New-York tribune., 1918-06-05
Differences Of Opinion as to
Proposed Merger To Be
Decided by Committees
Bad Faith Charged
Presbyterian Institution Saws
Columbia Let 1t "Hold
Bag" on Site Option

The question Of the break in rela-
uonship between Columbia University
and the Presbyterian Hospital and the
abandonment of the S15OOO,o0O project
Tor merging the hospital with the Col
iege of Physicians and Surgeons is in
the hands of the committee on educa-
tlon and finance of the Columbia Uni
Versity trustees. When the joint COM
mitteo meets the differences of opinion
between DR.. Nicholas Murray Butler.
president of Columbia, and the board
OF managers of the hospital will be
canvassed.
These differences, as expressed in
correspondence between William Sloan,
president of the Presbyterian Hospital,
and DR.. Butler, may be summarized as
follows:
DR.. Butler would not agree to the
plan of amalgamation drawn by DIR,
Abraham Flexner, of the General Edu-
cation Board, characterizing the plan
as "antagonistic to the best interests
of the public, of medical education and
of Columbia University"
Charges Lack of Faith
The hospital authorities say DR.. But
Ter and Columbia University did not
keep the hospital fully informed of its
inability to raise its share of the fund
toward buying a new site for the
merged institutions. Columbia was to
meet half of the proposed cost, or
s7,5o0oO
The hospital board declares the hos
pital was allowed to expend uselessly
$4,000, advanced to cover an option on
the land at Broadway from 165th to
l6oth street, the site of the old Ameri-
can League baseball park, and the op-
tlon was permitted to expire.
The report of the hospital authori-
ties, filed with their resolution direct
ing the president and secretary Of the
hospital to terminate the merger agree
meEt, states that at a joint meeting Of
the hospital and university committees
on February 90 DR.. Butler, on being
asked to state the university's position,
advanced petty objections, raised ques-
tions of mere detail, but did not discuss
the fundamental points involved
Has Four Objections
DR.. Butler wrote to Mr.. Sloan on
April 20 saying he objected to four
points of DR.. Flexner's merger plan,
and that Columbia never would agree
to them. These points are:
The resignation Of Dean Samuel w.
Lambert and all members of the fac
ulty of the College of Physicians and
Surgeons.
The institution of a system whereby
teachers of practical or clinical sub
Jects would, if they accepted incidental
professional service, turn over any fees
received to the university.
The limitation of attendance at the
medical school to 400
The severance of all teaching and re-
search relationships between tae med
ical school and other hospitals than
the Presbyterian Hospital.
Dr. Butler characterized these con-
ditions as "reactionary," and said
Columbia University would not recover
or generation from the loss of its
medical faculty were it forced to retire
Its members as a condition precedent
to receiving large sum of money.
Hopes for Adjustment
"This report has been made the sub
ject of informal consideration by mem
bers of the board of trustees and
other officers of the university" Dr..
Butler wrote, "and the essential points
Of the reorganization of the medical
school as proposed by DR.. Flexner are
unanimously and emphatically dsap-
proved"
Dr. Butler said yesterday the uni
versity did not have the funds to re-
move and rebuild the medical school,
while the Presbyterian Hospital did
have enough money to proceed. He
said he regretted greatly that obstacles
had appeared, and that he was anxious
the ditferencn he adiuctod