Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-06
NEEDS OF ST. ELIZABETH
HOSPITAL OVERCROWDED AND
SOME BUILDINGS OBSOLETE.
Difficult to Secure Appropriation for
Improvements-Congress Heights
Citizens Discuss Conditions.

AT meeting or the Congress Heights
Public Improvement Association Tuesday
night resolutions dealing with conditions
at the Government Hospital for the In
sane were introduced and discussed. 1t
was finally decided, however. to defer
action on the resolutions until the next
meeting.
The resolutions brought out much dis
cussion. They set worth that:
This association, by reason Of care
full observation Of the work of the Gov
eminent Hospital for the Insane and
conditions therein, wishes to 60 on rec
ord as to some of the facts connected
Herewith; that criticism so far leveled
at the institution and it's management Is
largely of the long-distance variety, much
OF 1t theoretical; that the main fact Is
that the institution is overcrowded, many
of it's buildings out-of-date, and new
buildings. with modern arrangements for
the insane, are sorely needed.
Until Congress gives serious thought
to the institution and its needs condi-
tons will become decidedly worse, and it
is unfair and unjust to attempt to make
scapegoats of officials of the institution
What Hospital Needs.
''The hospital has been unfortunate in
not having some person directly and per-
s1stently interested in appearing before
Congress and asking appropriations for
improvements and enlargement, and until
such person or body is provided for
truth and justice will not prevail
1.-THE board Of visitors Of the institu-
ton is apparently more ornamental than
useful, so far as effectively insisting to
Congress that the pressing needs of the
hospital shall be attended to, and we
think the Secretary of the Interior, could
do nothing better than assign some ac-
tive. intelligent officer Of the depart
ment to the duty Of personally padding
the halls of Congress and holding up sem
ators and representatives until the help
less insane are comfortably and safely
provided for History in the District of
Columbia seems to show that appropria-
tions cannot be obtained for the most
worthy purposes until Congress is liter
ally logged to do something.
Escapes Not Surprising.
with a constantly increasing number
Of inmates and no increase Of facilities
for housing them 1t Is not wondered at
that there are occasional escapes Of the
criminally inclined.
I'VE direct the secretary Of this as
sociation to send to the Secretary Of the
Interior a copy of these resolutions, ask
ing that he give them consideration in
the investigation he is said to be con-
Quoting"
In the absence of President Price the
meeting was presided ever by First Vice
President George w. Kennedy. 1t was
the meeting for the annual election of
officers. Mr.. Price had desired to be re-
lieved of the duties of president, but he
was unanimously reelected for a third
term, as were all the old officers who
have served with him. They are: First
vice president, George W. Kennedy; sec
ond vice president. J. g. Lyon; recording
secretary, R r. Jones: financial secre-
tary, M. ]. Fillfls; treasurer, e. Blaine.
The harmonious work Of the organiZa-
ton. it was stated, has gone on for moro
than two years, and the spirit Of Coop
GRAFTON was mentioned as suggesting
future success.
More Rooms in School.
The steady increase in population at
Congress Heights has caused an over
crowded condition OF the large public
school building. and the committee on
schools reported that the board Of educa-
ton had agreed to recommend to the
District Commissioners an appropriation
for four more rooms. In the meantime
the board will fit up the basement of
the school to care for the additional pu-
pills and put up a portable school build
ing to accommodate the overflow until
the present building can be enlarged.
The committee on streets reported the
results of conferences with District au-