Evening star., 1926-06-09
CHANGE Accepted
BY 1t. VAN W|NKLE
Difficulties Besetting Wom'
ans Bureau Bill Overcome
IL in Committee.

BY agreeing to a simpler definition
of the functions of the Woman's Bu-
leau of the Police Department, Lieut..
Nina c. Van Wrinkle, head OF the
bureau, overcame practically all OF
the opposition to the proposed or
sanic law for the bureau which de-
veloped before the Senate District
Committee Yesterday afternoon.
Although the committee was not
prepared to take action on the meas
ure at Yesterdays meeting. Chairman
Capper and Senator Copeland SuS-
Sested changes in the language OF
the bill that seemed to satisfy both
Mrs. Van Wrinkle and those who took
exception to it in its original form.
The hearing did not develop any OPP
position to the continuation of the
woman'S bureau or to raising the
rank of the head of the bureau. Col.
James S. Easily Smith, lawyer, and
Mrs. +. r. Kalmlack Of the District
of Columbia Congress of Parent
Teacher Associations, fought the bill
as presented at the beginning OF the
hearing. but both stated they were
objecting to specific terms in the Dill
and not to the continuation of the
woman's bureau.
Functions of Bureau Discussed.
The discussion centered around
that section of the bill which set
forth in detail the functions Of the
bureau mentioning specifically the
kind of cases policewomen should
handle, including authority to IN
vestieate neighborhood conditions
and various places of public as
sembly.
Col Easily Smith told the commit
tee that some of the language re-
lating to the powers and functions
of the bureau would be dangerous
and unconstitutional and added that
the purpose of the bill is to seek
power which police should not have.
Mrs kalmbach said her organizii-
ton objected to the proposed defini-
tion of the functions of the bureau
on the ground that it would author
ize the polIceWomen to extend their
work into fields that should be lett
TO the Juvenile Court, and she also
expressed fear it might cause conflict
with the new Board of Public Welfare
if left in its original form.
The smplified definition OF the
functions OF the bureau which Mrs.
Van Wrinkle agreed to accept toward
the close of the meeting was in line
with wording suggested by Col. Easily
Smith when the bill was under con
sideration a year ago. senator cope
land urged Mrs Van Wrinkle to ac-
cept the amendment, (which provides
in broad terms that he function OF
the Woman'S Bureau ShaI pe 10 pei,
form preventive and protective work
and TO exercise all the duties of the
Police Department in cases involving
women and children under the laws
of the District.
The amendment seemed 10 meet the
objections of the two opponents, ana
Senator Copeland told Mrs. van
Wrinkle she would probably flnd II
more advantageous. pointing out that
it is better TO have broad languages
under which the powers are lnlpileu
than to attempt to specify in the law
every phase of activity the bureau
might have to cope with.
6l New POlicewomen.
Senator Copeland also told Mrs. Van
Wrinkle he did not believe the com
mittee could approve the proposed
increase from % to 94 in the number
of policeWomen. Mrs. Van Wlnkle
recalled that the House committee
had changed the number to 81 and IL
was tentatively agreed to flX thal as
q minimum in the Senate bill.
At the beginning of the nearing
Senator Capper read the report of the
20
exception to incorporating in the law
questions of personnel and qualifica-
items which they felt should be ielt
to the city authorities.
Mrs. Van Wrinkle said that thus lar
all of the men who have headed the
Police Department hal ye been in sym
pathv with the Woman'S Bureau. but
she SAID the pending bill should he
enacted to safeguard the bureau
against the possibility of being de.
stroyed by some future municipal
official who might be unfriendly to it.
Mrs. Van Wrinkle was strongly sup
ported in presenting the bill by repre-
sentatives of a number of organiza-
tions, including the following: Miss
Helen d. Pigeon, secretary of the In
ternational Association of Police
women: Mrs. f. c. Gregory. chair
man OF legislative committee of the
D. A. R.: Mrs. Louis Gutenberg.
League of Women Voters: Miss
Laura Tracy, Civil Service Commits
sion, and Mrs. Alice Meredith, Wom-
ans City Club.