Volume 74 · 515
Public Law 86–653
For the incorporation of the Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc.
Approved July 14, 1960
Statutory text
AN ACT
For the incorporation of the Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That the following named persons, to wit: Ann Clumfoot, Port Huron, Michigan; Audree Jonechat, Covina, California; Nettie Ludwig, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Esther Beer, Mansfield, Ohio; Evelyn Lauritson, Cedar Falls, Iowa; Ethel Stevensen, Fresh Meadows, New York; Etta Drayton, Flint, Michigan; Evelyn Bednar, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Edna Crorey, Grants Pass, Oregon; Erma Sweeney, Long Beach, California; Josephine Plant, Waterloo, Iowa; Dorothy Christensen, Flint, Michigan; Mary Tracey, Brooklyn, New York; LaVina Shope, Lima, Ohio; Olga Barnes, Roseburg, Oregon; Levia Jamison, Jamestown, Pennsylvania; Jean Williams, Port Orchard, Washington; Ida Alford, Little Rock, Arkansas: Edna May Standing, Orange City, Florida; Charlotte Cobb, Chatham, Massachusetts; Ann Sine Gale, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Ann F. Petting, Smiths Creek, Michigan; Irene Uhl, Rosemead, California; Hazel Rue Scott, Arlington, Virginia; Louise Meyerhoff, Queens Village, New York; Ivah Jones, Long Beach, California; Florence Brown, Pontiac, Michigan: Erma Hoffman, Columbus, Ohio; Nellie Leonhardt, Detroit, Michigan; and all past national presidents, and their successors, retiring or leaving their office in good standing, are hereby created and declared to be a body corporate of the District of Columbia, where its legal domicile shall be, by the name of the Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc. (herein-after referred to as the corporation), and by such name shall be known and have perpetual succession and the powers, limitations, and restrictions herein contained. It shall be the duty of the persons named in this section, jointly and severally, to file with the Superintendent of Corporations of the District of Columbia a copy of this Act within fifteen days after the date of its enactment.
Sec. 2. completion of organization
A majority of the persons named in the first section of this Act, acting in person or by written proxy, are authorized to complete the organization of the corporation by the selection of officers and employees, the adoption of a constitution and bylaws not inconsistent with this Act, and the doing of such other acts as may be necessary for such purpose.
Sec. 3. purposes of corporation
The purposes of the corporation shall be; To perpetuate the Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc., and the memory of all the men and women who have served our country as members of the Armed Forces; the further object of this organization shall be patriotic, educational, social, and for service; to maintain true allegiance to the Government of the United States; to educate our members and others not to divulge military, naval, or other Government information; to assist in veterans’ ceremonies, to attend patriotic rallies and meetings; to foster true democracy; to care for the unsupported mothers who gave their sons to the service of the Nation; to aid in bringing about recognition of the need of permanent civilian defense for each community and to ever be alert against invasion of un-American activities; to uphold the American institutions of freedom, justice, and equal rights, and to defend the United States from all enemies.
Sec. 4. corporate powers
The corporation shall have power—
to have succession by its corporate name;
to sue and be sued, complain and defend in any court of competent jurisdiction;
to adopt, use, and alter a corporate seal;
to choose such officers, managers, agents, and employees as the activities of the corporation may require;
to adopt, amend and alter a constitution and bylaws; not inconsistent with the laws of the United States or of any State in which the corporation is to operate, for the management of its property and the regulation of its affairs;
to contract and be contracted with;
to take by lease, gift, purchase, grant, devise, or bequest from any public body or agency or any private corporation, association, partnership, firm, or individual and to hold absolutely or in trust for any of the purposes of the corporation any property, real, personal, or mixed, necessary or convenient for attaining the objects and carrying into effect the purposes of the corporation, subject, however, to applicable provisions of law of any State (A) governing the amount of or kind of property which may be held by, or (B) otherwise limiting or controlling the ownership of property by, a corporation operating in such State;
to transfer, convey, lease, sublease, mortgage, encumber and otherwise alienate real, personal, or mixed property; and
to borrow money for the purpose of the corporation, issue bonds therefor, and secure the same by mortgage, deed of trust, pledge, or otherwise, subject in every case to all applicable provisions of Federal and State laws; and
to do any and all acts and things necessary and proper to carry out the objects and purposes of the corporation.
Sec. 5. membership; voting rights
Eligibility: A mother, adopted mother, or stepmother (a stepmother eligible for membership in the Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc., can claim that eligibility only if she has given a mother’s care to the stepchild from the age of thirteen or under), living in the United States, of a son or daughter serving in the Armed Forces of the United States, or having a son or daughter who has served, or has been honorably discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States in World War II or the Korean hostilities. The term “Armed Forces” shall include the United States Army; United States Navy; United States Marines; United States Air Force; United States Coast Guard; National Guard; United States Army Reserves: United States Navy Reserves; United States Marine Reserves; United States Air Force Reserves; United States Coast Guard Reserves; United States Naval Militia; merchant marines; and the armed home guards who have served on active duty.
