Evening star., 1940-07-11
Funeral Director Control Bill
Is AssoiIed and Praised
W. W. Chambers Attacks Measure,
While Others Call 1t Needed Legislation

Several Washington funeral direc-
tors had high praise today for the
bill passed by Congress to regulate
the business here, but at least one
felt it might encourage monopoly
and result in the raising of prices
Representative Bolles, Republican,
OF Wisconsin, sponsor of the
measure in the House, also praised
the action of Congress in passing
the bill. which he said would curb
bootleg" funerals in Washington.
The bill, now before the President,
would set up board to control and
regulate funeral directors and en-
balmers.
Anybody in Washington with a
pine box can be an undertaken under
existing law" said Mr.. Bolles, a
member of the House District Com
mittee That situation will be
changed under the proposed new
law Only qualified funeral direc-
tors and embalmers" will be allowed
to practice.
The bill. passed by the Senate
June % and indorsed by the House
Monday, directs the District Com
missioners to create a board of nine
members to license undertakers and
embalmers and to set up standards
for their activities.
Makeup of the Board.
Six members of the board would
have to be qualified and reputable
undertakers or embalmers. Another
member would have to be selected
from the faculty of one of the medi-
cal schools in the District. An eighth
member would have to be licensed
physician. The final member would
be the District health officer or his
representative.
Measures Regulating.
w. w. Chambers, one of the
largest funeral directors in the city
saw danger in the bill unless "a fail
and honest board" was named to
conduct the regulations in an "un-
selfish" way. Otherwise, he said, il
could tend to monopoly and keer
out many of the younger fellows
anxious to get into the business
The fact that the embalmers anc
undertakers will have to take out
licenses on entering the field. he
felt, might be used as an excuse tc
raise funeral prices.
Mr.. Chambers said the bill die
not affect him because it applied te
persons entering the field sub.
sequently and not to those now
doing business, but he objected tt
a board, composed largely of under.
takers, drawing up regulations fol
their competitors. He said the bill
had been put through as a health
measure, but denied the issue oi
health was involved.
This bill was directed to keep the
young fellows out of the business,
he said. He added, however, the
administration would probably work
out better in Washington under the
Commissioners than in some other
States where politics are involved
Others Enthusiastic.
Other funeral directors can.
vaSsed by random selection, how.
ever, were enthusiastic about thu
bill. .
Its one of the best things that
could have happened to the pro.
fession here in Washington" de.
clared w. r. Frank Hines, presi.
dent of the s. H. Hines Co. He sale
1t would curb lot of practices thai
should not be permitted and secuted
the idea of monopoly or rise ir
prices.
William A. Gawler, vice president
of Joseph Gawler Sons, described
the measure as a splendid thing
which he said would eventually
result in the wedding out of unde'
sirables in the field.
"All you have to do now if yo,
know an undertaken" he said, "is tt
get letter from him saying 20,
are qualified as funeral directol
and you can get license and ham
out your sningle whether you know
| ANYTHING about II or not" He saif