Evening star., 1926-03-09
HOUSE EPASSESB|LL
CREATING WELFARE
BOARD IN DISTRICT
Approves Measure Senate
Voted for With Only
Negligible Change.
NINE MEMBERS OF BODY
WILL SERVE FOR 6 YEARS
Commission to Control Twelve In.
stitutions-Three Existing
Boards Are Abolished.

With change Of only two words.
the House today passed the bill es-
tablishing a Public Welfare Board in
the District of Columbia by approx
ing the same measure that already
has passed the Senate. The bi1l,
however. must return to the Senate
for action upon the two words in
serted by the House
The bill abolishes the Board of
Charities, the Board of Children's
Guardians and the Board of Trustees
of the National Training Schools for
Girls upon the appointment and or
ganization of the new Board Of Pub
lie Welfare.
This new board would consist of
nine members appointed by the Dis
trict Commissioners for terms OF six
years, and no member would be ell
gible for appointment who has not
been legal resident of the District
at least three years. This board is TO
serve without pay.
Institutions Controlled.
This board will have complete and
exclusive control and management of
the following institutions: The work
house at Occoquan. Va; the reforma-
tory at LOrton. Va: the Washington
Asylum and Jail. the National Train
ing School for Girls in the District and
at Muirkirk. Md; Gallinger Municipal
Hospital the tuberculosis Hospital
the Home for the Aged and Infirm.
the Municipal Lodging House, the
Industrial Home School. the Indus
trial Home School for Colofed Chill.
dren and the District Training School
in Anne Arundel County, Md
Amendments were proposed by Rep
resentative Gilbert. Democrat. of Ken
lucky and Representative Hill, Repub-
lican. of Maryland. respectively, to
eliminate from the jurisdiction of the
Public Welfare Board the National
Training School for Girls and the
Board of Children's Guardians. Both
amendments were defeated, the first
/ by vote of IS to % and the second
| by a viva voce vote.
/ Representative Blanton. Democrat.
of Texas offered an amendment pro-
viding that the Mothers Aid Board
should not be consolidated with the
| Public Welfare Board after the
Mothers Aid Board shall have been
created. This measure has already
passed the House, and a different bill
| Is awaiting action on the Senate cal
endar.
! Amendment Opposed.
A point Of order was made by
! Chairman Zihlman of the District
committee. I'm charge of the bill.
against the Blanton amendment on
the ground that it was not germane
and related to a board which has not
yet been created. Mr. Blanton said
that he was acting for the entire
New York delegation" in Offering this
amendment. Representative Lehlbac ach
Republican, of New Jersey, presiding
as chairman, overruled the point of
! order
Mr.. Blanton insisted that the
mothers aid bill contains the Mills
plan for administra ton of the fund
by a separate Government agency.
and that he was protecting Mr.. Mills
and the whole New York delegate
when he urged the amendment.
Representative La Guardia. Social
ist,' of New York. said that he feared
the public welfare board would reac CHI
out and take over the work of the
mothers aid board. He said he con-
sidered the public welfare bill un-
sound and unscientific.
IF there Is no design for the Public
| Welfare Board to take over the work
of the Mothers Aid Board. why not
put this amendment In the b;ll?" Mr.
La Guardia asked. He said that as
chairman of the board of aldermen in
| New York. he was familiar with this
kind of work and the Mothers Aid
board must be kept separate from
correctional work.
I'VE are dealing with human beings.
not tariff schedules" shouted Mr.. La
| Guardia.
BlantOn Plan Defeated.
! Representative Cramton. Repuh.
lican, of Michigan argued that the
| amendment was unSound, and that
MIR. Mills would so consider it. On q
rising vote the amendment was lost
by vote of to 20.
Representative Houston, Republi.
can, of Delaware offered the only
amendment which was adopted. This
was with reference to protecting chill
dren placed in institutions from being
brought up in a faith different from
that of their parents. The amendment
inserts the words wherever practica-
ble." in order that the following pro-
viso might be consistent:
| Provided. that wherever the board
shall for any reason place the child
with any organization, institution or
individual other than Of the same re-
| ligious faith as that Of the parents Of
the child, the board shall set forth the
reason for such action in the records
of the case"
/ Mr.. 'Blanton vigorously opposed
this amendment. which was adopted
.Aby a vote of II to IA.