Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-09-06
Group toStudy
Charity Fund
Racket Laws
City Regulations
Cont Guarantee
Honest Solicitors
BY BETTY MILES
Star stan Writer

u
missioners' Charitable Solicita-
tons Advisory Council has
called his committee to a Sep
tmeber is meeting ito find out
where we stand" on the year.
old District charity rackets
regulations.
| Walter F. Chappell stressed
that he did not expect the COM
Imitee to recommend changes
at this time.
But, along with others who
have worked closely with the
Ilaw, he said he is not con-
WINGED District residents are be-
ling protected against UNI
Iscrupulous money raisers.
c. T. Nottingham, superin-
ltendent of the District License
and Permit division that ad-
ministers the law, believes it
"confuses" the public.
Disclosure Law Weak
Like Mr.. Chappell, he would
like to see a control law en-
acted, giving the city the right
Ito refuse to license questionable
charities. The present dis
closure law is designed to smoke
out disreputable groups by de-
manding a public accounting
of finances from all but specif-
ically exempt organizations.
On the credit side, Mr.. Not
bingham said. the current regu-
Ilations have accomplished
quite a bit"
At least three suspicious
organizations have been driven
out of town. They didn't regis
ter, and are believed to have
moved their operations to the
suburbs.
One man who hadn't regis
tered fled when investigators
called postal authorities at
tention to a racket he was
carrying on through the mails.
Beatniks Didn't Register
Another said he was setting
up an organization to help
prisoners. But when asked to
register. he was unable to meet
such requirements as produc-
ling bylaws of his organization
and telling who would be in
charge of the money and how
it would be spent.
Beatnik William Walker.
Operator of the Coffee n Con-
fusion Shop. caught the eye OF
investigators. too.
He took the Fifth Amend.
ment in a District hearing FRI
day when asked for data on
the Society for Preservation
lof INDECENT Poets, which was
not registered.
Mr.. Nottingham said he cur
Irently is looking into a report
that one registered charity is
operating a boiler room" OPP
Grafton, forbidden under the
law. Boiler rooms involve bait
teries of paid telephone solicit
tors.
Unsavory Groups Register
The city can prosecute those
who don't register, and those
who falsify their reports. But
it can't keep unsavory groups
from registering. And it can
only post the fact that a char
it's report shows it spends most
of its money on administration.
There have been no prose-
cutions, he reported, adding
that so far warnings have been
effective.
Registration does not mean
Endorsement by the District,
Mr.. Nottingham pointed out.
In fact, the District says so
specifically on the cards it re-
quires solicitors to carry.
Sees Public Unaware
Yet, so few requests for in
formation have come in from
citizens that the license divi-
sion is convinced the public
considers a card in a solicitors
hand a guarantee of reputa-
bility.
Advisory Council Chairman
Chappell calls the regulations
better than nothing" .
The city had no protection
at all against charity racke-
teers until the present law was
passed two years ago. The reg
ulations went into effect Sep-
tember.1. 1858.
Mr.. Chappell said a police
department representative will
attend the September Is ses-
sion at the District Building
He will be urged to carry back
to the department the import
ance of men on the beats
checking all solicitors for proof
of their registrations.
Many Unregistered
In all, about 125 groups
have registered, Mr.. Noting
ham estimated. Convinced tha'
more Embarrassing groups ART
active, the city is currently
stresSing that all out-of-towr
organizations seeking to raist
money in the District mus
register, including universities
A total of 1873 organization:
have notified the city they arr
seeking funds, Mr.. nottingham
said. This includes churches
ORGANIZATIONS under church
control. and groups seeking
$500 or less, which are exemp
from registration but mus
apply for official recognition o
their status.
There is some feeling thai
the present disclosure law il
sufficient. Robert E. McLaugh'
lin, chairman of the Board o.
Commissioners, said he believes
the current law is good one
He is opposed to more string.