The Washington times., 1905-01-25
Not Solving the Problem.

Between the District Board OF
Charities, the Congressional Commit
tees on Appropriations for the Dis
triet, and legislation which is now
year or more old, but must affect
the District ten years or more in the
future, it is difficult to see how the
charities of the District are ever to
be put on a business footing.
tTlshe merest glance at the situation
today is disheartening. The District
has an empty site for a union hospital
somewhere north of town There are
no buildings on It nor are any likely
TO be built fer several years. In the
meantime. tardy agitation against
the allotment Of public funds to pri-
Yate institutions is bearing fruit at
precisely the point where that agita-
tien can do the District most harm
in the Emergency Hospital And the
: Government, which organized the
Board OF Charities in order TO cen
stralfze The District expenditures, has
within s.ae two years that board has
existed appropriated over $500, eco to
enlarge the buildings OF private insti-
tutions.
AS for the Emergency Hospital it
IS hard to see on what platform the,
House committee acted when it trans
ferred the customary allowance Of
-Sf5,5oo to the control OF the Board of
Charities 1t is given out that the
committee was guided by these prin-
ciples:
Private institutions shaH not be SUP
ported by public funds
NO payments SHAH be made for ser
ices not actually rendered
The Times accepts both those prin-
ciples without hesitation. So does
everyone else
II Congress accepts them. however.
il offers mighty poor. proof of it in
its legislation. The very bill that
transfers the emergency fund to the
care Of the board allows two private
hospitals $4,000 and $500.
And it is difficult to see how the
District is to do without the services
OF these private institutions until
there are public institutions to take
their places If Congress intends the
Commissioners to provide an emer-
gency service for $4,000, the Com
missioners have a 6ae job on their
hands. Last year the Emergency
Hospital treated 5000 cases. recorded
4o,e0e visits, and performed 1900
operations The cost to the Govern
ment was $4,000 According to the
cost OF other Government hospitals,
the Commissioners could not dupii-
cate that service for less than $40. coo.
But alf this IS beside the mark.
TIE truth OF the matter IS that this
transfer OF the fund is merely another
step in the old controversy between
the Board Of Charities and the Ener-
geney Hospital. The Times does not
preteid to pass upon that eoatro-
FeFsy- Il oEiy knows that II is tired
OF i. thoroughly tired OF it. To It's
knowledge, nobody has ever sustained
single serious charge against the
institution, nos even when the inves-
tigators were prosecutors and Judges
beth.
IN the absence Of formal charges,
fully sustained. The Times is unwill-
ing to condemn an Institution con
Quoted by distinguished surgeons and
supervised by sucn citizens as W. ].
Boardman, Commander Miller, 4. T.
Briee, r. Ross Perry, Or. Lloyd Ma
grgder, the District Health Officer,
Mrs Joseph R. Hawley, Mrs. Eugene
f Hale, and Dr. Swan Burnett It
may ali be true. 1t may be that these
men and women weigh lighter in the
pubic judgment than accusations
which are not even preferred IN the
open But the Times does not be-
Heye II, and it wonders al the con
tinued credufity OF the Board OF
Charities.
D.