Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-14
Commissioners
Draw Fire Over
Arrest DeudIine
BY SAM EASTMAN
atar staff Writer

on a ban on investigative ar
rests in Washington, effective
after midnight tonight, has
drawn sharp criticism from
influential members Of
the House District Committee.
The committee last week
urged the Commissioners TO
continue arrests for investiga4
ton in the city until Congress-
has q chance to act on the
question.
The committee has O key role.
In District affairs. 1t handles
all District legislative proposals.
Yesterday afternoon, how
ever, the Commissioners an-
nounced they were rejecting
the committees request for q
deferral on the cutoff date for
these arrests. Walter N. To-
briner, president of the Board
of Commissioners. read this
statement:
THE Board Of COMMISSIONS
ers, after careful considerations
and with the profoundest re-
spects for the request Of the
House District Committee. has
decided not TO rescind the banI
which accordingly will be eff
fective March IS"
Reaction Feared
Chairman Mcmillan Of tho
House District Committee said
in effect, that the Commits
sioners' action is a setback for
law enforcement efforts in
Washington. {
Some city officials said pri4
vately that rejection Of thd
committees deferral request
may have hurt the chances fo1
favorable committee action on
some of the Districts legisla4
tive proposals.
Asked to comment, Commis4
sioner John B. Duncan said
he was confident that thia
would not be the case. Menu
bers Of Congress. he said, vii,
distinguish between the issuesA
The Commissioners had an
nounced in January that they
were ending investigative ar
rests. They set the March u
date in order to give Congress
time to take action on the con-
troversial matter.
The Com m issioners' an
nouncement in January was
made as they submitted pro-
posed legislation designed 10
give the police q substitute for
investigative arrests.
Bin Under u. s. Study
The draft bill. which would
require court permission before
suspects could be questioned.
was sent to the Federal Budget
Bureau for clearance. The
Budget Bureau sent the pro-
posed legislation to the Justice
Department for its reaction,
The bill repeatedly is still under
study by Justice Department
officials.
Shortly after the Commisa
sioners' announcement yesterA
day, Representative Mcmillan.
Democrat of South Carolina
issued this statement: J
"Since the House District
Committee Is trying to give
preference TO legislation to
curb crime in the District OF
Columbia, we regret we do not
have the full support Of the
Commissioners in this regards
Praise for the Commissioners
stand, however, came from Sem
ator Morse. Democrat Of
Oregon.
Senator Morse, q member o.
the Senate District COMMITTEES
who takes an active interest in
city problems. said:
The decision Of the Com
missioners yesterday TO uphold
the Constitution Of the United
States Is deserving Of the ap-
proval Of all Americans who
believe in government by law.
I congratulate them. Any other
course Of action would have
been TO substitute government
by man for government by
law"
Several members Of the
House District Committee gave
statements attacking the de-
cision TO reject the commit
tees postponement request.
Representative Broyhill Of
Virginia. the ranking Republic.
can member. said he did not
foresee punitive action but
added:
II think It is going to injure
their (the CommissionersD re-
lationship with the District
Committee"
Representative Whitener.
Democrat Of North Carolina,
said 1t was unfortunate that
the Commissioners would COM
pletely disregard an overwhelm-
ing recommendation" from the
committee.
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