Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-08
Proposed Economy.

| The report points out that every year the
| government makes appropriations of from
5000 to $4, 900 for repairs to the hospital,
| and that, this year request is made for
| Sf3, 200 for repairs. The report continues:
| The amount of the estimate for repairs
| Immediately needed, therefore, combined
with the amount for the care of INDECENT
Latients for the next year, amounts to
$S3 200, and in lieu of this the board of
| $780,, which we are confident will be
ample to provide for the needed service.
| IL we are permitted to make arrange
r1ents with other institutions on the best
| terms offered Several institutions have
| already indicated their Willingness to
treat the class of INDECENT patients cared
| for at Columbia and at a reduced per
capita rate.
| fact that even if emergency repairs are
made at Columbia Hospital, they will not
| render that institution a safe and salts
| factory place for the care of the helpless
sick In view of these considerations the
| board feels that pending the provision of
adequate public hospital facilities to care
| for the INDECENT sick, arrangements should
| be made for their care at such institu-
! tons as afford the best facilities at the
| lowest cost. AS regards the class of pa
tients cared for at Columbia, there are
| ample facilities for their care at other
| well-equipped institutions and. as pointed
| out above, very substantial economy
is Immediately effected"
Urgent Need Of Changes.
Prefacing the recommendations con-
corning Columbia Hospital for Women.
| the board, In the first five pages of it's
twenty -eight-pa typewriter report di-
reefs the attention Of Congress to the
urgent need of certain changes in the
| ole ofl nj 90
lie charities in the District.
The report charges that certain institu-
tons. obtaining congressional aid through
contracts with the board of charities,
also have received additional appropria-
tons for construction, equipment and
repairs.
Appropriations to private institutions.
outside of the money applied to them
under contract, have amounted to STAT,
9S6.29-a sum, 1T is stated, which would
have been sufficient to build public hos
pital for indigents to meet all present
needs and, at the same time, to give in
creased facilities to other government in
situations.
The members Of the board, it is stated,
have now come to the unanimous con-
clusion that there should be separation
of public and private charities Con-
gress Is asked to adopt this view and to
provide for the construction Of a mu-
that thereafter, no contracts with or ap-
preparations to private charities shall be
made
More Economical Administration.
With reference to this recommendation
the report. in part, says:
1.-The experience Of the board Of chari-
ties, from time to time brought to your
attention In annual reports. compels us
most positively to the view that the
proper and economical administration of
public charities requires the absolute
separation Of public from private chari-
ties and the care of indigchts i'll iustltu-
tons and hospitals owned, equipped, sup
ported and controlled by the govern
ment.
From the detailed report which fol-
lows it will be seen that the scope of
government charity is already In large
measure provided for, and that nearly all
classes of indigents are contained and
cared for in government institutions, and
1t further appears that these several in
situations have, during the last ten years,
steadily increased and grown in facilities
and usefulness. Some of them are III
part self-supporting, and ali of them are
economically conducted.