Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-07-17
Senate Unit Backs
ID. Stadium Bill
Approves
Police, Fire
Pension Plan
BY DON S. WARREN

The Senate District Com
mittee today unanimously APP
proved with some changes the
House-passed bill authorizing
the District Armory Board to
build. maintain and operate q
new Washington stadium at
the foot of East Capitol street.
The committee. also by
unanimous vote. approved
House-pasSed bill to liberalize
the retirement system for Wash
ington police and firemen.
This is the second time the
committee has approved such
a bill. This was required be-
cause the Senate committees
first measure was blocked on
the Senate floor by Senator
Williams, Republican of Della
ware. who voiced fears that
the provisions would be out of
line with those for Federal
Government employees.
Senator Bible, Democrat of
Nevada, acting chairman of the
committee meeting today. said
the committee was satisfied
after restudy of the whole issue.
that the bill was a good one,
not out of line with either the
Federal system for persons in
hazardous occupations or the
police-fire retirement systems
OF cities of comparable size.
Retroactive Feature
The bill would make the in
creased benefits and the in.
creased deductions from the
pay OF police and firemen both
retroactive to last October. In
its earlier bill. the Senate COM
mittee would have made the
benefits retroactive but let the
increased pay deductions
from S to 6l2 per cent-become
effective after enactment of
the measure.
The police-fire retirement
bill would apply to the United
States Park Police, the White
House Police and certain Off
GERS and members of the United
States Secret Service, as well as
to the District Police and Fire
Departments.
The stadium bill authorizes
construction of a new sports
and recreational facility on a
Government-owned site north
OF the District Armory at a
cost up to Sc million and with
a seating capacity of up to
$4,000. The most immediate
objective of this legislation is
to authorize a District agency.
the District Armory Board. TO
obtain grant of $35,000 from
the Housing and Home Finance
Agency to cover the cost of a
preliminary economic and en-
gineering survey.
Teacher RilI Eairs
The Senate committee today
also approved a bill authorizing
the District Board of Educa-
ton TO employ retired school
teachers as substitute teachers.
without loss to them of their
retirement pay or status.
Committee approval was
given to a HouSe-passed bill
providing pay raise for the di-
rector of the Metropolitan Po-
lice Band, Charles Benter, an
honorary inspector of the de-
partment, who now draws the
pay of a lieutenant. $6.46O q
year. His pay would go to
that of a captain, $7,085.
Approved also was House.
bill to provide a uni
form succession of real and
personal property in cases Of
intestacy. The bill was recon-
by the District Bar
Association.
Acting on a request from the
Department of Justice. the
decided that the De-
partment could have the same
access to committee files con-
corning former Police Super
Robert j. Barrett,
as was granted his counsel. in
with an issue over
income taxes Of Mr.. Barrett.
The committee held over for
attention as the first order Of
BUSINESS at the next committee
a bill providing for APP
pointment OF a second judge
for the Districts Juvenile
Court. The House has APP
proved this measure.
Held over also to the next
is the House. passed
Of Representative
Hyde, Republican Of Maryland.
for creation Of a House-Senate
Joint committee OF District
Committee members TO make
an overall study of all major
problems affecting the District
and adjoining areas Of Mary
land and Virginia.
d c Womnn Hold