Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-12-19
|reIan Drafts Bill
ToForce Addicts
toHospita|s
Measure Will Be
Given Congress
In 80 to so Days

be put before Congress early next
year.
United States Attorney Charles
M. Irelan. following a meeting
yesterday to consider a rough
draft of the proposal. said the
measure. in final form, should be
ready within 80 to 60 days.
Experts in various fields scruti-
nized it carefully at the meeting
with Mr.. Irelan. and offered sug-
geStions for only minor changes
in the present draft.
Mr.. Irelan said he feels such a
measure is a necessary weapon
for combating the illegal drug
trade and all its attendant evils.
such as an increase in other types
OF crimes.
The proposed law, as it now
stands. was prepared for Mr.. Ire
Ian by an assistant United States
Attorney. Arthur D. Schaffer. and
by John F. Woog, assistant coun-
Gil of the House Judiciary Com
mittee
Star Pointed to Need.
It's preparation followed series
of articles in The Star, pointing
out the necessity of legislation
to compel treatment of drug ad-
diets as a means of fighting the
drug menace.
Only thing that remains to be
done with the proposal. Mr.. Ire
Ian said. is to smooth it out and
incorporate some of the sugges-
lions made by the experts whose
advice was sought.
Federal. District, medical and
penal authorities who attended
the meeting agreed with the
principle of compulsory hospitali-
cation of drug addicts, Mr.. Irelan
said.
The district attorney said the
new bill was drawn with careful
attention to provision for preserv-
ing the constitutional rights of all
addicts. including their right as
citizens to jury trial.
Some difficulty is being expert
enced, he said, with definitions,
but most of the difficulties at first
encountered have been overcome.
Provisions in Measure.
The measure provides for:
/. Filing of a statement with
the United States attorney by a
police officer or private citizen
that person is suspected Of being
a drug addict. II
2. Preparation OF plea for "
court order for an examination
of the suspected person. This
would be done by physician and
a psychiatrist under the Law.
3. A court hearing for those adj
judged by the doctors to be adj
diets. This would include the adj
diets right to a public jury trial.
4. Commitment by those adj
judged addicts to a hospital for
treatment.
Provides Follow Up.
S. Release of the addict-when
deemed "cured"-on condition of
periodic examination.
6. Provision for follow-u up treat
ment of the addict to insure
against his return to the use OF
drugs. This presumably would
include psyche therapy.
Mr.. Irelan said facilities for
treating the addicts was touched
upon in yesterdays meeting, but
that the group felt that a law
calling for commitment should be
enacted to create responsibility
for providing facilities.
He said he preSumeS that the
District. if the law were passed.
would be placed somewhere in the
priority scale of the United States
Public Health Service hospitals
at Lexington. KY. and Fort
Worth, Tex. for placing addicts
there. Addicts are accepted there
on a priority basis. with Federal
prisoners at the top of the list.
Others at Farley.
In addition to Mr.. Irelan, Mr.
Schaffer and Mr. Woog. those at
tending the meeting were
Sidney Edelman, attorney, Fed
eral Security Agency; Robert Hol-
linger, legislative liaison officer.
Public Health Service: DR.. Will
liam P. HerbSt. chairman of the
District Medical Society's Public
Policy Committee, and Col. Camp
bell c. johnson, chairman; Floyd
F. Rivers, senior member Of the
District Parole Board.
Also, Donald Clemmer. director
District Department of Correc-
lions; Boyd M. Martin, Federal
narcotics agent in charge of the
Washington Baltimore District:
Alfred L.. Tennyson, attorney
Federal Narcotics Bureau; Gar
land H. Williams. Federal Mar
coticS Bureau.
Chief Murray Sets In.
Also, Police Chief Robert v
Murray, Inspector Clarence H
Lutz, chief of the Morals Squad;
Capt. John B. Layton, head Of the
Narcotics Squad; Charles j. Linn
law revision counsel Of the House
Judiciary Committee; DR.. DAME.
L. Seckinger, director Of the Dis.
trict Health Department.
Also, DR.. Curtis G. Southland
National Institutes Of Health; DR.
Kenneth w. Chapman, medical
director, Public Health Service
Hospital, Lexington. KY. and DR.
Clifton K. Himmelsbach, Public
Health Service.
Lions Club Sells Trees