The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-02
is. SEEKS CONTROL
Of N. Y.QUARANTINE
Treasury Department Sends a
Request to Gov. Whitman
for the Transfer.
WARS EFFECTS FEARED

-
w.sutNGroN. April Treasury De.
,artment officials expect that in a brief
time the state OF New York will re.
ppaush the quarantine functions for the
,or, Of New York TO the Federal Gov.
eminent.
Acting Secretary OF the Treasury
Newton announced to-day that he had
sst,ing forth the desirability OF such
acton, and It was reported that there
we're reasons for believing that the Gov
rnor would accept the Treasury DE.
partments view.
The belief here Is that "A Joint reso-
mtion will he soon introduced I'm the As.
.emby at Albany transferring to the
federal Government the authority to
control the quarantine functions at New
YORK through the Public Health Service
similar step recently was taken by
the Common Council of Boston. and New
York remains virtually the only impor.
ant port at which the Federal Govern
ment does not control quarantine regu-
la,ions.
The statement.
A statement issued at the Treasury
p.partment is in part as follows:
BY unanimous vote OF the Common
Council OF the city OF Boston consent
has been given to transferring the quar-
,n,ine functions OF that port from the
control OF the city to the Treasury De-
oartment OF the Federal Government.
with the passing OF the Boston quar-.
,ntine to the Federal control the port
Of New York is practically the only
important port now under the direction
Of state or municipal authority, and ne
rotia;ions are now going on to have
New York transferred under the Fed
oral Government as has been done In
other ports OF the United States.
since 1855 the quarantine functions
At sixty-s!A ports OF the United states
have been transferred TO national con-
troll and now the only ports not con-
rolled by the Federal Government are
New York, Baltimore and Galveston. At
the latter point the transfer Is nov
h.ing actively considered In Baltimore
the question has also been before the
municipal authorities.
.Th. taking over OF the quarantine
control at these ports on the Atlantic
ss,board II is expected, will have n
f,r reaching effect on public health In
the United states. especially as II refers
10 the prevention % the introduction OF
nusrantinabie diseases from Europe
owing to the war In Europe these dis
eases. notably cholera, plague ana ty-
mus fever are reported not only 10 nave
Increased In volume at certain points.
especially In Servia and Greece. nut the
lsa.s hsa
in all directors.
"On this account the problem OF the
ouarantine at the various ports OF the
I'ni,ed states promises from now on TO
assume greater importance than ever
before.
fvouble After the war Feared.
Especial apprehension is felt as to the
chances of infection being brought IN
after the war ~ over when immigration
will doubtless increase in volume ana
will include men and women from all
walks OF life anj from nearly all parts
Of the European war zone.
This problem has recently led to the
consideration by the authorities OF New
York and Boston of the question OF
having the United states Government
assume the quarantine at those ports
on account of the fact that they are the
ga,ewnys not only of the States OF New
York and assachusetts but also OF the
whole nation.
an other words IL is becoming more
and more apparent that the prevention
Of the introduction OF quarantinable
diseases from foreign ports into the
United States is essentially one OF the
functions of the national Government.
The authority under which the
Treasury Department assumes controi
o. State and municipal quarantine sta
tons IS contained in section OF the
act Of Congress approved February To-
1898. and is as follows:
That Whenever the proper au-
thoiitles % a state shall surrender 10
tn United states the use OF the
buildings and dlsinfecting appara-
tus at state quarantine station the
Secretary OF the Treasury shall be
authorized to receive them and to
pay reasonable compensation to the
State for their use II in his opinion
they are necessary to the United
States
at has been demonstrated that not
only does the control by the Federal
Government Of the quarantine function
effect 90. the country at large a greater
measure OF security from the Imported
diseases but that considerable economy
and efficiency are brought about
through the thorough AMI uniform adj
mlnistration of these port functions by
The Federal Government"