Evening star., 1936-02-19
BLANTON PREDICTS
TAX REVELATIONS
Texan Tells House, Between
Interruptions, of Mass
Meeting.

Chairman Blanton Of the House Sub
committee on Appropriations, which
has just concluded hearings on the
1897 District supply bill, believes the
offlcial record Of the behind closed.
door deliberations, will contain some
choice reading.
The record will not come of the
press for week, but Blanton has
already indicated that, in addition to
lot of discussion over Communism
in the public schools, 1t will contain
the personal tax payments of some
of Washington's leading citizenship
formation, he feels, every one will
like to read. especially members Of
Congress.
An inkling of what is in store for
those who are awaiting the presses
at the Government Printing once to
turn out the voluminous document,
came from Blanton yesterday while
he was on the floor Of the House deliv.
ering one Of his characteristic blasts
against the press of Washington in
general, and the District Medical
Society in particular.
Urges Record Reading.
Blanton urged every member Of the
House to read the record of the
hearings when it becomes available.
"You will find some astonishing evi-
dence," he prophesied. "You will
learn why the newspapers fight me-"
Although the Texan concentrated
his attack on the press and the
medical society, he also found fault
with DR.. George C. Rutland. health
officer, and a score or more physi-
clans who draw salaries from the
District for part-time service. He
blamed the health officer for run
ming" to the newspapers for publicity
about Health Department needs, and
the doctors for supporting him so
they could use the equipment in their
private practice.
Blanton took the floor on a ques-
ton of personal privilege. primarily
to give the House his version Of the
mass meeting Sunday in the Central
High School auditorium ct the con-
clusion of which he offered to fight a
group of doctors, individually, who
took offense at some of his state
ments.
Belittles Attendance.
That meeting. Blanton shouted. was
the biggest flop I ever saw" He ex-
planned there were not more than 800
persons in the auditorium-chiefy
nurses and doctors and their wives
and that the big gallery was deserted
except for five ushers and three spec
tators.
Blanton also described the meeting
as a reflection on Congress and an at
tack on the Presidents budget, and
declared the doctors and their wives
''booed and hissed" him.
Next the Texan gave description
Of what took place in the wings Of
the stage at the conclusion of the
meeting when, he said, he was sur
rounded by eight or ten doctors who
became abusive" He explained he
offered to do the manly thing and set
tie the situation in a manly way, but
warned the doctors they could not
gang up" on him.
ct wanted to defend the integrity
OF this House." he declared.
Speech interrupted.
Several times Blanton was inter.
rupted with points Of order from Rep
resentatives Zioncheck, Democrat, of
Washington. and Marcantonio, Repub-
lican, of New York, who demanded
that his words be taken down. Once
his speech was delayed 40 minutes by
roll call, when Representative Dirk
sen. Republican, Of Illinois, a member
Of the House District Committee,
raised point of no quorum after pro-
testing against waste of time.
In the midst of the heckling of
Marcantonio and Zioncheck, Blanton
declared: MY noise amounts to some
thing, and theirs amount to nothing"
A few minutes later, Zioncheck shot
back: The remarks of the gentleman
from Texas about ability to talk loud
and say something is like the steam
boat on the Mississippi, a 6-inch boil
er and a 12-inch whistle, and every
time he whistles, the boat stops"
Finally, Blanto declared: This
fight on me is because I am preventing
these doctors and newspapers from
getting what they want from the
Treasury" And turning to the press
gallery, he looked up and shouted: