naent has" said the lawmaker last
night, lis in recruiting new men.
The department has not been able
TO compete successfully with in
dustries and other lines of work
which offer better salaries and
working conditions.
"A good many fine young men
who otherwise might look to
police work for opportunity go
elsewhere because of more attrac-
tive offers, such as the five-day
week"
William N. Mcleod, clerk of the
House District Committee, said
witnesses invited to testify on the
Davis bill include District Com
missioner j. Russell Young: Police
Supt. Robert J. Barrett: Inspector
Clarence Lutz, legislative repre-
sentative of the Metropolitan
Police; Inspector Mark Raspberry
chief of the Park Police; an Of
fetal of the White House Police;
and DR.. John A. Reed, chairman
Of the Board of Police and Fire
Surgeons.
= Other Cities Cited.
Mr.. Mcleod said the committee
had information that several cities
somewhat comparable in size TO
Washington already have put
their police on a five-day week.
Among those nearest in size to
the National Capital that have
done this are: Detroit, 40 hours;
San Francisco, 40 hours; Los
Angeles. Al hours. and Cleveland,
a. hours. Many cities in the
100000 population class-some-
what smaller than Washington
have adopted the 40-hour week,
Mr.. Mcleod said. He made public
these figures, he explained, be-
cause Of recent charges that no
city like Washington had adopted
the five day program. ~~
The Davis bill, reducing the
hours--of work of all members Of
the force, would require addition
of. about 800 more men, at an
estimated cost of $877 900.
Crime Probe Pushed.
Proponents of the Davis bill
contend that the health, morale
and efficiency of the entire force
would be strengthened, and
greater drive could be made for
improved law enforcement by
adoption OF the five-day week.
AS Mr.. Davis expressed it,
everyone benefits from rest and
recreation"
Meantime the program of action
under direction of Mr.. Davis spe-
cial crime investigating subcom-
mittee is going forward inten-
sively. with a view to new legisla-
ton and new administrative pro-
cedures to improve all branches
Of law enforcement here.
BY direction of the Davis crime
subcommittee, the staff. headed
by Hyman I. Fischbach and John
Woog, is conferring daily with
leading law enforcement officials
at all levels They are preparing
new bills, and proposals for new
procedures.
Changes Studied.
1t will take some time, Mr..
Davis said last night. to work out
program of the kind the sub
committee has in mind. No fur
ther meetings of the subcommit-
tee are expected this week.
Later on. however, when bills
are whipped into shape and pro-
posals drafted for certain changes
In present procedure. another
meeting will be called for informal
conference between the subcom-
mittee members and enforcement
officials.
These officials, including jurists,
police. prosecutors. and others
charged with responsibility for
law enforcement. already have
been making studies of a number
of proposed changes in District
law. The program was presented
to them at recent meeting in
the form Of a blue book" So
called because Of its binding.