The Washington times., 1908-06-30
Bar Carpets From War Office;
Bitter Fight on Germs Declared
Major Straub to Lead
Crusade Against Tuber-
culoSiS.

Secretary Taft's soft. warm, red car
pet, the carpet that has been in the
office Of the Secretary OF War for time
immemorial. is doomed TO disappear.
This and all other carpets. of the same
style. renewed each year in duplicate,
viii not be put down next year when
Old Eoreas means and shrieks through
the n,yriads Of pillars surrounding the
building.
They are not sanitary. Like feather
busters and other germ holders and dis
Tensers, they are due 20 fall into OBJ
liyion.
Major Paul F. straub. o. the Medical
Corps, L. s. A. medical inspector and
sanitary officer of the War Department
building, is up in arms. prepared 10
lead bitter crusade against tubeycu-
losis. All sorts Of precautionary meas
ures VIII be put into effect, tie Ventilat-
ing system OF the building will be re-
arranged as far as possible, a vacuum
cleaning system will be installed, and
the ventilators will be guarded with
The tenderness snd care bestowed on
an infant
Due to 0veTcrowding.
Conditions IN the building are bad,
very bad. according 10 Major Straub
He attributes the fearful condition OF
affairs to overcrowding. He says that
it is nearly impossible TO do anything
with the building ir its present over
crowded condition, but that every pcs
sible precautionary measure will be
taken.
THE clerks will be safeguarced," he
said 'as far as possible. Some Of them
sem 70 object to fresh air. In fact.
quite a number of them Go. ! have
found that in many instances. all ven
tlators. whether 20 let IN fresh air or
10 rid a room OF the foul air, have been
surreptitiously stuffed up by some of
the clerks or employees OF the office, who
dislike, or fear. fresh air It is sur
kind have developed. OF course. there
IS but very little trouble in this way
now. but in the winter many ventilatOrs,
newly cleaned and opened up, have a
few days later been stuffed. or cut off,"
II has been shown, said Major Straub
that successive cases of tuberculosis
have come from the same room. thus
clearly Indicating that there was
cause in this room Usually IL was not
difficult 10 find. The room was usually
pets. and plenty Of dust.
Hangings to Go, Too.
Bitter war IS 70 be made on all such
rooms in the future. Carpets are DOOM
ed 70 disappear. and il Major Straub
can do IT, every room win shine with
a waxed parquet flooring similar 10 the
one that adorns the office OF General
Ainsworth. There are but few draperies
and hangings in the building. but Major
Straub Will insist that these few be
disposed Of Next in Importance. is the
ventilating system. In view OF the
Overcrowded condition Of the building
Major Straub says that this is entirely
inadequate. It is also antiquated. It
needs enlargement and Improvements and
he announced his intention of recon-
mending 70 the Secretary OF War THAI
this work be placed ahead OF all other.
The major says that he has found the
hearty cooperation Of the bureau chiefs
and large majority Of the clerks, and
the work IS accordingly becoming easier.
With this cooperation he is in hope
that the already inadequate veutilating
system will not be plugged ND entirely
by some thin blOoded enemy of fresh
air, the very man. OF woman who needs
II most Major Straub says that each
room should be supplied with a big
ventilatOr for fresh air and another one
TO carry of the foul air.
Wants Dustless Cleaner.
Next in Importance 10 the ventIIators
comes the cleaning 4 temporary ar
rangement has already been made 10
have the building vacuum-cleaned dur
ing the summer, and the major is urg-
ing that a permanent vacuum cleaning
plant be Installed, or a permanent con-
tract be made with some cleaning COM
pany. This, he said. is the only way
70 keep the building rid Of its accumu-
latiOn OF dust.
Major Straub was appointed sanitary
officer Of the building two years Al go He
has been responsible for many improve
ments and as a result of his present
campaign, directed particularly at tu-
harcnlnsls germs be axnacts 10 rnal-a