Evening star., 1937-11-02
|NDORSES LUNCH
PLEA IN CONGRESS
Mrs. Roosevelt Also Sees
Need as Incentive for
D. C. Citizens.

Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt believes
the question of providing free hot
lunches for Washington's needy school
children should be brought to the at
tention of Congress.
She feels, however, according to a
statement in the current issue of the
Democratic Digest. that the present
method of providing meals is valuable,
because 1t makes the community
take an interest in its school chill
dren and understand their needs
Replies to Query.
Answering question by Mrs. Sam
uel Herrick Of the Woman's National
Democratic Club as to whether the
matter should be presented at the
coming session in the hope Congress
will pass legislation establishing
permanent fund for this purpose, Mrs.
Roosevelt replied:
II doubt very much if Congress
would set the precedent by providing
free lunches for the school children
Of the District of Columbia. AS un-
derstand it, in other parts of the
country this Is occasionally included
in the school budget. Frequently 1t
Is done by the Parent-Teacher Asso-
Citations until the school trustees de-
eide that 1t is necessary and legiti-
mate part Of the school expenses.
Publicizes Need.
"1t will do no harm to bring it to
the attention of Congress, because if
1t Is necessary to apportion whatever
money is spent on the schools specif-
cally, it. may be necessary in the
District to have Congress cognizant
Of exactly what is needed.
''The way it is being done at pres
ent in the District Is valuable to the
community, because it makes the
community take an interest in its
school children and understand their
needs, and, though I realize 1t may
not be satisfactory as a permanent
thing, 1t will probably do us good in
the present instance"
Meantime, the Citizens Emergency
Committee, which has been working to
raise s67 500 in the community for the
non-labor costs of the project op-
Grated jointly with the Works Prog
ress Administration to feed the Cap
ttal's 5000 needy children, dissolved
last night and reformed as the Citi-
tens' Permanent Committee for Feed
ing and Clothing Needy School Chill
dren.
The transformation is intended to
broaden the scope of the committee
activities and results from conditions
revealed to the members while operat-
Ing in their emergency capacity Mrs.
John Boyle, jr, remains chairman OF
the new organizat ton, and Mrs. James
M. Doran is treasurer.
Magic Shows Now On.
The committee. however, has added
the following members: Judge Isaac
r. Hit, formerly of Police Court;
Msgr. John A. Ryan, director OF the
National Catholic Welfare Council; A.
Coulter Wells, Charles F. Burton, Mrs.
Charles r. Shelton and Mrs. Dewey
Zirkin.
shows running day and night this
week at the Belasco Theater was
staged yesterday before q capacity
house in the afternoon and . fairly
good audience last night.
Children, dismissed from school
early to get to the matinee, were de-
lighted with the wizardry of all kinds
contributed by corps of magic ex-
perts, both local and out of town.
The shows are the last big benefit
planned for the fund and Mrs. Boyle
urges every one to see them.
Pvt. W. S. Boss of Engine Company
No. 2 won the $50 prize offered to the
fireman and policeman selling the
most tickets to the benefit prize fight
staged last month at Griffith Stadium.
He sold 1,7G0 tickets, nearly twice as
many as Pvt. Elmer Graham of En-
gine Company No. 81, who receives
$25 for disposing Of 908, the second
largest number. Police winners have
not yet been announced.