Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-01-29
D. {. Assembly
Big Need, Says
Mrs. Roosevelt
Coils City Hardest
Place for Fixing
Responsibility

Reiterating her criticism of the
District as the hardest place to fix
any responsibility on anybody that
I have ever lived in" Mrs. Roosevelt
today supported the plan for
municipal assembly in Washington.
II all groups in Washington got
together and knew what they were
doing and were to bring pressure,
she told her press conference. they
might discover what was worth do
ing for the District.
The Districts first municipal as
sembly has been called for tomor-
row night in Barker Hall of the Y,
w. c. A. Mrs. Roosevelt said she
would attend the meeting ito learn"
She said she believed municipal
assembly was more important here
than anywhere else because the
District was such a difficult place to
fix responsibility on any individual
or group. Cooperation between all
the organizations working for vari-
GUS reforms. she said. might bring
out many things that otherwise
might not be known.
Clearing House Need Seen.
Mrs Roosevelt said she had long
felt the need here for a clearing
house where people could get to-
gether and decide on how 10 bring
more unified pressure to bear. At
the present time, she said, organ
izations frequently duplicate work.
Mrs. Roosevelt also voiced support
OF the recent report of the National
Child Labor Committee which rec
commended that children be allowed
to appear on the legitimate stage.
At the present time children are
barred from stage appearances here.
Mrs. Roosevelt pointed out how
ever, that the law banning their
appearances should not be killed.
but that certain requirements
should be set up to safeguard their
health and make it possible for them
TO continue their education.
commenting on a recent news
story which indicated that children
given free lunches at school felt
embarrassed or Inundated. Mrs.
Roosevelt said free hot school
lunches should be served in every
school for evry child.
Arthurdale Example.
She said she considered it an OBJ
legation of every community to
sponsor school lunch programs.
Rural communities. she suggested.
should follow the example Of
Arthurdale, w. Va. where home
steaders grew sometime for the
school lunch program and women Of
the community volunteered to serve
the luncheons. In cities, she went
on. the lunches might be provided
through the regular school funds or
through contributions. but all chill
dren should be given the luncheons
so that no child was Inundated be-
cause he couldn't pay for his lunch.
Mrs. Roosevelt also took up the
question of the regulation which
prevents men convicted of felonies
from serving in the armed forces of
the United States. She said she was
opposed to a blanket regulation
either to prevent convicts from serv-
ing or to make it possible for all Of
them to serve Instead she advo.
Gated the consideration of each case
individually.
She disclosed that she had investi.
gated the prison atmosphere sur
rounding the BOYS who refused to
register for the draft and were sent
to prison. While she thought their
attitude was very mistaken. she
said. she was anxious that they
should not be subjected to any
harmful influences in prison.
c. c. c. Privileges Denied.
Discussing the alleged "overprivi-
legged c. c. c. camps" where college
BOYS were in the camps. Mrs. Roose.
welt said there were only IA college
men IN the camps and that thew
were doing plenty of work" The
three camps which were criticized.
she said. were run for bows who
showed promise as camp leaders and
were being given special training
before going back into the other
camps. She added that in these
three camps the boys were held IN
the regular requirements of c. C. c.
work and got their special training
after working hours.
She asserted that she didn't be-
lleVe it was a very easy life and that
the boys couldn't really be called
privileged young people.