Evening star., 1941-05-15
Drive Launched
For Law toCurb
Charity Rackets
Sworn Applications
Would Be Required
Under Proposed Bill

A campaign to wipe out charity
rackets In Washington through leg.
islation that would require all per-
sons or organizations soliciting funds
for benevolent purposes to register
and make regular reports on their
activities has been launched by q
committee of welfare and civic or.
ganization leaders.
Representatives of a half dozen
civic organizations yesterday ap-
proved a proposed bill that would
affect more than 200 existing agen-
cies, according to Mrs. w. A. Roberts,
executive secretary of the Council
of Social Agencies.
The recommended measure is to
be submitted to directing bodies or
membership of IL larger civic or
ganizations for suggestions or in
doresments before scheduled pre-
sentations to the Commissioners.
through the Corporation Counsels
Office, and to Congress.
REQUIRES Sworn Statements.
Control over questionable solici.
tations would be attained, according
to the drafters of the bill, through
compelling filing Of sworn registra.
ton application statements giving
details of organization, personnel.
distribution Of moneys, salaries and
commissions paid and other infor-
nation.
This requirement alone, It was
said, would keep many charity
racketeers" from operating in ths
city. Those who gave false infor-
nation in their applications or re-
ports would be subject to legal pen.
alties.
Churches. civic clubs or any other
groups selling tickets or making
solicitation among their own mem
bership would not be affected by the
bill. But all those making outsids
solicitations-such as the Red Cross,
Community Chest, etc.-would be
included in the ranks OF thoss
agencies that would be registered.
Provides Board.
Registration would be directed by
board consisting OF the director
of public welfare. the superinten.
dent of police and the District aud
itor. They would be assisted by an
Advisory Committee Of not more
than nine representative citizens.
from whom a considerable amoant
of policing" could be expected.
There is no provision for paying
either the board or the COMMITTEES
for their services.
Louis Rothschild of the District
Bar Association, head of the sub
committee that drafted the measure,
said yesterday at a meeting OF the
Committee on Charitable Solicita-
tions at the Y. w. c. A, that the
proposed organization would be
largely self policing one, with
little or no activity of paid officers
required.
Reputable agencies and solicitors
could be relied upon to furnish
most of the information and evi-
dence against unscrupulous persons
violating the law, he said.
Would Avoid Endorsement.
1t was specified that registration
would not be an official indorse-
ment of the agencies registered, and
that any claims to that effect
would be prohibited.
Those attending the committee
meeting yesterday, in addition to
Mr.. Rothschild and Mrs. Roberts,
were Mrs. Pearl Klein, committee
chairman, representing the Council
of Social Agencies; Miss Elizabeth
Benson of the District Women's Bar
Association, Mrs. Henry p. Chand-
Ter of the Washington League of
Women Voters, Claude Woodward
and Sally Muchmore of the Better
Business Bureau and John L. Nixon
of the Washington Federation Of
Churches
Other agencies which have been
represented at other meetings Of
the committe and which are ex-
pected to consider Endorsement Of
the proposed bill are the Board
Of Trade, the Veterans of Foreign
Wars, the American Legion, the
Merchants. and Manufacturers As
sociation, the Federation of Citizens
Associations and the Federation OF
Civic Associations. --s