Evening star., 1944-03-14
Baby Broker Bill
Gets Favorable
Senate Report
Committee Makes
Amendments to
House Measure

The Senate District Committee
today reported favorably on a meas
ure generally known as the baby
broker bill' to provide for licensing
and control of agencies for place.
ment of young children in homes.
The bill had been passed earlier
by the House, but the Senate COM
mittee, at the request of Senator
McCarran, Democrat, of Nevada
added several amendments.
One provides that the Commits
sioners shall grant without delay
a license to any corporation or or
ganized charity which has been
engaged in child placement work
under charters granted by specific
acts of Congress. Even these will
be subject to inspection and regula-
ton by the Commissioners.
Records to Be Guarded.
Another amendment provides. fol
the elimination of clause providing
that the books of child-placement
institutions shall not be open for
inspection or divulged except with
the authority of the Board of Public
Welfare" Senator McCarran ex-
planned that he felt no one should
have authority to inspect these rec
ords, and that the information on
children and mothers should be
fully protected.
Conditions in America are such
now, he said, that they are giving
rise to many, many unmarried
mothers" some of them from good
families"
The Senate committee also ordered
House-approved bill to enlarge the
administrative powers OF the Com
missioners referred to subcom-
mittee headed by Senator Tydings
Democrat, of Maryland, and includ-
ing Senators Clark, Democrat, of
Idaho, and Burton, Republican, of
Ohio. Senator Tydings said the
question went to fundamental con-
slderations of the relations between
Congress and the Commissioners,
and that he thought full hearings
would be needed He accepted the
Craftsmanship with the understand
ings he could devote ample time to
the measure.
Firemen's Pay Bill Favored.
The committee reported favorably
on the Bilbo bill to raise the salaries
OF captains, lieutenants and sergeants
in the Fire Department to the level
OF pay of corresponding officers of
the Police Department-$3 900 a
year for captains, $3O50 for lieuten-
ants and S2,750 for sergeants.
The bill to provide for a refer
endum for unlicensed BARRIERS to
determine what day of the week
their shops should be closed was re-
ferred for study to a subcommittee
consisting of Senators Jackson,
Democrat, of Indiana, chairman:
Walsh, Democrat, of New Jersey
and Weeks, Republican, of Massa-
chusetts.
Senator McCarran, chairman OF
the District Committee prior to his
recent selection as chairman of the
Senate Judiciary Committee, told
the committee that he would insist
that they complete their action on
the Gallinger Hospital investigation
report of the subcommittee consist
ing of Senators Holman, Bushfield
and Buck. This report calls for the
removal of Commissioner GUY
Mason. Health Officer Georce n
Rutland and DR.. Joseph L. Gilbert,
head of the psychiatric ward at
Gallinger. Two others listed have
resigned, one being DR.. Edgar A.
Bocock, who since has been made
superintendent of Doctors Hospital.
Because Senators Tydings and
Burton had to leave for other COM
mittee sessions, the Gallinger mat
ter was not gone into further.