In 1917, Mrs. Beatrice McCall Whitnah was the secretary of the Woman's Protective Bureau in Oakland California. At that time, the Mayor proposed to eliminate the bureau and its work. The following articles from the Oakland Tribune chronicle these events.
6 July 1917 Woodyard Closed for Summer (see below)
9 July 1917 City Council Stages Row; New Line-up
10 July 1917 'Retain Bureau' Will Be Appeal
11 July 1917 Denies Attempt to Recall Mayor
13 July 1917 Offer Petition
16 July 1917 Woman's Protective Bureau, Pastor Opposes "Log Rolling"
17 July 1917 Protective Bureau is Abolished by Council
18 July 1917 Raid On Protective Bureau Is Charged
Oakland Tribune, July 6, 1917
Mrs. Joseph Whitnah, formerly Miss Beatrice McCall, secretary of the Woman's Protective Bureau, returned from her honeymoon this morning to be confronted with an ordinance introduced by Mayor John L. Davie, abolishing her special department with which she has been connected for the past three years.
The introduction of the ordinance brought forth a protest from Commissioner Jackson, who took exception to the peremptory elimination of Mrs. Whitnah and her department. As a result the matter went over until next Monday. Mayor Davie recently requested Mrs. Whitnah's resignation from the bureau.
With Commissioners Frederick Soderberg and W.H. Edwards voting with Mayor Davie, a resolution was adopted by the council ordering that the municipal woodyard be closed from now on until October 1 and that no funds be provided for its maintenance in the meantime.
Commissioner Jackson protested against summary action being taken in abolishing the institution and asked that a time be set for hearing. In the voting, the first important issue to be decided in open council between the new commissioners and the hold-over members, placed Commissioner Soderberg in the line-up with Mayor Davie and Commissioner Edwards. Commissioner F.F. Morse voted with Dr. Jackson on the propositions dealing with the resolution.
"It is costing the city $500 a month to run this woodyard for a lot of bums," exclaimed Mayor Davie. "Nearly $500,000 is spent in this county annually for charities and it is about time the business became centralized under one head instead of being dominated by politics."
Mayor Davie in defending his resolution seeking to oust the secretary of the protective bureau stated that the department has not been conducted in a satisfactory nor a legal manner, and that $5000 a year can be saved by its abolishment.