The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-12-22
PAY INCREASES
|. HERE URGEDbY
DR.. WOODWARD
Former Health Officer Writes to
The Times About Faithful
Work of Employees.

DR.. William C. Woodward. retiring
city health officer OF Boston, ana
formerly health officer OF the District
of Columbia. today sent q communica-
ton to The Times calling on the
people OF. the District TO urge Con-
gress to increase the appropriation
for the local Health Department,
"It is pitifully strange" DR., WOOD
| ward writes, that after a man has
given to the District more than
quarter of century OF faithful ser
vice, no effort was made to compen-
I safe him Justly for the work ana the
responsibility devolving on him.
DR.. William c. Fowler, present
health officer of the District, TO whom
the foregoing refers. has been In the
health department for more thah
twenty-five years.
Dr. Woodward viii lose his connec-
ton with the Boston health depart
ment, due to the recent change IN city
administrations. His communication
to the Times follows:
I'm Justice to the present mayor Oh
Boston, Andrew j. Peters. by whom
was appointed Health Commissioner.
and in justice to the residents VI
Boston with whom / conferred prior
to taking the appointment, l peg 10
say that you have been misin1ormeo
with respect to the motives that LED
me to accept my present position.
I'm your issue of the 10th instant
YOU say that was repeatedly assured
! before / resigned my office in WASH
| ington and accepted my present posi-
| ton that the Boston office was out
| side the realm OF politics and that my
| tenure was entirely dependent upon
efficient service. i received no sucn
| assurance Whatsoever. ! was fuiiy
informed by the mayor and by every
one else with whom l talked as TO all
| the possibilities incident to my accept
lance of the appointment. Moreover
/ having had even before that time q
more or less intimate knowledge oil
| public health, administration In Bos
| ton knew and understood the situa
ton thoroughly.
Even with matters standing al
they do now, / have no regret that
came to Boston-except for my sepa
ration from relatives and friends In
Washington. Aside from such money
advantage as has accrued as the re
suit Of the change, / have had ar
| invaluable experience in health ad
ministration in an atmosphere en-
tirely different from that OF Washing
ton. The people of Boston. speaking
for the community as whole. havt
co-operated in the work Of the Health
Department, and / have made man,
loyal friends. .
MAY I not express the hope tina
the people Of Washington Will co
operate with the Commissioners o
the District in trying to carry on
the program laid down in the cur
rent District appropriation bill, look
ing toward an increase in the sal
aries of the officers and employees
generally in the District Health De
partn.ent, who. as ] know them, ar
capable, energetic, and hard-work
ing group. and that the people vii
endeavor to correct the mistake tina
has been made either by the Com
missioners or by the Federal bulge
director in failing to make any pro
vision whatsoever for a REASONABLY
increase in the salary of the health
officer of the District, DIR. william
c. Fowler. 1t 10 pitifully strang
that after a man has given to TIL
District more than quarter Of
century of faithful service, and de
spite the added responsibilities de
veloping upon the office Of healtl
officer as the result Of our enlarge'
knowledge OF disease prevention an
health promotion and as the result
Of the increase in the population o
the District, and in spite Of the in
creased cost of living, no effort wa
made to compensate him justly 70
the work and the responsibility de
volving on him. / hope that tn
people OF the District may undertake
to see that justice is done"