Evening star., 1940-03-12
Ultimate Death
Old. {. Child Actor
Bill Expected
House Sends Measure
Back to Committee
After Spirited Debate

Ultimate death today faced a bill
designed to amend the District child
labor law to permit children to
dance, sing or take part in any
radio or theatrical production for
pay.
Fate Of the measure was virtually
determined when the House late
yesterday, after an hours spirited
debate, returned 1t to the District
Committee, from whence It came.
for further consideration. Indica-
tlons are the committee will con-
sign the bill to a pigeonhole.
The measure was recommitted by
a 1873 to 1874 roll call vote-the first
one taken in the House at the pres
ent session of Congress on District
legislation. Action was precipitated
by motion of Representative
Bolles, Republican, of Wisconsin,
a member of the District Committee.
Nearly score of House members
took part in the debate. Most of
them registered vigorous protest
against the bill on the ground it
would be- step toward sabotaging
the child labor law. Others took
the position that public hearings
had not been held O. this particu-
lar measure, and that the House
was entitled to know before it acted
the views of the Board of Educa-
ton.
Filibustering Tactics Used.
The School Board, under pro-
visions of the bill, would be required
to pass on applications of child
artists for permit and also would
be constituted as censorship die
tator over the productions in which
they would take part.
Flllbustering tactics had been en-
ployed to prevent the bill from even
being called UP for consideration
after the District Committee earlier
In the day refused to withdraw it
from the House calendar at the
urgent request OF representatives of
Is organizations. The filibustering
move was initiated by Representa-
tive Marcantonio, American-Labor
OF New York, who also took a lead
ing part in the fight that resulted
in return of the bill to the COM
mittee.
Mr.. Marcantonio charged enact
ment of the legislation would open
the door TO one of the most per-
nicious rackets" in his State-the
exploiting of talented children by
theatrical agencies. He declared "a
chiseling gang" operates the agen-
cies and gives only small per-
centaee of the earnings of the chill
dren to their parents.
Schultz Calls Up Measure.
Those who favored passage of the
bill aligned themselves behind Rep
resentative Schultz, Democrat. of
Indiana, former vaudeville troup-
er. who still holds a card in the
Actors Union. A ranking majority
member of the District Committee.
he called up the measure in the
absence of Chairman Randolph, who
remained at home recovering from
an acute attack of ptomaine poison
ing.
Representative Dirksen, Republi-
can, of Illinois, another member of
the District Committee, joined Mr..
Schultz in urging passage of the
bill. pointing out that under existing
law Shirley Temple and other Child
prodigies" could not perform in
Washington for compensation.
Representative Jessie Sumner,
also an Illinois Republican, suggest
ed that the bill be recommitted and
that the District Committee redraft
1t in such way to cover child
prodlgles and not all the children
at large"
Celler Urges Passage.
A later plea for passage of the
bill was made by Representative
Celler, Democrat, of New York. who
declared that under existing law
number of outstanding stage shows
could not be produced in Washing
ton, because it would be necessary
to use children in the casts. He
mentioned specifically the current
Broadway attraction, Life With
Father" King john" Richard
III" Peter Pan" Mrs. Wiggs of
the Cabbage Patch,' "Pollyanna,"
Child Alone" "Penrod" and Tom
Sawyer"
TT is nothing less than utter
righteousness that keeps the people
OF Washington from seeing such
plays he said.
Mrs. Harvey w. Wiley of the
Woman's City Club, who said she
represented 18 organizations in the
District, appeared before the Dis
trict Committee at its meeting yes
terday morning and urged that the
bill be recalled frora the House
calendar and subjected to public
hearings. She declared the proposed
legislation would "let down the
bars in Washington with respect
to the child labor law and set
bad precedent for the rest of the
country.
When the District Committee
turned a deaf ear to her plea it is
understood some of the members in
the delegation that accompanied her
to the Capitol then made their pleas
to other House members before it
was voted to send the bill back to
the committee and probably to
oblivion.
The roll call vote on the child labor
bill follows:
FOR RECOMMITTAL.
ALLEN, III. KINZER
ALLEN, La. KIRWAN