New-York tribune., 1918-04-26
Health Commissioner Op.
poses Abolition of Depart
mens Of Education
axes Stand Against
Part of Hylan Plan
Supporters Of Recommen-
dation Heard; Nathan
Straus Protests

Health CommissioncrfAmster, sitting
on the board formed by Mayor Hylar
to economize in city expenditures b,
reducing the activities of the Health
Department, yesterday gave evidence oil
his opposition to at least part of the
Hylan programme by going squared,
on record in favor of the methods used
by the Bureau of Public Health Edu
cation TO teach medical truths to the
masses.
This evidence of lack of harmony in
the board came after James L. Mac
Bride, president of the Civil Service
commission and chairman of the board
had declared that the publications OF
the bureau were worthless. invaded
the province of the daily press and
sh0uld ne dropped by the department.
Yesterdays hearing was called for
those who favor the boards recon-
m1endation that the Bureau of Public
Health Education be abolished. with
those opposing the programme having
the privilege OF questioning the wiz
nesses. This latter part Of the pro.
gramme was not carried out, Chairman
MacBfide refusing to permit Leonard
~. Wallsteln to examine a witness and
TO allow Dr. William E. McCombs. of
Jhe bureau of Municipal Research. to
be heard. W
MacBride Opens Hearing
testimony was not confined to the
boards recommendation or to the af-
lars Of the Bureau of Public Health
Euucation, some of the witnesses max
ing charges of general inefficiency OF
lhe Health Department, others dis
cussSlng the tax rate, while one found
1ault with the health boards rule com
pelling food vendors to cover the;r
wares. '"eii
reading the titles Of some eAiitE artlcley es
published in "Neighborhood Chron'
,cies" and other publications Of tho
bureau Among these articles were
~heip for Mr.. Shonts," as Moderate
Drinking Justified ?" 'Forty-three In
sAnrance Companies on the Effect of
ncenoi ni ,and ana False Advertising for
chronicles there was much m;sco1.
!aneous matter, including Jokes and
poems, sandwiched between health
Items: He also read from the testimonv
OF Iliden Adamson before the budget
committee Of the Board of Estimat.
opposing the work of the bureau.
Mr "allstein interrupted this read
ing 10 charge that Mr.. MacBride was
ieaoing only those parts which sup
ported the contention of the chairman
in the discussion that followed NJ
Macbrlde criticised the literary quail
.y OF the publications and established
me TACT that on one occasion Mavor
.aiocnei protested against the use of
the term "booze" as undignified.
Amster Sees No Objection
ar. Wallstein maintained that in
order to get the facts to the public it
was at times necessary to resort to
the Vernacular, just as it was necos-
sary to publish something of genera.
interest IN order to get over' scien-
tllc information.
Mr., Mr.. MacBride, in reply to this. de-
ciared that ''it is not the function of
the city government to publish news
paper, unless you want to take the
radical Socialist view" '"e
Let's hear the views of Commits
sioner Amster on the value of these
popular publications in the vernacu.
lar;, r.. suggested Mr.. Wallstein.
m SAID Dr. Amster, "such publica-
IONS pring home to the people the
tru.hs the Health Department wants
ton" 'Ao ooJec-
10 you think" demanded Mr.. Mac
Bride, that it is the function of The
BOARD OF Health to issue a cewspapero 90
u That all depends" said DR.. Amster
can see no objection to CONDUCTING a
health publicity campaign in this way.''
well" said MacBride, "you signed
we report recommending the abolition
OF this kind Of work"
Opponents of Bureau Heard
Dr John A. Cutter, who said he rep
resented the Federation of Medical
economic Leagues. favored the dron-
r'ng OF ail popular health publications.
let the head of the family get it from
the family DOCTOR
julius Reich, who said he spoke for
the East Side, attacked settlement
workers as people "suffering from mod.
dler's itch," and said the industrial in .
surance companies were doing all os
me popular education work necessary,
Lester u. Volk, editor of "The Medi
cal Economist" declared the nuhl;ca.
Tons 81 the Health Board were Of m
value, as did DR.. F. j. LASER. one of
his associates ~
Bernard Nolan, representing the
printlng trades. clashed with Mr.. Mac
Bride Il am" said he, Opposed TO
ano:ishing anything that serves to cdu.
SctN tbS people.
DR.. William S. Gotthcil. of Eordba ~
Medical School, said the endorsement
OF the bureau as constituted by tho Of
ficcrs Of the County Medical Societv
vas not authorized by the society. ana
that the society as such has taken no
position IN the matter. He favored the
anoii1'on OF popular publications.
otners who spoke in favor of abolish.
ing tne bureau and it's publications in D..
GUIDED John w. Lindsay, of the Michanl
}. Mccarthy Association: Thomss =
curry, who said he represented var,,. i.
trades; DR.. L. l.. Corbett. an ex's,,
nioyc Of the board, and DR., Willia1n
=. Young. John Martin. Of tho aa.. Fan
bronx IaxpaycIg' Association ami NJ,
4. y. Perlman. '''o 'fs
Nathan straus Protests
AZ the next session. on Monday. the
sadising department Of the hoard viii iii
Dc inquired into. "'i'
;, Nathan Straus, in letter made nuh
nc Yesterday, went on record az favnr
ing the retention Of the Bureau ~
Pubiic Education. VI
II sincerely hope" he wrote DR.
Charles T. Eoiduan, chat your bur..u ,
VIII not be abolished. The aervicns ~ =
the public Health Education Huyean ~,
rave proven 10 efficient and so benef.
cial IN resnlts that would consider