Evening star., 1936-04-02
DISTRICT LEADERS
URGE HEALTH AID
BEFORE SENATORS
Indication Is $23,8OO Item
May Be Restored by |
Subcommittee.
OTHER MATTERS FATE
DEPENDS ON BUREAU
Budget Unit May or May Not
Send Up Supplemental EST.
mate for Funds.
BY J. A. O'LEARY.

BY J. A. OLEARY.
After a delegation Of civic leaders
had made an urgent plea for bette-
health protection in the 1887 District
appropriation bill today, indications
were that the Senate Subcommittee
will restore the s23, 800 cut from Health
Department items by the House.
If the Senate group follows the gen.
eral policy Of following budget esti-
mates, it probably will restore also
$35.560 which the House took of Of
Gallinger. the tuberculosis Hospital
and the Childrens tuberculosis San
atorium. The House also made a total
reduction Of $4,000 in the allotments
for Emergency, Casualty and Chill
dren's Hospitals.
The fate OF other health items
amounting to about $4,000 that
were cut from the original recon-
mendationS of the Commissioners oy
the Budget Bureau, however. appeared
likely to hinge on whether the Budget
Bureau decides to send up supple
mental estimate for all or part Of these
funds before the bill is completed.
Although no decisions are being
reached until the hearings end. prob
ably next week, it is believed to be the
present plan Of the subcommittee to
follow budget recommendations as a
general policy.
These additional health items, on
vrtNi iPh hA DID De-
new hearing last week, include imror-
tant maintenance items for Gallinger,
the tuberculosis Hospitals, as we'll as
further requirements of the Health
Department.
Those in Delegation.
Among those who joined in present.
ing the health needs of the city at to-
days hearing were: DR.. Sterling Ruff
fin, DF A. c. Christie, Dr.. P. A. Me-
Lendon and Dwight T. Scott, repre-
senting a committee appointed at the
public health mass meeting last
month; Ray Everett. Social Hygiene
Society; Mrs. Ernest r. Grant, District
tuberculosis Association; Sanford
Bates and Mrs. Louisa S. Roberts,
Council Of Social Agencies; Mrs. R.
Thomas West. Women's Auxiliary of
the Medical Society; Mrs Walter S.
Ufford, District League of Women
Voters; Walter S. Ufford, Monday
Evening Club, and Mrs. Lester Bu-
chanan.
Mrs. Grant urged sufficient funds to
keep the existing tuberculosis Hos
pital on Upshur street open after the
new adult hospital is completed at
Glenn Dale, Md. She also submitted
data to show that more than 600 deaths
per year from tuberculosis have oc-
Cured over period of five years.
1t is understood that in the course
OF the hearings. which are executive,
Mrs. Grant told the Senators that the
House Subcommittee, presided over
by Representative Blanton of Texas,
did not allow witnesses to present
adequately and explain the items being
asked for. 1t was decided, however
to omit this reference to the House
procedure from the record.
Tagging Funds Pointed Out.
In supporting the additional needs
OF the Health Department, Mrs. Grant
pointed out that 10 years ago the
United States Public Health Service,
after a thorough survey, recommended
a minimum expenditure of $613,000
for the local Health Department,
whereas the total in the pending bill
for next year as 1t came for the House
is sl29,800 less than that figure, with
out taking into account the growth
OF the city during the last decade.
The original estimates of the Health
Department last Summer suggested
$607,000 for all purposes.
The Budget Bureau recommended
S507,970 and the House bill carried
only s484,17o.
School Aid Indicated.
Before going into health items, the
Senate subcommittee heard DR.. Carrie
Weaver Smith, superintendent of the
National Training School for Girls,
and Mrs. Louis Gutenberg of the
League of Women Voters on the need
for improved housing conditions at
the school. Senators King. Democrat.
OF Utah and Copeland, Democrat, of
New York made personal inspection
OF the school last Saturday, and there
are strong indications efforts will be
made to obtain funds at this session
for enlargement and renovation.
With Chairman Thomas, Democrat,
of Oklahoma presiding, the subcom-
mittee was hearing other civic groups
this afternoon. -..~