Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-08-15
Expansion Backed
For Armory Board
House Unit OKs
Bill Adding Two
More Members
BY SAM EASTMAN
Star Staff Writer

A bill to expand the Armory
Board, which operates the Dis
trict's sports stadium, was re-
ported out today by the House
District Committee.
The legislation would add two
more citizen members to the
three-member board.
In testifying at an earlier
hearing on the bill. Commits
sioner Walter N. Tobriner said
that an expanded board was
highly desirable in view Of the
stadium'S revenue problems.
The new sports arena faces
problems even in paying off
the interest alone on a $40
million bond issue.
The commissioners would
like to go further than an ex-
pansion of the boards mem
bership. They would like to
turn the stadium over to the
Interior Department.
Board Members
/ The Armory Board members
now are the president of the
Board of District Commits
sioners, Mr.. Tobriner. the COM
mander of the District National
Guard, Maj. Gen. william A.
Abendroth. and a citizen mem
Der, Frances ]. Kane, chairman.
Under the legislation, the two
additional citizen members
would be named by the chair
men of the House and Senate
District committees.
/ This is the system used now
to select the boards single cit
izen member.
A bill requiring Senate con-
firmation of the chief judge
Ship nominations by the Presi-
dent to all local courts also
was reported out today by the
House District Committee.
Power Struggle
The legislation, which re-
fleets the latest move in a quiet
power struggle between the
Senate and the Justice Depart
! ment, was passed recently by
? the Senate.
The Justice Department had
: taken the position that some
old laws permit the President
to designate chief judges with
out an okay by the Senate.
The bill would amend the laws,
making it clear that the chief
judge designations from the
White House must be with the
advice and consent" of the
Senate.
! The bill ties in with the cur
rent situation on President
Kennedy's nominations for the
Districts expanded juvenile
court. The President has nomi-
mated two attorneys, Morris
Miller and Mrs. Marjorie Law
son, but has not designated
either as chief judge. The
White House intends to name
Mr.. Miller as chief judge.
Other Bills
Also reported out today by
the House District Committee
were:
l. A bill to permit minors to
be treated at District health
clinics for venereal disease
without parental consent. Dis
trict officials have testified that
six to eight minors are turned
away each day at the clinic for
lack of parental consent, and
that many never come back.
The Districts venereal disease
rate is the highest in the Ma
ton.
2. Legislation designed to
crack down on persons who
make false statements under
oath on applying for licenses
as insurance agents and brokers
in the District. The Senate
passed a bill that would bring
these false statements under
the perjury law, which carries
a penalty of from two to eight
years in prison. The committee
today amended the Senate bill
to apply a statute that would
set the penalty at prison term
OF up to two years.
3. Legislation to allow the
Police Departments property
clerk to more quickly dispose Of
personal property, including
automobiles.