Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-23
CITED AS A TRUST AN END TO HOSPITAL
Complaint Against Telephone House Refuses Further Appro
and Telegraph Company priation for Columbia.
CAPITAL NEAR BILLION lis DECLARED A FiRETRAP
Said Resemble Standard Board Charities
and Tobacco IN It's Place
STORY NOT NEW ONE NEW BUILDING PLAN KILLED
Complaints the Of Plans-Char-
Message Service
House Refuses Further Appro-
priation for Columbia.
is DECLARED A FIRETRAP
Board Of Charities Gets Q Lump Sum
IN Its Place.
NEW BUILDING PLAN KILLED
House Refuses to Vote $1,000 for
the Preparation Of Plans-Char-
tiles Under Fire.

tiles Under Fire.
The House of Representatives voted
this afternoon to abandon the Columbia
Hospital for Women. In accordance with
this action an amendment offered by Rep
resentative Burleson Of Texas was adopt
ed which strikes out of the District bill,
In which an appropriation for the hos
pital has been carried for years, all refer
ence to the institution. and instead places
10000 In the hands of the board OF chari-
ties to care by contract for INDECENT pa
tents.
Ihe action Of the House in deciding to
abandon the hospital was due to the
statements by Mr.. Burleson, Representa-
i've Cox OF Ohio and OF ..ers that the hos
pital building was a fire trap. that any
money expended on 1t for repairs would
be wasted
Representative Foster Of Illinois did not
take this view and insisted that an ap-
preparation Of $4,000 would be sufficient
to install ffreproof partitions and to put
the institutions in good condition gener-
ally His amendment was lost. to a.
Mr.. Burleson's substitute was then
adopted.
Mr. Foster then offered an amendment
appropriating 5000 to prepare plans for
a new hospital. but it was ruled out on a
point Of order.
Mr. Burleson remarked at this point
against the board Of charities because
the board had recommended certain
changes in the control Of charitable in
situations in the District.
He said the committee on appropriations
has confidence in the board of charities
in every respect.
The first three hours OF today's session
of the House on the District bill were
devoted entirely to the items relating to
charities. Mr.. Burleson explained the
situation with reference to the board Of
charities In a somewhat elaborate state
ment.
johnson Opposes Items.
A proposed amendment to admit ex-
soldiers OF the Spanish war to the tenn
porary home for ex-Union soldiers and
sailors was defeated by Mr.. Burleson.
It was brought out in debate that the
home affords shelter to as many Spanish
war ex-soldiers az others. and Mr.. Bur-
Lesson declared that there Is no authority
Of law for their use of the home
MT. Johnson raised a point Of order
District militia. Mr.. Burleson read from
the law authorizing the appropriation and
commended 1t was In order. The point
was temporarily passed over to give Mr..
Johnson an opportunity to look UP the
law.
Mr. Johnson also raised a point Of order
against other items relating to the militia,
$17.664 for rent, 1900 for printing and
postage, which were temporarily passed
over.
At the time The Stars report closed
the chair had not ruled on the point Of
order made by Mr.. Johnson yesterday
against the interesting and sinking fund
item.
Created Charities Board.
Lesson. by reason Of the chaotic con-
dition existing at that time in the ad-
ministration Of the funds appropriated
by the general government for chari-
table purposes in the District OF CO.
lumbia, Congress created joint COM
mittee to which was referred the en-
tire question relating to charities. with
the request that it report back to Con-
gress a policy which should be adopted
governing the administration OF those
funds.
.As a result of the careful considera-
ton Of that joint committee a report was
made recommending the creation Of
board of charities, chargeable with the
duty of reporting to Congress year by
year. and advising as to the amounts OF
money needed for the purpose and how
they should be expended, and recon-
mending also that the board should ad-
wise Congress with reference to any
policy that the board should deem fit In
relation to the administration Of the
charity funds.
AFTER ten years OF serious considera-
ton. the board of charities at this ses-
sion of Congress appeared before the ap-
preparation committee and earnestly rec
commended that there be a complete
enforcement between public and private
charities. The members OF the board d.
rected the attention Of the appropriation
committee to the fact that over their
protest during the last ten years $IoO.OO
had been appropriated In lump sums to
private institutions for the erection or
buildings and improvements upon land
owned by those private institutions.
1.-THE board brought to the attention OF
the committee the further fact that not
withstanding this vast expenditure. the
beds In these private institutions subject
to the orders Of the board OF charities
for INDECENT patients had been increased
only in a very limited degree.
Ask Director Of Charities.
$50 earnest were tho members OF the
board Of charities In their recommends
ton upon the proposition submitted to us
that they ask that the board OF charities
be abolished: that q director Of charities
be authorised by law. and that the sum
of nearly q million dollars which is APP
propriated annually for charitable and
corrective purposes, now being admins
tered under the direction OF the board o.
charities be administered under the d. |
rection Of this officer whose creation they |
request. ,.. =.
number of the best business men In this
town. appointed by the President OF the
United States from all classes and pro- |
fessions They have an able lawyer on
the board. They have banker on the
board. They have retired physician on
the board. They have all religions rep
resented - Protestants, Roman Catholic |
and a Jew. This board. notwithstanding |
the fact that in the inception OF the |
opinion with reference to how charities
should be distributed in the District Of |
Columbia, finally reached the unanimous
concIusion that there should be this d. l
Increment between public and private |
charity.
..They 60 to the extent Of asserting in |
the most emphatic way that under the
present system dependency Is encouraged |
and Increased rather than discouraged |
and diminished. For reasons that were |
the committee at this session |
of Congress refrained from acting upon
the Recommendation OF the board OF
charities and we took up In detail
the various items carried in the bill APP |
propriating the various sums of money /
for charitable purposes.
mo