THUMB AWARD BIRTH RIGHT WRONGED

Thumbs Down to the somewhat overly conscientious state requirements that will temporarily prohibit Birth Right Inc. (a nonsectarian, nonprofit organization that assists unwed, pregnant women) from sheltering more than five young women in its new 10-bedroom facility. The home, which is being leased to the group by the Catholic Diocese for $1 a year, cannot operate at full capacity according to code, unless a professional social worker lives on the premises. A housekeeper would cost about a quarter of what the volunteer operation would need to pay a professional with a master’s degree, says new board president Robert Welty. Birth Right volunteers, who fully intend to comply with state restrictions, say they don’t want to make waves. But we hate to see an organization hampered, particularly when it has already struggled so hard to progress so far.