Evening star., 1935-01-15
Or. G. C. Rutland Asked to
Confer Here With Com.
missioners.
SELECTION COMMITTEE
UNANIMOUS IN CHOICE
Invitation Not Definite as to Ap-
pointment, Officials Say.
Politics Avoided.

DR.. George C. Rutland, now health
commissioner of Syracuse. N. Y, will
be appointed District health officer
in the next few days unless some un-
foreseen exigency arises, it was in
dicated today at the District Build
ing.
The Commissioners today wired DR.
Rutland an invitation to come to
Washington to confer with them Fri
day. The message did not consti-
tute an offer, but all indications were
that he can have the position if he
desires it. Dr. Rutland was the sole
man recommended for the post by
the Committee of washington Medi-
cal Authorities, created by the Com
miSsionerS to advise them on the
matter.
The name of DR.. Ruhland was
sent to the White House recently
for the purpose of giving the Presi-
dent the opportunity to make sug-
gestion if he chose. So far as could
be learned at the District Building
the President has taken no action in
the case.
I dfkH 4NOt hAOWhs
DR.. Rutland, Sc years old, was
health commissioner of Milwaukee,
Wis, from 1914 to 1924 and during
that time served under three admin
istrations, these being Republican,
Democratic and Socialist. The ques-
ton of what is DR.. Ruhland'S political
preference has been raised in discus
sion here, but Commissioner George
E. Allen has insisted he did not care
a whoop" what was the politics of the
new health officer so long as he was
the best man available.
Postmaster General Farley is said to
have told the Commissioner there
would be no political dictation in the
selection of the new health officer.
In addition to the recommendation
of the local Advisory Committee,
headed by DR.. William Gerry Morgan,
a past president of both the District
and American Medical Societies, DR..
Rutland had the Endorsement also
of l3 outstanding medical men who
were asked by the local committee to
suggest the best-qualifed candidates.
Formal Report Given.
Commissioner Allen today made
public the formal report of the Nor
gan Committee, which stated, in part:
1.-The committee felt that DR.. Ruh-
lands every qualification compared
with those of all other men considered,
was so far superior that the commit
tee could transmit only his name as
its selection.
I'm accepting the charge from the
Commissioners to select the best man
available, the committee did so with
the feeling that at last an enlightened
point of view was being expressed by
government in the selection of leader
to conduct this first important func-
tion of government, namely. the care
of the health of the people. In the
nomination we have transmitted We
have been influenced solely by the
qualifications of this candidate as an
outstanding leader in the health field
on his own record and by the many
recommendations which have come
to us in response to our inquiries from
nationally recognized health authori-
ties"
Syracuse Record Cited.
DR.. Rutland is credited with build
ing up the city health administration
of Syracuse with which he has been
connected since 1924. Syracuse has
been credited in recent years as being
one of the 10 most healthful cities of
the country.
The Commissioners have been given
to understand that DR.. Rutland
would accept the Washington job al
though it is reported he now receives
a higher salary. Among principle
reasons for asking DR.. Rutland to
come to Washington promptly is to
determine if he will take the job at
the present salary level of $500,
and if he understands the admin
istrative system here where all Dis
trict operations are subject to control
I,r Corrroec