Evening star., 1952-05-07
DC. Unfit toAct
On Bill 10 Ease
Child Actor Ban
Witnesses Picture
Change as Promising
Better Shows Here
By Don S. Worren

child actors was registered with
the Judiciary subcommittee in s
long, hearing yesterday after.
noon.
Chairman Harris, Arkansa.
Democrat. said his unit will NEE
at 10 am. tomorrow to vote or
amendments to the old law.
similar bill is awaiting action by
the Senate District Committee.
Some big names in stage, movie
radio and television combined with
local sponsors to push the bill
Sixteen witnesses took the stand
and letters were recorded from q
half dozeMQther groups. It was SC
one-sided several proponents
didn't wait to be heard.
Lone Opponent Heard.
Against this was one opposition
witness. She was Mrs. Louis Ot-
tenberg, often a witness for many
other groups, but this time speak
ing as an individual. She pro-
tested there should be no such q
"breaking down of the standards
of the Districts labor laws, o1
which we have been so proud since
1928"
This brought challenge from
Chairman Harris that the inten
of the bill was not to break dowr
child labor laws but to bring tht
District into line with many o.
the States.
Sponsors seemed agreed, how.
ever, on some modification of thu
bill as fathered by Representative,
Celler, Democrat, of New York
who is chairman of the Hous.
Judiciary Committee.
AS originally offered, it woult
have wiped out the present ag'
bar Of IA on child actors, leaving
none. But discussion brought {
rather general agreement to keel
a ban on child actors under Z
New York producers said tina
change would not hurt.
Lindsay Relates Experience.
One Of the spotlighted sponsors
OF the change was Howard Lind
say, actor, producer and co-autho
of Life with Father" Like others
he insisted that acting is fun, fol
both groWn-ups and children, anC
that child actors are protected
given proper schooling, and suffel
no harm.
To illustrate the District prob.
lem, he said he was a party tt
breaking the District law at
command" performance here IL
1940 for former President Roose
welt.
H'Life With Father" he recalled
came here with the children in
the cast. He was somewhat ap-
palled on learning the District Law
barred any actor under IA.
~ was told no one could be
arrested III Washington on Sun
day" he said. THAT seemed
rather Incredible, but no one dis
turbed us"
But in a gesture at compliance
he recalled, the child actor staff
was reduced from four to three
and the place of the youngest was
taken by midget.
Mr.. Celler protested that pre-
sent District laws prevent the
District from seeing such shows
as Peter Pan," THE King and
l." South Pacific" 1.-THE Inno-
cents" THE Happy Time" anc
the current Broadway show, Mrs
Nothing"
Affects Life's Drama.
Drama portrays life, holds 9
mirror up to nature" he said
"But how can it if we rule out
the children? It tears something
out of the heart of the play"
Another witness was photogenit
Miss Frances Clark, of the cas-
of Call Me Madam" who ha!
been on the stage since she wa.
8. Representative Sitter, Repub'
lican, Of Pennsylvania. who hat
been asking how child actors wert
treated as to schooling, education
and the like, said What a won
derful answer to my questions!
Then there was Washington
Miss Louise Allbritton (Mrs
Charles CollingwoodD. who ha
her place in stock and television
1T is a sad, sad thing" sh
said, "that the people of the Ma
tons Capital are not permitte,
to see many of the great pro
ductions.
Helen Hayes Writes.
There were letters from Wash
ington's Helen Hayes and Acto
Raymond Massey. Other testi
mony came from Richard East
ham of Call Me Madam; AL
fred Harding, assistant to tn
president of Actors Equity, tn
AFL labor union that looks afte
the rights of child and adul
actors; Producer Oscar Hammer
stein; Actor Alan Hewitt an
James F. Reilly, executive direc
tor of the League of New Yor
Theaters.
Directors of the Board of Trad
voted whole-hearted support, :
Rowland Snyder, chairman of tn
Cultural Development COMMITTEES
reported. Patrick Hayes, a mem
Der OF this group; said it had in
itiated the move to correct tn
vacudm that existed in theatrics
productions here.
Il Endorsed by Donohue.
~ The Celler bill, with amend
ments. was soundly indorsed b
Commissioner F. Joseph Donohu
for the city fathers: by Chairma
Harry S. Wender of the Distric
Recreation Board. himself a form
er actor and former member {
Actors Equity. and by Chairma
c. Melvin Sharpe. president q
the Board of Education, and D,
Hobart M. Corning. superintendent
Of schools.