Evening star., 1951-06-05
Action by House
Slated Today on
D. Crime Bill
Davis Confident of
Passage Despite
Delaying Tactics
By Harold B. Roqers

BY Harold B. Rogers
The Davis crime bill for the
District, blocked for more than
three hours yesterday by parlia-
mentary maneuvers on the House
floor, was scheduled for debate
and action by the House today.
Opponents of the measure, who
delayed its consideration yester-
day. planned to attack it again
today, but Representative Davis,
Democrat. of Georgia, confidently
predicted House passage.
The bill would make about 30
changes in District law to strength
en- enforcement all along the line
from arrest, to prison and parole.
Merits of the bill were not dis
cussed on the floor yesterday. But
opponents told reporters they OBJ
ject to provisions for mandatory
court sentences for certain crimes
and for control of after-hours
bottle clubs.
would Scrap Bill.
Representative Eberharter, DEM
ocrat, OF Pennsylvania, who re-
sorted yesterday to quorum calls.
roll calls and even reading of the
complete bill word for word by the
clerk, said later the bill is $50 un-
desirable from so many angles it
would be useless to improve it."
Representative Hayes, Demo-
crat, OF Ohio, who failed to force
adjournment said he plans an !
amendment providing that bottle
clubs be completely outlawed. He
wants this in place of the bills I
provisions for licensing by tbs
Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.
The long series of quorum calls. |
roll calls and votes, ran from
about 1880 pm. to nearly 5 pm.
But after proponents won the vic.
tory of getting the bill up for con-
slderation before the House, act.
ing as a committee of the whole.
strong support for the measure
was registered.
Short General Debate.
About SO minutes remained to-
day out of the one hour allotted
by the House for general debate.
After that, the measure was to
be open for amendments. Other
bills also were scheduled for action
by the House today, and it was
hoped that final action on the
Davis measure would be reached
before nightfal1.
Chairman Mcmillan of the
House District Committee, in
opening debate on the bill, said
the Davis subcommittee deserves
the thanks Of this House" for its
long. careful work on the problem.
II feel that we have here one
of the finest cities anywhere in
the world" Chairman Mcmillan
said. However. there are a few
weak places in law enforcement.
and this bill will go long ways
towards correcting abuses.
Calls for Quick Passage.
washington is one of the
cleanest cities in the United
States, but we want it to be safe
for every one, not only visitors,
but ourselves" the lawmaker told
the House. "It is our place to see
to it that law enforcement is car
ried out. This legislation is
needed. I hope the House will act
quickly and pass it,"
Representative Halleck, Repub- =,
lican. of Indiana. acting Minority
Leader, interrupted to ask about
possibility of resuming discussion
today. Chairman Mcmillan said
that would be agreeable to him.
HAS Representative Davis ap-
proved this bill as written?" asked
Representative Hoffman, Repub-
lican, of Michigan who had de-
manded the first quorum call at
1870 o'clock.
Assured by Mr.. Mcmillan that
he had, Mr.. Hoffman declared:
That's good enough for most Of
U.S."
TITS good enough for me-" re-
sponded Chairman Mcmillan.
Courts Defended.
Representatives Eberharter and
Hayes later told reporters the
measure was too important to be
acted on by the relatively small
number present on the floor most
Of yesterday.
Mr.. Eberharter strongly opposed I
the mandatory minimum SEN
fences without probation or parole
in certain cases.
II don't think there Is anything
the matter with the courts here"
ne declared. THAT provision is
a slap at every judge on the
bench" Such legal problem as
that should have gone to the
House Judiciary Committee, he
contended.
The bill would require minimum
sentences without parole or pro-
patton for rape. attempt to COM
nit rape. robbery, HOUSEKEEPING
1t night and second offenses of
crimes Of violence committed
when armed.