Evening star., 1932-03-22
ID. {. HEADS FAVOR
CHILD ACTOR BILL
Commissioners Suggest Ger
tain Amendments to
Local Measure.

The Commissioners in report to
Congress yesterday approved, with GER
tain amendments, the bill to permit
minors to take part in stage perform
ances in the District. The same bill
was disapproved by the Federation of
Citizens Associations. The Board of
Education had the bill before it for re-
port but did not go on record as to its
merits.
"The Commissioners have given con-
sideration to the proposed measure"
the report reads, "as matter of public
policy and see no reason why the legis-
lation should not be enacted with GER
tain amendments as safeguards in the
administration of the proposed law"
Among the amendments suggested
were that no child be allowed to take
part in performances for more than
4 hours in any one day or % hours in
any one week; that the Board of Edu-
cation be furnished with a copy Of the
manuscript of the play in which the
child Is to appear at least 10 days be-
fore the performance, and the board
shall have the power to grant or re-
fuse to grant the child permit to ap-
pear in the play.
Clephane Opposes Bill.
Mrs. Walter S. Ufford, one of those
who are opposing the amendment, to-
day made public letter from Walter
c. Clephane, Washington attorney, who
is q member Of the Legislation Com
mittee of the Bar Association and who
served as chairman Of the section on
social welfare legislation Of the Com
mission on Uniform State Laws.
It was chairman of the section on
social welfare legislation which had in
charge a proposed uniform act dealing
with this subject, and, therefore, feel
pretty familiar with the views OF that
conference with regard to it, said the
letter.
THE minimum age of employment as
fixed in the uniform child labor act Is
IA. The only exception in the act
relates to street trades. The question
of making a further exception in favor
of theatrical employment was the sub
ject of considerable discussion upon the
floor of the conference, but 1t was de-
termined that it would not be wise to
make this exception, and the act WITH
out that exception engrafted upon II
was unanimously adopted by the con-
ference, with the exception of one dis
cCllLlll6 NOtC CdoI Wy IiAC SOhAAAA~NSAN~-~
from the State of New York.
I'm explanation of the method OF
voting, will you permit me to say that
the Conference of Commissioners on
Uniform State Laws consists OF dele
gates appointed by the Governors OF
each of the States and Territories OF
the United States and by the Commls-
sioners of the District of Columbia
These delegates are usually three In
number. The idea is to have repre-
sentation from every section OF the
United States. The vote on the adop-
ton of acts is taken by States. In this
instance the result of the vote was as
set forth In the next preceding para
graph.
Opposes Exception.
IT sincerely hope that this exception
to the law Of the District of Columbia,
which law very closely resembles the
uniform act approved by the confer
ence Of commissioners, will not De
adopted by Congress"
Letters opposing the amendment
have been placed on record with the
Senate District Committee from the
following: Voteless District League OF
Women Voters. Mrs. Edwin l.. Jonn-
ston, vice president; Women's Council,
COCl dtlOil VI SliQlSllCo, ANAAo' -
Darby; Child Welfare Committee,
Council of Social Agencies, Mrs. Mary
F. C. Leute; Monday Evening Club.
Miss Louise Mcclure; Protective Social
Measures Committee, Social Hygiene
Society: Mrs. r. Thomas West, member
of board, Social Hygiene Society; Dis
trict of Columbia Parent-Teacher AS
sociation, Mrs. Joseph Sanders, presi-
dent; Washington Branch or American
Association of University Women, DR..
Martha MacIear, chairman, Education
Committee; D. c. Federation OF
Women's Clubs; National League OF
Women Voters, Miss Edith lockwood,
secretary department welfare in gov
eminent; National Child Labor Com
mittee, Courtenay Dinwiddie, general
secretary; Washington Chapter, Ma
tional Council of Jewish Women;
Washington Chapter of Hadassah;
Sisterhood of Adas Israel, and United
Hebrew Relief, Mrs. Charles A. Gold
smith, president.