Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-09
WELFARE REPORT
WORK COMPLETED
Regulation of Child Caring
and Placing Agencies
Urged by Commission.

Regulation Of child caring and child
placing agencies. unification of the
work of social agencies generally and
improved Juvenile Court laws and a
mothers pension bill were recon-
mended in the final section of the re-
port OF the Commission on Public
Welfare Legislation submitted today
to the District Commissioners.
The report pointed out that the
evils Of baby farming and the exploit
tation of dependent children would
virtually be eliminated by the pro-
posed regulation of child-caring
agencies.
"In the District Of Columbia. as in
other communities" declared the re-
port. there are persons who engage
in the business Of caring for children
upon purely commercial basis. and
whose interests are profits and not the
! welfare of the child. There ought to
be way OF preventing such exploiting
of children, and one way in which it
can be accomplished is by requiring
all persons and agencies, whether
| they carry on child caring for profit
or as philanthropy. TO secure a pub
lie license and be subject TO visitation
by public agencies
Would Extend System.
As further step toward the elimi-
| nation of commercial baby farming
the commission advocated the re-
quiring of a license by persons or in
situations, other than regularly
licensed hospitals. receiving women
for confinement care. To guard
against possible arbitrary action. a
decision of the board OF public well
fare either to refuse an application
| for license or to withdraw a license
already granted Is subject to court
review. The board is given author
ity to visit and INSPECT the premises
of any applicant ," licensee. and is
given further authority to make
reasonable rules and regulations con-
corning the conduct OF any of the
agencies described in the act.
The health officer of the District.
| the report explains, has limited au-
| thority under n municipal ordinance
| to inquire into the sanitary conditions
| Of certain Child-caring agencies. but
1t declares that this authority Is not
| broad enough to safeguard the rights
of dependent children who may come
| into the custody of persons or lnsti-
| buttons not properly equipped to pro-
| vide good care.
| The report emphasizes that seven
States already have passed laws SINH
| lar TO the bill proposed for the Dis
| trict requiring the licensing of child
| caring agencies and maternity hos
| pitfalls, and that nine additional States
have legislation along similar lines.
Years of Work Finished.
With the submission of it's report to
the Commissioners, the Welfare Legis-
lation Commission completes the study
| of the community problems of the Dis
| trict, extending over a period Of sew
| eral years and directed by II repre-
| sentative citizens. with the assistance
| OF number of the Nations most emf
nent students of child-welfare prob
| lens, including as consultant to the
commission. William Hodson, formerly
| director of the department Of social
| legislation of the Russell Sage Foun-
| dation in New York City. Virtually
all of the recommendation contained
| in the commissions report have been
Incorporated in a series of bills now
before Congress, several of which al
| ready have been enacted. 1t is ex-
| pected that the report will be brought
to the attention of President Coolidge
and members of both houses of Con
, gress. especially those interested in
| legislation for the District.
| Members of the commission re
| sponsible for this study and the report
are: Justice Frederick L. Siddons OF
| the District Supreme Court, chairman
| Mrs. Lyman B. Swormstedt, vice
chairman; Frank F. Nesbit, secretary
| treasurer; George F. Barse, Miss
| Mabel T. Boardman, Mrs. John Allan
| Dougherty, Col. J. S. Easby-Smith
John Joy Edison, Miss Elisabeth c.
Harris, DR.. Amanda Gray Hilyer
John Ihlder, Wilton J. Lambert, J
Wilmer Latimer. Milton Strasburger
Joseph d. Sullivan and Walter S
Ufford.