Evening star., 1944-04-02
Federation Opposes
Proposal for Paid
Boxing Commission
Believes Present Plan
Attracts Men With
Higher Qualifications e

Opposition to payment OF men,
bers of the District Boxing Com
mission was voted last night by
the Federation of Citizens Associ-
ations, which approved all other
provisions of the bill recently
passed by the House District Com
mittee and sent to the Senate.
The report of the Committee on
Law and Legislation, headed by
Guy H. Birdsall, declared "the
present provisions make for better
administration and avoid many Of
the controversial situations which
arise in providing pecuniary return
for such services"
Mr.. Birdsall, amplifying the
committees viewpoint, said 1t be-
lieved boxing would be better regu-
lated by men of high character
who offered their services without
pay than by men paid salaries OF
81 300 as provided by the proposed
law. He said he believed salaries of at
least $4,000 each would be needed
under a salary plan to attract men
properly qualified.
Salaries Provided in Bill.
The House bill provides salaries
for the two civilian members Of
the commission, while the third
member, who, under the law, must
be member of the Metropolitan
Police Department, Is barred by the
dual compensation statute from re-
ceiving salary. All members OF
the commission have served on a
voluntary basis since boxing was
legalized in the city Q decade ago.
The federation also approved q
report of It's Public Welfare Com
|mittee disapproying H. r. 2465, a
bill "to define the powers and duties
of the Board of Public Welfare of
the District of Columbia, to estab-
lish a department of public well
fare, and for other purposes" The
committee, headed by Paul Sleeper,
declared that if the bill is passed
selections and appointments will be
made on the basis OF political ex-
pediency rather than merit.
1t also declared the board under
its present setup, has greater re-
sponsibilities and will maintain
closer contact with its institutions
and other functions than under the
proposed bill.
Baxter Davis Named.
Baxter Davis, member of the now
defunct Traffic Advisory Committee
which functioned as an aid to the
District Commissioners, was elected
to the new traffic advisors, and
James j. Scott was named alter
nate. In a letter to the federation,
Commissioner John Russell Young
explained that the membership was
being reduced from more than 80
members to IA to increase efficiency.
A plea from the Burleith Citi-
zens' Association, requesting recon-
sideration of the Federations ap-
proval of the recent Housing and
Rent Control Committees report,
was rejected. President Harry Wen
der pointed out that any minority
report could be placed in the rec
ord at the time of the vote on any
business before the Federation.
A letter from the Capital Transit
Co., replying to a request for bet
ter bus service on Connecticut ave-
nue. between Taft Bridge and Chevy
Chase Circle, was read. The COM
pany said it had made every effort
to provide adequate service but was
handicapped by an increasing
shortage of manpower.
The Federation also passed a res
olution commencing Delegate John
H. Connaughton, vice chairman of
the Public Utilities Committee, for
his work in the recent hearings.