Sec. 6. governing body
The supreme governing authority of the corporation shall be the national convention thereof, composed of such officers and elected representatives from the several States and other local subdivisions of the corporate organization as shall be provided by the constitution and bylaws: Provided, That the form of the government of the corporation shall always be representative of the membership at large and shall not permit the concentration of control thereof in the hands of a limited number of members or in a self-perpetuating group not so representative. The meetings of the national convention may be held in any State or Territory or in the District of Columbia.
Sec. 7. officers of corporation
The officers of the corporation shall be selected in such manner and for such terms and with such duties and titles as may be prescribed in the constitution and bylaws of the corporation.
Sec. 8. principal office; scope of activities; district of columbia agent
The principal office of the corporation shall be located in the District of Columbia and shall have in the District of Columbia at all times a designated agent authorized to accept service of process, notice, or demand for the corporation, and service of such process, notice, or demand required or permitted by law to be served upon the corporation may be served upon such agent. The corporation shall file with the Superintendent of Corporations of the District of Columbia a statement designating the initial and each successor registered agent of the corporation and the initial and each successor registered office of the corporation immediately following any such designation. As used in this Act the term “Superintendent of Corporations of the District of Columbia” means the Commissioners of the District of Columbia or any agent designated by them to perform the functions vested by this Act in the Superintendent of Corporations.
Sec. 9. use of income; loans to officers, directors, or employees
No part of the income or assets of the corporation shall inure to any of its members or officers as such, or be distributable to any of them during the life of the corporation or upon its dissolution or final liquidation. Nothing in this subsection, however, shall be construed to prevent the payment of compensation to officers of the corporation or reimbursement for actual necessary expenses in amounts approved by the council of administration of the corporation.
The corporation shall not make loans to its officers or employees. Any member of the council of administration who votes for or assents to the making of a loan or advance to any officer or employee of the corporation, and any officer who participates in the making of such loan or advance, shall be jointly and severally liable to the corporation for the amount of such loan until the repayment thereof.
Sec. 10. nonpolitical nature of corporation
The corporation and its officers and agents as such shall not contribute to any political party or candidate for public office.
Sec. 11. liabilities for acts of officers and agents
The corporation shall be liable for the acts of its officers and agents when acting within the scope of their authority.
Sec. 12. prohibition against issuance of stock or payment of dividends
The corporation shall have no power to issue any shares of stock or to declare or pay any dividends.
Sec. 13. books and records; inspection
The corporation shall keep correct and complete books and records of account and shall keep minutes of the proceedings of its national conventions and council of administration. All books and records of the corporation may be inspected by any member, or his agent or attorney, for any proper purpose, at any reasonable time.
Sec. 14. audit of financial transactions
The financial transactions of the corporation shall be audited annually in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards by an independent licensed or certified public accountant or a firm of independent licensed or certified public accountants. The audit shall be conducted at the place or places where the accounts of the corporation are normally kept. The independent public accountant, or his representatives, shall have access to all books, accounts, records, reports, files, and all other papers, things, or property belonging to or in use by the corporation and necessary to facilitate the audit, and they shall be afforded full facilities for verifying transactions with the Balances or securities held by depositories, fiscal agents, and custodians.
A report of such audit shall be made by the corporation to the Congress and not later than March 1 of each year. The report shall set forth the scope of the audit and shall include a verification by the person or persons conducting the audit of statements of (1) assets and liabilities, (2) capital and surplus or deficit, (3) surplus or deficit analysis, (4) income and expense, and (5) sources and application of funds. Such report shall not be printed as a public document.
Sec. 15. report to congress
On or before March 1 of each year the corporation shall report to the Congress on its activities during the preceding fiscal year. Such report may consist of a report on the proceedings of the national convention covering such fiscal year. Such report shall not be printed as a public document.
Sec. 16. use of name
The corporation and its subordinate divisions shall have the sole and exclusive right to use the name, “Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc.”, and no other organization shall use the name “Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc.”. The corporation shall have the exclusive and sole right to use, or to allow or refuse the use of, such emblems, seals, and badges as have heretofore been used by the Blue Star Mothers of America.
Sec. 17. use of assets on dissolution or liquidation
Upon dissolution or final liquidation of the corporation, after discharge or satisfaction of all outstanding obligations and liabilities, the remaining assets, if any, of the corporation shall be distributed in accordance with the determination of the national executive board and in compliance with the constitution and bylaws of the corporation and all Federal and State laws applicable thereto.
Sec. 18. reservation of right to amend or repeal charter
The right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is expressly reserved.
Approved July 14, 1960.