Evening star., 1940-02-13
Schultz Sets Stage
For Exposure Of
Mediums 'Fakery'
Maj. Brown Assigns
Police to Probe
'Boby PeddIine'

Representative Schultz, Democrat,
Of Indiana is making arrangements
today to have y. L. di Ghilini give
a demonstration at the Capitol of
"deceptions" he charges are used
by spirit mediums, fortune tellers,
clairvoyants and others who claim
to have psychic powers.
~ chairman Of tt Police and
FFire Subcommittee II the House
District Committee, lrr. Schultz Is
charged with conducting III In
vestiga ton of the practices In WASH
tngton of fortune telfers, soothsayers.
palmists, etc,
It was at the suggestion of Mr.. di
Ghilini that the District Committee
yesterday ordered Mr.. Schulte's sub
committee to investigate those per-
sons In Washington who claim to
have psychic powers and sell their
services to the public.
Offers to Demonstrate.
Mr.. di Ghilini offered to stage
a demonstration before committee
members which, he said, would "ex-
pose" the "deceptions" Of these
people.
I'm going to take him up on
that Offer" said Mr.. Schultz. "And
I'm going to call before the subcom-
mittee every spiritualist, fortune
teller, palm reader or anybody else
who wants to answer Mr.. di Ghilini.
II would like to know myself Just
how much psychic powers these peo-
pie have. I'm going to give some
Of them q test by asking them If
President Roosevelt is going to run
for a third term"
Mr.. Schultz explained he had been
on the stage for years before COM
ing to Congress and he knows the
practices Of the palm readers, clair
voyants and others is "fakery."
Aside from Mr.. Schulte's inves-
tigation, the committee ordered Po-
lice Supt. Ernest w. Brown to check
up on newspaper stories that baby
peddling" agencies exist in WASH
ington. ..,
Police Cooperation Pledged.
Maj. Brown said today this was
the first time he had heard such
charges Of "baby peddling," but that
he would "do everything he could
In the way of investigating.
He said he would assign several
plainclothesmen and woman from
the Women's Bureau to the task.
I'VE will cooperate fully in doing
whatever the District Committee
wants." he said.
Robert E. Bondy, director Of pub
lie welfare for the District, testi-
flying today before the House Dis
trict Subcommittee Probing Con-
dition at Blue Plains, was ques-
toned about the so-called baby
peddling.'
He told Chairman D'Alesandro
that the committee had already
asked Maj. Brown to investigate
the reports.
Don't you think it is your duty
as director of public welfare to look
into this situation?" inquired Mr..
~ A1C6dklUIU. i tIIl11A IL Is nor.
rible thing. It seems to me like
everything is wrong with public well
fare. It is deplorable when you han
die human lives like chickens.
Mr.. Bondy explained that the
Board Of Public Welfare had no au-
thority under existing law to control
such q situation.
"The board is aware of the ex-
istence Of the problem" he declared,
''but 1t needs q basic law to con-
troll It,"
Although the Police Department
was not instructed to look into
charges Of fraudulent" practices Of
fortune tellers, Mai. Brown said
today clairvoyants and such are
licensed under an act of Congress
here. Twenty-Five hold such licenses,
which cost $3.50 each. The licensee
must have lived in the District two
years prior to filing application.
The Police Department has been
making arrests wherever violations
Of the law were found, Mai. Brown
said.