Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-24

Of the school children in the District
are undernourished. Later in the testi-
mony, Dr. Fowler. District health Of
ficer, emphasized that Mr.. Noonan was
apparently confused between underfed
and undernourished children.
Mr. Cans said that IF this is the
best way to feed underfed school chill
dren, favor this bill. do not like the
word charity, but you can make this
legislation so that 1t will come as gift
from the free heart of the city"
Representative Bowman, Republican,
Of West Virginia, asked Mr.. Cans If
he knew whether $4,000 or $30o.0O0
would be SUFFICIENT for the work pro-
posed. Mr. Cans replied, Il do not
know, but this Is start. 1 do not
want to see any child in the Washing
ton schools go hungry Mr.. Bowman
again asked whether Mr.. Cans under
stood that this money came from Fed
eral or District funds. Mr.. Cans an
swered, If the children are hungry here,
do not think they would care so much
whether they we're fed from Federal or
from District funds. My idea is that 1t
Is every citizens duty to help out.
Representative Loofbourow Of Utah,
a new member of the District Commit
tee, said: "It seems to me that this Is
matter for the citizenship of the
District of Columbia and not for the
Congress. Why do you not take care
Of your own?"
When DR.. Fowler took the stand, he
explained that Mr. Noonan must have
mistinterpreted some of the figures
from the Health Department. He ex-
planned the difference between an un-
derfed child and an undernourished
child. The former represents lack
of food, while the other might have all
the food he needed, but not the ability
to digest it from lack of appetite,
gastric disturbance or other complica-
tons.
Problem for Home.
Regarding the Mcleod bill, Dr. Fowler
said: 1T do not think public funds
should be used for the feeding, either Of
children or adults, here or elsewhere.
This problem Is one that should be met
in the home; Nobody questions that
there are children in the District
schools who are underfed or under
nourished, but the percentage is not as
great as that presented by Mr.. Noonan.
think the situation may be well met
without a Federal law"
He was questioned regarding the
ability of the Health Department 10
make q report on more than 10000
school children in the District. He told
the subcommittee that in the past year
his assistants had been able to examine
about 1000 school children and a more
extensive examination is now in prog
reSs, since he has recently been given
additional assistants.
StolI Opposes Plan.
Mr.. Stoll, speaking for the Federation
of Citizens Associations. said: 'Mr.
Noonan has painted q CHASTITY situation
which does not exist. He has taken isU-
lated instances here and there in re-
gard to undertaking. Our contention
is that il there are any underfed chill
dren there must also be underfed
mothers. After all, it comes back to a
remedy of conditions in the homes
themselves. and We do not concur in
the principle of the Mcleod bill.
A. j. Driscoll, speaking as president
of the Mid-City Citizens Association,
said that temporarily his organization
is opposed to the Mcleod BILL and be-
lieves that the Board Of Public Welfare
can cope with any underfeeding among
school children. At any rate. he wants
a scientific study of the situation before
indorsing the bill.
Federation of Citizens Associations, OPP
posed the Mcleod bill, saying: "Of
course we have hungry school children
here and probably also hungry fathers
and mothers But the appropriation
authorized by the Mcleod bill would be
but a drop in the bucket, because 1t
would take about $50, 900 year to pay
expenses and salaries for administration
of the proposed law"