The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1914-10-28
HAD NOT PROPER BACKING
Put 1t Up to the Interior Department
to Take other Steps Towards the
Enforcement of the Rules That Ap.
PLY to Hot Springs Reservation.

Probably the most unusual action
ever taken between this resort aud
the Interior Department of the United
States government under which de-
partment the government affairs here
are handled, was that of yesterday
when the report leaked out that the
Medical board had as a body tender
ed its resignation to Secretary Lane
of the Interior Department.
The report was that the resigna-
tions were sent by telegraph, and that
they called for an immediate ac-
ceptance.
The medical board is composed OF
ler. Greene, of Little Rock, superin-
tendent of the Arkansas Hospital for
Nervous Diseases; DR.. Charles Dake
and DR.. Leonard r. Ellis of this city.
No three physicians stand higher IN
the south than these.
The cash is supposed to have com
about through the failure of the In
terror Department to back up the &C
tion taken by the Medical Board here
in the imposing of punishment in en-
forcing violations of the rules of the
interior department.
Some time ago the board applied
punishment in two particu ar cases.
1t was but a very short time until the
Interior Department reversed the ac-
tion of the board, and restored to the
unrestricted use of the hot waters
certain parties who had been deprived
of that priviege by the board.
For years the medical board has
been the body looked up to in the en-
fcrcement of the rules and reguia-
tions of the interior department. The
superintendent OF the reservation un-
der the custom of the past has gather
ed the information and the board has
acted on it, making recommendation
to the interior department, which usa-
ally were acted on as recommended,
but frequently reversed after inter-
ventions mad been taken to Washing
ton.
Superintendent DR.. Parks of the
reservation at this time is new in the
field Without the aid OF medical
board he will probably have to work
directly in touch with the interior
department. A new board may De
named that viii serve, but that is
taken as very unlikely in view of tle
circumstances, for 1t has been any
thing but a pleasant or profitable
task for those who have given their
time to the work in the past.
Supt DR.. Parks was called last
night and asked of he had any state
ment to make concerning the situa-
ton: II have nothing to say about
the matter. The affairs OF the board
come more directly in touch with The
interior department" he said.
The resignation of the medical
board, of course, does not mean that
DR., Parks will have any less support
locally in the matter of the enforce
ment of rules, and only means thar
the interior department will be
brought face to face with the respons-
ibility of the situation. and that the
medical board will not be the mediun
of the conflict that has been waged
about It in the past.
The board in its action merely IN
brief puts it up to Secretary Lane OF
the Interior department that il hs
rules are to be enforced locally ne
must stand behind that enforcement
and if he is not satisfied with the con.
ditions of the past, he must seek some
other avenue through which to work