Evening star., 1932-03-16
D. c. BAN DEBATED
ON STAGE CHILDREN
Theatrical Life for Minors
Both Defended and
Criticized.

The bin pending in Congress to
amend the District child labor law by
lifting the existing prohibition against
minors appearing in professional the
atrical productions was alternately de-
Tended and assailed at q three-hour
hearing yesterday afternoon before the
Senate District Committee
Proponents of the bill, led by Stephen
E. Cochran, manager of the National
Theater, painted a roseate picture of
the virtues of the stage and the oppor-
tunitieS it holds out for juvenile dra-
matte talent The opponents were
equally as vigorous in condemning stage
life for a child, chiefly on the ground
that the travel, hotel life, late hours
and the nervous strain involved is detri-
mental to normal development
Cochran strongly defended the NOR
ais, he It'll and intelligence of the stage
CHI, and pointed out that the child
is an essential element in numerous
theatrical productions. Green Pas
lures" classic of the modern stage,
and many other outstanding produc-
tions having minors in their casts. he
said, cannot be presented in Wishing
ton under existing law.
Reveals Safeguards.
II don't think the stage Is such a
terrible place." Cochran declared "No
more harm can come to the stage child
than to the child turned loose on the
street. The morals and the health of
professional stage children are amply
, safeguarded and protected. Further
more. believe the stage child is more
intelligent than the average child in
school,"
Cochrane mentioned the names of a
number Of stage celebrities, including
Helen Hayes, Elsie Janis and Ina Claire,
who developed on the stage from child
hood, pointing out that they were al
also recited that girls Of 20 in the
latest Ziegfeld extravaganza, "Hot Cha, y
are accompanied by their mothers, and
fense of the morals and health of the
stage child.
Cochrane was supported in his plea
for passage of the bill by w. w. Keeler
of the Central Labor Union, the Actors
Equity Association, the Theatrical Pro-
tective Union, Washington Chamber of
Commerce, Board of Trade, Northeast
Washington Citizens Association, Mid
City Citizens Association. Levi Cooke Of
the District Bar Association and Rev.
Francis J. Hurney. pastor of Immaculate
Conception Church.
The opposition was directed by Mrs
Walter S. Ufford of the VoteleSs Dis
trict League Of Woman Voters, who
read to the committee a long list oi
District organizations opposed to the
bill, and introduced more than a dozen
witnesses who were unanimous in the
opinion that passage Of the bill would
constitute lowering of the standards
of child labor protection.
Corporation Counsel William w
Bride told the committee the Commits
sioners Endorsed the bill with several
amendments. One of the proposed
changes would limit the appearance
; of the child on the stage to 4 hours
! a day and 28 hours week. Another
would require an application for a
permit to be filed with the Board OF
| Education at least 81 days before the
| performance to allow sufficient time
! for study of the script.
Speakers for the opposition included
Miss Selma M. Borchardt of the Ameri-
can Federation Of Teachers, Miss Anne
! Davis of the National Child Labor Com
mittee, Rev. John A. Ryan OF the Ma
tional Consumers League, Roy F.
Woodbury. of the Children'S Aid So
ciety of Erie County, N. Y; Miss Fay
| L. Bentley, director of the Department
| of School Attendance and Work Per-
mits; Lieut.. Rhoda j. Milliken. director
| OF the Woman's Bureau of the Police
Department; Mrs. Clara Mortenson
| Boyer. director Of the industrial division
| of the Childrens Bureau of the Depart
| ment Of Labor Matilda Lindsay Of the
Women's Trade Union League OF Amer
lea and Mrs. Joseph N. Saunders of the
District Congress Of Parents and Teach
| ers.
Mrs. Ufford had inserted in the rec
| ord Of the hearing a recent editorial
| in The Evening Star opposing passage
Of the bill. She also filed with the
committee letters from organizations
opposing the bill. Among them were:
The Monday Evening Club, the Vote
less District League Of Woman Voters,
the Woman's Council Of the Fedora
ton Of Churches, the Washington
Branch OF the American Association
Of University Women, the District
Federation of Women's Clubs, the Ma
tional League Of Woman Voters, the
National Child Labor Committee, the
Washington Chapter Of the National
| Council of Jewish Women, the Wash
| ington Chapter Of Hadassah, the Sis
terhood Of Adas Israel and the United
Hebrew Relief.
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