Evening star., 1926-04-13
BtANTON REVIEWS
ATTACK ON FENN|NG
DR.. Fowler, Appearing as
Witness, Warned to Enforce
Gilbert Act in Entirety.

District Commissioner Frederick A.
Fenning and his administration We're
again the target for attack by Repre-
sentative Blanton. Democrat, Texas,
during a hearing today before the
Judiciary subcommittee of the House
District committee.
Dr. W. G. Fowler, tha District
health officer was on the stand. Mr..
Blauton forced an admission from DR..
Fowler that he had received orders
from the District Commissioners not
to carry out fully a law passed by
Congress in regard to reports of social
diseases.
Mr. Blanton then called attention to
the case of DR.. Wilson. a school physi-
clan, recently replaced by DR.. s.. 5.
Adams.
Mr.. Blanton then read from a book
let containing speech by DIR. w. A.
White, superintendent of st. Eliza
beth's Hospital at a celebration of
DR. Adams seventiet1 birthday, in
which DIR. White recalled attacks
made upon him by members of Con
gress and said that DR.. Adams was
the first to come to his defense and
proffer assistance Among the guests
at that celebration, Mr., Blanton found
the name of Frederick \. Fenning.
Mr. Blanton attempted to connect Dr.
Wilson's removal and DR.. Adams ap
pointment with the fact that the LAT
ter had shown kindness to Dr.. White
Against Publishing Names.
When DR.. Fowler endeavored to
set Mr.. Blanton straight, the latter
injected, I'm already straight. i
YOU will get your District officials as
straight aS | am. we will have 4
straight government here" He then
4 7;
trict official might get him in the
same way, and stated Il am going to
defend you from the same thing" A
few minutes later Mr.. Blantop warned
DIR. Fowler, ''if you don't enforce that
Gilbert law, we are going to get you. ="
DR.. Fowler explained that Com
missioner Fenning was not member
of the Board of Commissioners when
the Gilbert act went into effect, but
that representing the Medical Society
of the District, he had appeared at
hearings before the Commissioners
and the Commissioners had ruled in
favor of enforcement of the act with
the exception of requiring names OF
sufferers as provided in the law.
Mr.. Blanton also stated that he
had "a letter from the Medical Society
of Washington stating that the Com
missioner who annuled the Gilbert
act is tn paid attorney for the med
ical socf ty who didn't like the law
and SO Commissioner Fenning annuled
it"
Representative Gilbert. Democrat
kentucky, in commenting upon Mr.
BlantOn's mode of attack, referred to
Commissioner Fenning as such an
intolerant administrator"
Calls Fenning Cnethical.
Later in the hearing Mr.. Blanton
commented that representatives of
the Medical Society had come in
here with unclean hands opposing a
bill on which a paid representative Of
the physicians had passed judgment
as District Commissioner" and he said
admitted that Mr.. Fenning is "un-
ethical"
Representative Hammer, Demo
crat, North Carolina, agreed
with Mr.. Blanton and said Mr. Fen
ming had commercialized his profess
sion and that it was very improper
for Mr.. Fenning to indorse this bill
without stating he was attorney for
the Medical Society" Mr.. Blanton
again declared that Mr.. Fenning did
wrong" but said he had confidence
that these splendid gentlemen (re-
ferring to representatives of the Medi-
cal Society will get rid of this octo-
pus."
DIR. j. Lawn Thompson, chairman of
the legislative committee of the Medi-
cal Society of the District, protested
vigorously against the imputation that
the doctors had come before the COM
mittee with unclean hands.