Evening star., 1941-07-13
House Will Call
Recreation Bill
Up Tomorrow
Proposal Affecting
Child Actors Also
On the CuIendur

Two bills of wide local interest,"
one establishing recreation board
to supervise all Fairgrounds and
public athletic facilities, the other
amending the child labor law to al
low child actors to appear until IL
pm.-are on the District day cal
endar for consideration in the House
tomorrow.
The proposed District Recreation
Board would consist of one Com
missioner, a member Of the Board
of Education, the superintendent of
National Capital Parks and four
citizens of the District, to be named
by the Commissioners.
The board would serve without
compensation, but it would be au-
thorized to employ a superintendent
of recreation at salary of $4,000
year. The superintendent would be
empowered to appoint or transfer
personnel to public recreation 'un-
der a merit system"
The new agency would have power
to direct "a comprehensive program
of public recreation" The bill states
that the public properties utilized
by the board shall include those
designated by the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission"
Funds Would Be Transferred.
The board would take over the
work Of the Community Center and
Fairgrounds Department, now un-
der the joint control of the Commits
SionerS and the Board of Education,
and the funds and equipment at
present operated by the department
would be transferred to the new or
ganization. The present personnel of
the Community Center and Play
| grounds Department. whose services
have been rated satisfactory" would
be retained by the new board, the
bill provides.
Another measure to be presented
to the House by Chairman Ran
dolph of the House District Com
mittee would allow children aged
! IA years or older to work not more
| than six hours a day and not later
than II pm.
This amendment to the child la
Dor law, Endorsed by the Parent
Teacher Associations, is designed,
its sponsors say, to allow child ac-
! tors and actresses at evening stage
shows The measure would affect,
principally, the National Theater.
some of whose road show bookings
have had to be Cancelled because
child players were vital to the
shows and they could not work in
Washington late enough in the eve
ming to present the plays at the
usual hours.
1t was pointed out yesterday that
several current New York sue.
cesses, slated to be shown in Wash
ington during the winter, have key
members of the cast under 18.
Ban on Children Under IA.
The bill would prohibit such en-
| ployment of children under IA, and
for child between that age and
18 to appear on the stage permit
would have to be obtained from the
Board of Education.
Another bill on the calendar
would create an industrial accident
board with three members. repre-
senting the public, labor and en-
ployers. The board would have au-
thority to devise and enforce safety
regulations.
The House also will consider sew
eral bills of technical nature, in
cluding one to allow the permit for
the Recorder of Deeds Building,
which is under construction, to be
| increased in value from s45G,000 to
s5OO,OOO, and another permitting
private interests to construct a
number of pipelines to transfer fuel
oil within the city.