The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1911-06-02

The following statement relative
to the need of hospital in Norfolk,
was given out by the Commercial club
this afternoon:
The directors of the Commercial
| club feel that a statement from them
| as to their position in the matter of
hospital for Norfolk is desirable, both
that their attitude may be clear and in
| justice to all others concerned.
| We recognize that one of the great
est needs that Norfolk has today, per
hapS the greatest, is a hospital. We
have known this for long time and
have given it attention at various
times during the past two or three
years. No concrete proposition has
ever come before us, however, until
the recent one made by the Episcopal
church through the local rector Mr..
Colegrove. His letter to The News,
outlining his proposition, was submit
ted to us before publication, and we
thoroughly endorsed the plan propos-
ed, and the solution of the hospital
question offered therein. 1t was not
possible, however, for us to undertake
as individuals q campaign for funds
for hospital, or indeed for any othel
purpose, since we have our personal
duties and responsibilities as well as
those belonging to us as directors of
the Commercial club and some of
them of too pressing a nature to be
neglected. We felt it better to con-
centrate our efforts on the obtaining
of paid secretary who could do Just
such work as the carrying through of
this and other projects. Such man
having been obtained the way is now
no nsr,.N e..
securing hospital for Norfolk.
We We're influenced also by another
consideration of different sort. The
plan proposed by Mr.. Colegrove, or
one substantially similar to it, appeals
to us as the best and most feasible
one for Norfolk, and yet we felt that
we might lay ourselves open to misun-
derstanding were we to accept 1t at
once and without giving to others the
fullest opportunity to suggest some
other proposition which they might
consider better one. II is true that
everyone has had the same opportu-
nifty to suggest a plan that Mr. Cole
grove had, and that no one else has
taken advantage of it, and yet it was
possible that, the matter being now
acutely before the minds of the people
OF the city, some suggestion might be
made which had not occurred to us
and which might be an Improvement
on the plan before us. At any rate, if
such an opportunity were given and
no better plan proposed it would re-
move the possibility of any excuse for
not supporting this plan on the part
of anyone, on the ground of favoritism
to any person or body. In order to
clear the way for any other PROPOSE
tons that might be made, Mr.. Cole.
grove withdrew his some two weeks
ago and we have since been waiting
for others which may seem to their
proposers better than the one we had.
Nothing has as yet been put forth and
we shall soon feel that ample oppor-
tunity has been given.
Although Mr.. COlegrove has with
drawn his proposal, his letter left the
way open for us to renew negotiations
with him. Since Withdrawing his prop
osition he has been in conference with
us and no misunderstanding exists be-
tween him and us. We are all fully
alive to the absolute necessity of hav-
ing hospital in Norfolk and we shall
do everything in our power to bring
that about.