Evening star., 1929-01-04
House Sandwich
Counters Ruled
Out as lnsanitary
PhysicianSaysC Cloakroom
"Restaurant" Dirtiest
In District.

Another of the old traditions and
conveniences for members of the House
has been thrown in the discard in the
cause of hygiene and sanitation.
The naval officer, Comdr. George
w. Calver, who has just been made
House physician, has declared that
sandwich counters in the cloakrooms
of the House chamber "are the most in
sanitary eating places in the District
of Columbia" and the new chairman
of the committee on accounts formally
notified the House yesterday that these
sandwich counters are to be closed.
Chairman Underhill, however, salved
the feelings of some members by telling
them that arrangements have been
made for serving sandwiches in sanitary
containers and milk in sanitary drink
ing cups from the House cafe-but that
If they desire a plate of SOUP they must
go to the restaurant for it. Mr.. Under
hill is making arrangements to open
cafeteria or sandwich shop, separate
from the House cafe or dining room.
In explaining his action, Mr.. Under
hill reminded the House that the last
session of Congress appropriated almost
system in this chamber and. in the
about SITS, ZOO was expended in improv-
ing the ventilation of this chamber
However" he said. 1--WE overlooked one
serious condition which has more to do,
perhaps, with the good health Of men,
bers than the matter of ventilation.
We had overlooked the fact that We
were carrying source of Infection, dis
tribution of illness and contagion,
through the medium of food served in
the little cubbyholeS underneath the
gallery. z
With this information and upon the
doctors advice, the sale of food in the
cloakrooms has been abandoned. To
take the place of that, If any of the
members find themselves obliged to re-
main on the floor of the House during
the lunch period, arrangements have
been made at the restaurant downstairs
to serve such food as can be served up
here without contamination or fear OF
contagion.
Representative Garrett of Texas
wanted to know if the doctor had made
it clear whether the contagion or in
fection takes place on the sandwich
before it is wrapped with paper or
afterwards.
II would like to know" Mr.. Garrett
said, whether the man who fixes the
sandwich downstairs has any cleaner
hands than the man who fixed the
sandwich in the cloakroom, and if the
tongue or the ham that he fixes down.
stairs in the restaurant has been in
spected differently from what it was in
the cloakroomS, or if it had been in
spected up here any differently from
what it will be inspected downstairs.
Where the germ lodges is on the sand
wich before it goes into the paper and
would like to know whether the condi-
tionS are better downstairs and whether
when we get the sandwich wrapped up
We will be any more secure when we
unwrap it up here than if we were to
get it up here in the manner in which
we have been getting it?"
Answering Mr.. Garrett, Mr.. Under
hill said
THAT is a question which I suppose
scientists might ponder over, just as they
have over the question of whether the
chicken or the egg came first. AS a
matter OF fact. the doctor is going to
make thorough inspection-and has
already made a partial one-of every
thing connected with the restaurant
downstairs. We propose to follow his
advice and cooperate with him to the
fullest extent"