Evening star., 1961-08-15

quorum. however, Hayden 8.
Wright, of WMAL-TV ap-
peared to read an editorial
previously broadcast over Tie
station. 3
I'VE are not willing to con-
cede," Mr.. Wright said, that
all suspects between 16 years
and 18 are beyond rehabilita-
ton. Forcing all suspects with
in this age group is presump-
ton of criminal sophistication
:. : We feel this does a great
injustice to those who are In
lffocent and, those who are not
serious repeated offenders"
Training Proposed
A witness at the Senate
hearing, Jerome Bernstein, d.
rector of the Help for Retarded
Children Occupational Train
ing Center, laid out before the
committee a broad program for
job and social training for
young retarded delinquents in
the community instead of in
institutions. Mr.. Bernstein did
not so into the merits of the
various bills relating to Juvenile
Court which are being consid-
cred by the subcommittee In
relation to the courts backlog
along with ways to prevent de-
linquency and rehabilitate de-
linquents.
Only one Senate witness,
Mrs. Ernest. w. Howard, vice
chairman of the Legislative
Committee of the D. C. Chap
ter of the Federation of Woni-
ems Clubs, took issue with the
general support of an expanded
court as it is now constituted
She Endorsed the addition Of
two judges in Municipal Court,
and the transfer to that court
of juveniles from Is to t8
years, whose cases are nov
heard in Juvenile Court.
She also supported transfer
OF adult non-Support cases
from Juvenile to Municipal
Court.
AchesOn to Testify
Senator Miller, Republican
OF Iowa, who presided today in
the absence of Senator Hartke,
Democrat of Indiana, said the
hearings will resume tomorrow
morning when David C. Ache
son, United States attorney for
the District will be heard.
Wesley Williams, president of
the District Board of Education
in indorsing the addition of
two judges to Juvenile Court
said that even with three
judges on the bench, some new
law allowing referees to help
the court could expedite the
disposition of the present back
log of cases and could be avail
able in future court overload
ing.
=. c. Aubrey Gasque, assistant
director of the administrative
office of the United States
courts, said if legislation add
ing two judges is not secured,
the second best proposal would
be the addition of one Judge
and the transfer of adult cases
to Municipal Court.
Plan Is Questioned
He questioned the wisdom of
adding a rehabilitation division
at the Youth Correction Center
at Lorton, Va, for offenders
Is years of age and older.
Senator Miller on two occa-
sionS, in commenting on wit
nesses' testimony, indicated
some sympathy Indirectly for
inclusion of Juvenile Court
functions in Municipal Court
with the addition of judges
there. 4
Among organizations repre-
sented today were che League
of Women Voters, the Congress
of Parents and Teachers, the
District of Columbia Bar Asso-
citation, the National Council
of Jewish Women, the Fed
Grafton of Civic Associations
and the Washington Bar AS
sociation.
In addition to generally sup
addition of two judges
to Juvenile Court, the groups
indorsed retention of the pres
ent age limit of 10 years and
gave their support to the phi.
losophy of a separate youth
court as rehabilitative rather
than as a Furnishing institute
in the community.