Evening star., 1936-03-27
PRESIDENT T0HEAR'
HEALTH FUND PLEA.
tuberculosis Group Told
Conditions Here Are "Na-
tionaI Disgrace"

q national disgrace, Tor which the
House of Representatives is to blame,
resulted last night in a decision of
the tuberculosis Association to carry
the fight for adequate public health
appropriations directly to the White
House.
From Chairman Mary T. Norton
and Senator Arthur Capper of the
House and Senate District Commit
tees, the embattled protestants against
the slashes made in the Districts
health budget received assurances that
in President Roosevelt they would find
sympathetic supporter.
A plea by DR.. Prentiss Wilson, for
mer president Of the Medical Society
OF the District, was followed by the
adoption Of motion asking Presi-
Health Service to make a thorough
survey in the District and report to
Congress in time for the 1888 budget.
A similar survey made nine years
ago, DR.. Wilson declared, placed the
Health Departments needs at $613, 900
per annum. DR.. George c. Rutland,
District Health Officer, had requested
$4,000 less than this amount, he
claimed, and slashes made in the
House bill had cut the health items
to some $480,000. Mrs. Ernest r.
Grant made the motion that the ap-
peal for such survey be carried to
the President so that an impartial
estimate Of local health requirements
might be obtained.
Mrs. Norton Sees Restoration.
Mrs. Norton. who scored hospital
conditions here and said she was
ashamed" at the attitude Of the
House with respect to health appro-
priations, inspired the meeting with
hope by declaring she believed the
President and eventually the House
would restore the 100000 cut made
in the Federal contribution to the
District.
II believe the President OF the
United States is not going to go back
on the people of Washington" she
said, land that the figures in the
DuOScI " III Dt TtStOE6Q. 11SE QGCldId-
ton brought applause.
THAT was the Presidents own esti-
mate and the budget agreed to it."
she added. Let me say, am ashamed
OF the House In cutting II by
s., ,0o0, ,O0O."
Senator Capper gave similar assur-
ances of support from the White
House, especially with respect to the
restoration of cuts made in the health
budget.
Declaring the budget represents the
wishes of the people of the District,
Senator Capper said he had never
heard Of protest from a local tax
payer against appropriations for
health and schools.
Believes President Interested.
"And I do not believe that Presi-
dent Roosevelt has lost his interest in
providing for the health of all the
people," he added.
The meeting at the Brookings Insti-
tuition inaugurated the Early Diagno-
sis" campaign Of the tuberculosis As
sociation, as announced by DR.. Will
liam Charles White, president, who
presided.
Prominent health authorities, in
cluding DR.. Allen Freeman, dean Of
public health administration. Johns
Hopkins University, INDUCED in blunt
denunciations Of conditions in Wash
ington. Speakers included DR.. Numa
n Adonnc doom nf tho I'D
University School Of Medicine, and
Ross Garrett, director Of the Central
Admitting Bureau for Hospitals.
Washington is suffering from the
disease Of malnutrition," said DR..
Wilson in diagnosing local troubles.
To this Garrett offered a different
diagnosis. THE disease is probably
matter Of human behavioritism,"
he declared. There is too much
buck passing in Washington between
various agencies, too much bickering."
AS a result, he claimed, the real
needs of the people are forgotten.
Garrett appeared to startle the
audience by making a reluctant CON
feSSion" that he realizes now he had
lied to DR.. Rutland" in persuading
him to come to Washington to ad-
minister its public health problems.
He had explained to him. he said, that
all he would have to do to get the
necessary funds was to present Con-
gress with the real facts about health
conditions.
Notes Of Cancellation.
Some notes of Cancellation were
sounded at the meeting, especially
when DR.. Wilson suggested that the
Medical Society was one organization
in the District that had Endorsed
larger health appropriations and had
expressed q willingness to be taxed
accordingly.
But beyond that the citizens Of
Washington ought not to be expected
to CO." he warned. Certainly they
should not be called on to support the
Federal Government"
Mrs. Norton stressed the need Of
more diagnosis clinics in Washington
in view Of inadequate hospital facili-
ties.
TT doesn't look right to spend mil
lions of dollars on public buildings
and parks in Washington while
neglecting human life," she said.
1.-The hospitals here are the worst
have come in contact with in the
United States. Gallinger Hospital is
entirely inadequate-certainly a dis
grace to the National Capital, with
beds littering the corridors"
She also pleaded for a degree Of
patience in dealing with members of
the House, many Of whom, she said,
have SO many problems on their hands
they cannot devote enough attention
to District affairs.
81 believe and hope that the men,
bers Of the House, when they are
aware Of all the facts. will vote for
restoration of the full health budget"
she said.
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