Evening star., 1932-12-09

vice and consent of the Senate, one
the manufacturing and
commercial interests, one the agricul-
tural interests and one the interests Of
labor. The executive officer of the
board is director appointed by the
board.
The board is charged with responsi-
bility Of administering the Federal
funds provided for vocational educa-
ton and civilian vocational rehabilita-
ton in the several States and in
also with the responsibility of promot-
ing vocational education and civilian
vocational rehabilitation and conduct
ing studies and researches In these
fields.
The money appropriated under the
act Of February %, 1917, is allotted to
the States for the promotion Of voca-
tional education in agriculture, trades
and industries, and home economies,
and for the preparation Of teachers OF
vocational subjects. The money ap-
under the act Of June %,
1920 al s. 1850, is allotted to the
States for the promotion of vocational
rehabilitation of persons disabled in in
dustry and their return 20 civil employ
ment. Utilization of allotments Is au-
thoriZed upon condition that for each
dollar Of Federal money expended the
State or local community, or both, shall
expend at least an equal amount.
By the act Of February %, 1929 CAS-
S. 1860, the program for rehabilitating
disabled persons was extended to the
District of Columbia, and the board
was made the agency responsible for
its administration. Except for rehabili-
tation in the District of Columbia, the
board operates no schools or direct
services to individuals.
The Federal Board for Vocational
Education now operates as an independ-
ent establishment. However, through the
membership of the Commissioner of
Education on the board, its activities
are correlated with those Of the ONCE
of Education, Of which he is the head.
The boards organic act also gives the
Commissioner of Education the power
to make such recommendations to the
board relative to the administration of
the act as he may from time to time
deem advisable Although there is no
actual duplication between the activi-
ties Of the board and the Office of Edu-
cation, they have the same general pur-
pose. Both of them dispense Federal
aid to the States for the promotion Of
education and both engage in educa-
tional research. Closer cooperation
and improved administration would
undoubtedly result by bringing them
together in one department
1t is proposed to transfer the powers
and duties of the Federal Board for
Vocational Education to the Depart
ment of the Interior, and it is recon-
mended that legislation be enacted
abolishing the board. Pending such
legislation. the board will serve in an
advisory capacity to the Secretary Of
the Interior.
Public Health Service.
The Public Health Service had its
beginning in the Marine Hospital which
was created for the relief of sick and
disabled seamen by the act of July 16,
1898 Il S. 605). The act of July 90,
1870 Q6 S. 169), which provided a CEN
trail administrative agency for the Ma
rtne Hospital Service under the direc-
ton Of the Secretary of the Treasury,
is the foundation on which the hos
pital work of the present Public Health
Service has been built. During the fol-
lowing 80 years the duties Of the serv-
Ice were gradually increased to include
the. supervision of quarantine. the
medical inspection Of immigrants, the
diseases. and general Investigations in
the field Of public health. These in
creases in duty resulted in a change
Of the name of the service to the Pub
lie Health and Marine Hospital Service
and in an enlargement of its specific
statutory powers. which was accom-
plished by the act of July /, 1902 (32 S.
712). BY the act of August IA, 1912
t37 s. 309), the name of the service
was again changed to the Public Health
Service. and 1t was given definite statu-
tory authority to make extensive inves-
tlgat-ons in the field of public health.
Ine World War resulted in a consider
able expansion Of the activities of the
service. In 1929 the service was au-
thorized to extend its researches to In
clude drug addiction and mental and
nervous diseases and was charged with
the responsibility of administering the
TWO narcotic farms of the Federal Gov
ernment.
AT the present time the Public Health
service Is a bureau in the Treasury
Department. under the supervision Of
the Surgeon General, who is appointed
ny the President, by and with the ad-
vice and consent of the Senate. The
service comprises seven technical di-
visions as follows: Division of scien-
tific research, division OF foreign and
lnsular quarantine and immigration,
division of domestic (inrerstate) quar-
antlne, division of sanitary reports and
statistics, division of marine hospitals
ana relief. division of venereal diseases.
ana DIVISION OF mental hygiene Qor-
merly the narcotics division). .f.
These divisions of the Public Health
Service are. engaged in the following
activities: The operation Of hospitals
and narcotic farms and the furnishing
OF medical and psychiatric service to
speclf1ed beneficiaries, the medical in
Spectlon OF immigrants. the administra-
tlon OF maritime and border quarantine,
the prevention of the interstate spread
OF diseases, the examination of bfologi-
ca! products to determine purity end
potency, the collection of morbi6ty
and other statistics pertaining 70
nealth, the dissemination of health in
formation, and the study and investi-
cation of the diseases of man and con-
dltions influencing the propagation. and
spread Of diseases, including sanitation
and sewage and the pollution of the
naVigable streams and lakes of the
United States. Its functions, therefore,
fall into three classes: % Medical re-
ner Tor designated persons, CD preven-
ton OF the spread of disease by virtue
OF the powers exercised by the Federal
Government over interstate and foreign
commerce, and 90 making studies for
the control of disease and furnishing
central agency for assisting State and
health officials in their work.
There Is general agreement that the
Public Health Service finds no Iegiti-
mate place in the Treasury Depart
ment. 1t is also obvious that the Pub
lie Health Service should constitute
the central organization around which
the ether health services of the Gov
eminent should be grouped. Under
the proposed plan this service is trans
ferred to the Department of the Inte-
rior. where it win fern the nucleus of
a health group.
In view OF the proposal to associate
the Public Health Service with the adm
;ational services of the Government. Il
should be pointed out that the actiyi-