Evening star., 1938-01-16
Opposition to Hospital Use Is
Not a Heartless Movement.


Opposition to Hospital Use Is
Not a Heartless Movement.
ORGANIZATIONS opposing the
plan of the health officer to
use the old tuberculosis hospital
for convalescents from Gallinger
disclaim participation in any move
ment which might be considered by
some to be heartless. The very COM
prehensive and thorough report on
this question, submitted by the
Committee on Education to the
Federation Of Citizens Associations
at its meeting on January made
it perfectly clear that the need was
recognized for an expansion of GAL
linger Hospital to take care of such
patients. This report, which was
adopted by the federation by a vote
of 81 to 6, showed that its remote
location, its construction. and the
restricted area occupied by this
building made it unsuitable for
such use.
In large degree, the insult
ability of this site prompted the
movement which resulted in the
erection OF the two tuberculosis
sanitariums on large tracts in adja-
cent Maryland. Among the most
ardent supporters Of the movement
for obtaining these two fine mod
ern plants were those groups of
organizations and individuals who
successfully prevented the erection
of Gallinger Hospital on the site
now occupied by the Roosevelt and
Mcfarland High Schools and is
soon to have the additional building
Of the Petworth Branch Library.
The committee was convinced, as
was the Federation. that any mere
patching up" of this abandoned
hospital building would result in
only poor makeshift. 1t was also
feared that any authorized tenn
porary use might be prolonged for
years to the injury Of Gallingher
Hospital enlargement and also to
other use of the site.
It should be remembered that
the site out at Fourteenth and
Upshur streets was originally
acquired for the erection OF an
entire group which would comprise
the municipal hospital. The
tuberculosis Hospital was. how
ever. the only unit ever erected.
When plans were prepared and an
appropriation was sought for the
erection of other buildings of the
group there arose such a deter
mined opposition on the part of
the people in that section that
when the District bill which car
ried the appropriation was before
the Senate, the Senate substituted
Reservation 13 as a site for the
Gallinger Hospital and also pro-
vided that there should be no
other hospital buildings erected on
the site which had been purchased
for a municipal hospital.
Since this time a great educa-
tional center has grown up on this
old site, upon which there are now
standing a senior high school.
junior high school, standard ele-
mentary school, the health school
and contract has just been
awarded for the erection of a voca-
tional school. 1t has been definite
ly planned that the remainder of
this property, including that now
occupied by the old tuberculosis
Hospital, be used for further edu-
cational and recreational purposes.
It is proposed to erect here
new teachers college to replace the
present inadequate and poorly 10
Gated Wilson Teachers College.
This improvement is needed ur-
gently and the proposed location
is recognized as ideal. Practice
teaching and observing teaching are
an important part in the course of
teachers college. Here, imme-
diately surrounding the proposed
site, are grouped schools of nearly
every kind operating IN the Dis
trict of Columbia school system.
There are also within easy dis
tance of this site two other Junior
high schools several elementary
schools and there will shortly be
another senior high school.
The organizations opposing the
temporary use of the old hospital
as a Gallinger adjunct believe that
DR.. Rutland would not have at
tempted to put this proposal
through had he been fully informed
as to the history and the strength
of the opposition to the further use
for hospital purposes of any of the
site at Fourteenth and Upshur
streets. All of these organizations
declare their readiness to back a
movement for enlarging Gallinger
Hospital in a way which would per-
NIT taking care Of convalescent pa
tients properly, rather than in a
poorly adapted makeshift.
Our Local Legislators
And Their Voteless Constituents.
FAILURE Of our legislators to
visualize themselves as mem
bers of the local legislature for the
District of Columbia presents a
serious problem needing solution.
It is generally the case when Dis
trict legislation is under considera-
ton that the voting constituents
way back home" are more In
mind than the voteless and unrep-
resented constituents to which the
legislation will apply locally.
This idea crops out in nearly all
kinds Of legislation and sometimes
leads to extreme and unreasonable
action, which would be unthought
Of If to be imposed upon their vot-
ing constituents. BY some of our
legislators the idea is entertained
that Washington is place Of rich
tax dodgers upon whom to levy
tribute. To reach these they are
willing to make those in the hum
bic walks Of life pay equal tribute.
Back in January, 1915, when that
noted statesman, Elifu Root, rep
resented New York In the Senate,
just such q situation arose. He
then said: "The spirit exhibited