Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-03-31
City Demands Doom
Of Charity Rockets

contemplated that their regula.
tons would require the appli.
cant to list the names of the
soliciting agency. its officers anc
managers: the purpose for which
the solicitation is to be con.
Quoted, the amounts to be raised
the period Of time during which
the solicitation is to be con.
Quoted, the means to be used ir
raising funds, the estimated cost.
;Iof the solicitation. the amounts
to be paid out in wages and
commissions. the persons to re.
ceive these wages and commits
sions and any other information
that would help the public tt
know the purpose Of the fund
raising and the disposition to bs
made of the receipts.
| If the information is furnished
and the fee is paid. a certificate
will be furnished authorizing the
organization to solicit for a spe-
cific period.
I Within 80 days after the So
licitation period is ended or
within 80 days after demand
from the Commissioners, the
organization holding the certifi-
cate would have to file a report
stating what contributions have
come in. what expenses have
been incurred and what dispo-
sition is to be made of the con-
ltributions.
No individual could solicit any
contribution unless he exhibits
his solicitors information card
and allows the potential con-
tributor to read it before ac-
cepting the contribution.
Attacks Boiler Rooms"
The bill prescribes a fine not
exceeding $500 or Imprisonment
for not more than so days or
both fine and Imprisonment for
violations of the act or the Com
missioners' regulations or for
filing a report or application
containing false or fraudulen!
statement.
To the police, license officers
and Better Business Bureau Of
| ficials most familiar with the
charity racket, one of the most
effective features of the bill is
its direct attack on boiler
rooms"
Boiler rooms" are batteries
Of telephones usually set up in
the headquarters Of the "char-
lity" where telephone solicitors
give their spiel to the people
named on their sucker lists"
1t was estimated that at least
four boiler rooms" are now OPP
Grating in Washington. The
telephone solicitors. it was ex-
Iplained. get commission of
from 20 to 80 per cent on each
successful call.
When the solicitor makes his
sale" he sends a collector to
pick up the cash. In this way
the promoter can avoid the
mails and the inquisitive eyes
of the postal inspectors. Also.
the contributions picked up at
the door are in cash, which is
easy to manipulate. Contribu-
tons mailed in are more often
in check form. The pickup man
frequently derelict given to
drinking up his take a
commission. too. of 20 to IS
per cent.
Many Telephone Appeals
There Is now no law here COW
ering the operation Of boiler
rooms"
The bill attacks the boiler
rooms" by prohibiting any person
from getting paid to make tele-
phone solicitations on behalf of
an actual or purported charity.
W. j. Mawhinney of the Better
Business Bureau estimated that
lnine-tenths Of the questionable
appeals are now made by tele-
phone. He said the bureau gets
between 10 and 20 calls a day
from people who have been So
licited by telephone and are
wary enough to check on the
soliciting agency. There are
probably hundreds Of other per-
sons. he said. who are being
called daily and don't check
with the Better Business Bureau.
In the past year.. he reported.
he has noticed an increase in
the calls. Just in the past few
weeks. he added, a new boiler
room" has started operations
here.