Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-19
Charge Against Steel Plant
Hospitals by Labor.
CONGRESS ASKED TO PROBE
Loss of Lives of Austrians in Ohio
Factory Cited.
PUBLIC HEALTH BILL HEARING
Advocates Of Proposition for Execu-
tive Department Speak Before
House Committee.

Investigation of grave charges against
hospitals conducted by steel plants in
Pennsylvania was requested of Congress
at the public hearing given this morning
before the Senate committee on public
health on the bill for the establishment
of federal department Of public health,
to be headed by a cabinet officer
Il have recently been told,' said Ar
thur E. Hotter. legislative representative
Of the American Federation of Labor
that even murder is committed in one
Of the steel plant hospitals on the theory
that dead man is better than a crippled
man. Many steel plants are referred to
as slaughter houses.
II nope Congress will exercise its
authority to test the proof of these
charges
Workmen Killed OF.
Mr.. Hotter recited the loss of life I'm fac
tories because of lack of sanitation. lack
of safety devices and through driving of
men beyond endurance-to snow the need
for the taking of steps which will preserve
the national health and s1rengh.
Members of the committee sat up during
the reauing of a newspaper IA iIicie, wnlcn
recorded tnat the loss OF life OF Austrians
In factories in Ohio has been SO great that
one Of the austrian consul generals IN
ernment to take up negotiations with this
government with View to>preventing the
loss OF lite in the future.
That's an indictment against the
United Saates-tO have foreign govern
| ments take steps to force us TO pro-
tect the lives OF our workingmen," de-
| clared Mr.. Hotter.
Smoot Questions Accuracy.
Senator Smoot inquired as to the truth
of the statements in the clipping, de-
claring that members of Congress had
denied their accuracy.
II hope the story is not true added
the Utah senator.
DR.. Walter Wyman, head Of the pub
lie health and marine hospital service.
which it. is proposed to incorporate In
the department OF neaieh. lndorsed the
bill in strong language
lie admitteu, wnen questioned, that the
present bureau which he OlrectS could do
more for the pubisc health ii its power
were enlarged by Congress and more
money was appropriated TO Its use. But
he cOntended that a department OF pubhc
health, with a cabinet officer al its head.
would have advantages. The cabinet OFF,
Ger could work for international santa
ton and international protection against
the spread Of epidenlics. he declared. ana
ultimately its work among the nations
would aid in the establishment Of univer-
sal peace.
Sternberg Indorses Proposal.
Gen. George N. Sternberg. U. S. A. re-
tired, Joined the chorus in favor OF the
bureau. He pointed to the work in stamp
ing out yellow fever and other diseases
as national, rather than local.
r. S. Woodward, president of the Car
negie Institution. told the committee that
the economic returns in the way of ad-
dltional earning power and less disease
would more than cOunterbalance the ex-
pendituTes for the man lenance OF the
department of health.
Dr. ]. b. Gregg Custis, president Of
the board of homeopathic medical ex-
amin.rs and of the BOARD OF medical
supervisors Of the Dlstr.at. in aduing ar
guments in favor OF the bill, anticipate
the opposition.
The opposition is short-sighted," lie
declared. There can be no trust in
medicine
This was answering the published
statements Of the National League of
Medical Freedom, winch refer to the
American Medical Association as the
doctors trust" and charge that this
| trust will control the proposed depart
ment.
The opposition will have its innings to-
night. The expected clash between pnysi-
clans who have been urging the bill and
those of the National League of Medical
Freedom who have been opposing it did
not materialize this morning.
Denunciation Of Doctors Trust
A statement given out by the league,
outlining its attitude, is in part as fol-
lows:
''The members of the Medical Freedom
League have become suddenly aroused
over what they hold has been a surrep-
titious attmpt on the part of the Amert-
can Medical Association to railroad
through Congress measure which has
as it's purpose the Capitalization OF AL
medical matters in one national depart
ment. or bureau, 1t to be under the ap-
solute domination Of the American Medi-
cal Association. They brand that asso-
citation as doctors trust and declare
that they will pile mountain high the evi-
dence to support their contention.
.'They protest against the tendency TO
centralize matters of public health regu-
lation In Washington. Particularly do
they object-in the face of the failure
of even the doctors of a given school
to agree on almost any caSe-to any one
school being given the authority to die
tate to the entire country in matters of
the public health. They hold that the
individual has the right to choose his
doctor from. whatever school he sees fit.
dom promises at the coming meeting to
demonstrate to the committee that only
the doctors trust is back Of the present
movement. It intends to show that the
business interests of the country are not
In favor Of the proposed department.
1T will show that there Is q split in
the American Medical Association itself.
and that there is considerable portion
of that association not dominated by the
political doctors that oppose IL. 1t will
show just what manner of men these po-
litical doctors are.
'It will argue that the fact that the
proposed appropriation for the present
national health service is smaller this
year than last indicates an absence of a
demand for its enlargement But, above
all, it will contend for freedom in medi-
cal matters. and will protest against the
doctors trust.
HARDY SENTENCE COMMITTED,
IL n 3