The Washington herald., 1920-01-28
CUMMING PUT
IN BLUES JOB
BY SEC. GLASS
Former Surgeon Generals
Friends Say Pohhcs DC
tafed Action.
BLOCK CONFIRMATION
Rep. Johnson Raps Trras-
ury Head for Neglecting
SICK Soldiers
BLOCK CONFIRMATION

attend ths IresHurt1finn IN TN Sfn-
Rte for confirmation Cd the uamf
of nE. Hugh S. CrnniuE- Press
dam Wilson'S nomination xs hnan
nf the Public Health Service 10
succeed nr. Rupert Rfne. the In
cumbsnt. Dr.. Cummings nomina-
ttm may gD To the Senate for con-
1irTnAfinn today,
The news thai DE- Bfnf- who has
hesn regarded generally as having
1lsrfOrmed inxa1rahls serTine dur
ing his two terms as surgeon gen
eral was to be superseded cams
aE distinct surIuise IN Dr. Rne' $
many friends in and about the
CaEiE1A1 Dr. Hue is one OF the
HEST known and most popular hg-
Ures in washingron Official life
H. was first appointed by Presi-
deIE Tafl and WAS nominated for
Fds second term by President WI
Hyz
L. H1s-s friends in both
CrSnSIEs OF Congress were in
c~nIrs a. whz1 they termed the
-'d1tCNIrs o. u capable govern
1usn- official to make room for
sz appoin1se who would. they
s;,rA-Esd- in the opinion of the
T'rr<ilen. ard Secretary Glass. fl
L. bette politically
B.nr and Glass at Odda
Ii has seen known for some time
tha- Secretary Glass intended re-
pacing Surgeon General Blue with
SOMEONE more to his liking. if pos
sible- The Surgeon General is rec
oInnenGed by the Secretary Of the
Treasury. under which Department
falls the Jurisdictioa of the Public
H-alth Service
Recently. 4 delegation comprising
the state public health heads of
Ohio Michigan and North Carolina
Is said to have called upon Secre-
ta-y 'Slass- ard protested against
Dr. Blues !eappOintraent, charging
tEat his administration of the Public
Hath Service was responsible for
tho deplOrable state of the hospital
E.oS-anr for soldiers. sailors and
Marines whU ere entitled to free
government treatment. These off,
,iaiS stated that they represented
tIe opinion Of public health officials
Of IS St..to~, and declared that the
FuaIic Health Service was not fur
rizhsES proper tree tment to soldiers
and sailors entrusted to its care,
adding that only feeble efforts had
been made to procure adequate hos
DftaI facilities. The delega tion
-r-gcd Secretary Glass TO appoint in
place of Dr Blue. DR.. Allen J.
Mel aughIin. II Michigan. now As
.fStant Surgeon General. stating
that nc was the unanimous choice
o. 1Ha public health officials of &c
states
Secretary silent.
Secretary Glass would neither af-
n.m nor deny that this delegation
called upon him. but his assistants
denied that such u delegation ha6
ever visited the SECRETARY.
There was some comment yester-
day as to why Secretary Glass. il
he intended removing Surgeon Gen.
aIaI EIu". did not pick as his sue
of the various State health officials
wF.o. it is pointed out. would be
more familiar with the qualifica
tion. necessary for the office than
the Secretary Of the Treasury.
pr. Cumming. who for many
year., was quarantine officer at
Hampton Roads. it has been known
for some time. is Secretary GLASS;
choice. and the secretary is under
stood to have urged the appoint
rnent upon President Wilson as one
of his last official acts as Secretary
of the Treasury. Dr. Cumming and
Secretary Glass are old friends. the
former having been a political sup
porter of Glass for number OF
years. At present, he is in Con-
stantinople. studying typhus con-
ditiOns there, according to officials
of the health service.
Dr. Blues second term expired
January Is. While Taft was Presi-
dent. the regulations regarding the
surgeon generals Office were
changed to make a term four years
instead of an indefinite period.
Dr. Blue. it is said. will remain
in thu service. probably as an as
sistant surgeon general. He hopes
to carry out research work that
has been under way for sometime
including the fight on influenza.
johnson I'm Bitter Attack.
Sick and wounded American SOL
diers are being shamefully neglected
and even asked to volunteer to leave
the hospitals in order to make places
for bedridden comrades, Representa-
TAA
OF South Dakota. declared in a
speech in the House yesterday.
This condition exists, Mr.. johnson
charged. because of the Ignorance
or negligence or because of the will
full disregard OF the laws of the
United States by Carter Glass, the
Secretary of the Treasury, or Rupert
Blue. surgeon general of the United
States"
A specific case in point, said Mr..
johnson, is the failure of Secretary
Glass to let the contract for the COM
pletion of the Broadview. or Speed
way Hospital. at Chicago. He de.
Gisred this contract had been held up
since March 3. 1919. although the Shank
Company. contractors. had stood ready
to accept the contract at any time
during that period. and is still try
ing to come to an agreement with
the Secretary.
Representatives Byrnes, of South
Carolina. and Kitchin. of North Caro-
lima. Democrats, contended that the
Shank Company would not accept the
contract to complete the hospital with
In the limit of s3.ooo.o0o allowed In the
bill directing the Secretary to take
ever the hospttals