Evening star., 1947-04-29
lodging License
Changes Opposed
By Glib Federation
Bp Ruth Deo,e

The District Federation Of Wom-
ems Clubs yesterday opposed the
bill recently passed by the House Of
Representatives which would amend
an existing licensing law by author
|izing and empowering" the District
Commissioners to classify buildings
containing living or lodging quar-
ters Of every description"
Though the bill provides that
neither single or two-family dwell
ings shall be subject to license, the
Federation asserted the inspection
clause OF the bill Is = threat to
private property rights and In the
event the bill becomes law, would
"lay open your homes to every kind
OF inspection" In introducing the
measure, Mrs. Leslie B. Wright, leg
islative chairman Of the Federation,
stated the bill would give the Com
missioners "too far-reaching" powers
when present law gives them ade-
quate enough authority"
With some reservations, the group
also approved proposed legislation
which would ban the granting Of
District liquor licenses to places.
within 400 feet Of churches, schools
and other public institutions, meas
ured between property boundaries.
The Federation suggested the bill
be amended to include all recrea-
tion centers patronized by youths.
The Federation recommended,
however, that churches and schools
for adults be exempted from the
effect OF the proposed bill. It rec,
commended further that the bill
should apply to all future sales OF
licenses.
Other action taken by the Fed
Grafton included: Recommendation
for passage of the bill transferring
the ONCE of Recorder of Deeds to
the District government with pro-
vision that 1t be a civil service ap-
pointment, and disapproval of the
morticians bill on the grounds that
"it Is not only retroactive in its
provisions, but that by providing
for seven-man board, six of whom
are undertakers. ut will tend to Gre
ate monopoly" which will operate
to the detriment Of poor families.
The Federation reaf1irmed it's
stand for creation Of a separate De-
partment of welfare and appointed
Mrs. G. D. Lowe and Mrs. Wright
as delegates to the open hearing on
the Children's Receiving Home,
which the Commissioners will hold
on May IL.
At the close of the business session
two new clubs we're voted into the
Federation, the Woman's Auxiliary
to the American Pharmaceutical
Association and Lies Six Femmes
Francois de Washington, recently
organized union of six new clubs of
French women.
As token OF appreciation for
her past years service to the club,
1t was voted to present Mrs. Ger
trude Parks, retiring president, with
a past president's@ pin. The group
also voted to present q similar pin
to Mrs. Edgar B. Merritt, editor of the
Clubwoman, official Federation mag
azine.
High light of the meeting yester-
day, which was held at the Woman's
City Club, was the presentation of
awards to the three winners in the
annual Penny Art Fund exhibition.
In another room Of the club were
exhibited the rs entries in oil and
water color submitted by Fedora
tion members. First prize was won
by Mrs. Charles s. Morgan, of the
Housekeepers Alliance, for her land
scape, "Middletown Valley, Md
Mrs. Minnie Briggs Raul, noted local
artist and member 81 the WCTU, !