Evening star., 1938-01-22
D, c, BILL DRAFT
PROVIDES FUNDS ,
TO BUY HOSPITAL
Subcommittee Decides on
Use of Homeopathic for
ConvaIescents.
INCLUDES FACILITIES
AS HEALTH CENTER
Upshur Street Institution Propo.
sal Sidetracked-Cut May Re-
duce Tax Increases.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

Purchase of the Homeopathic Hos
pital, Second and N streets NV,
at approximately 100000 as a COM
bination health center and home for
convalescent tuberculosis patients will
be provided for in the District appro-
priation bill to be reported to the
House Tuesday with the expectation
1t will be passed on Friday.
Announcing this decision of the SUBJ
committee of which he is chairman
Representative Collins, Democrat, OF
Mississippi let it be known that the
$500 proposed by the Budget Bureau
to remodel the abandoned tuberculosis
hospital at Fourteenth and Upshur
streets NV. will not be included
This appropriation was opposed by
practically all the citizens representa-
tives heard by the subcommittee
principally on the grounds that there
are five schools in the neighborhood.
Chairman Collins also proposes to
recommend that the item of S148,50O
TO construct an eight-room extensible
building to replace the Jones School,
be disalloWed and this school continue
IN use as an elementary school for
colored pupils. He also will propose
that sl75,00O appropriated in last
years budget to raze the Jones School
and start the erection of a health
center on this site be transferred to
the general fund.
Recreati0nal Use Seen.
1t is contemplated that the Four
teenth and Upshur hospital site even
tually be developed as a recreaticnal
center
When presented to the House Tues
day the District bill will represent a
slash of more than s1,OOO0O0 under
the current payments out of the gen.
eral fund, Mr.. Collins predicted. The
general fund last year was S38.807 900
and the estimates which have been
under consideration for the bill
amount to s39,62e.O 900, which is an
increase of sS22,OOO over the current
funds.
This saving will be principally in
administrative expenses, Mr. Collins
said, and he indicated that all
requests for funds have been closely
scrutinized so that no agency will
have IN excess of the amounts abso-
lutely necessary to make payments
they have justified. Much of this
saving is expected to be made in
relief items, as members of the sub
committee have stated that requests
for relief funds and public assistance
have been unwarrantedly high.
Prompt Action Seen.
Prompt action by the House on the
bill next Friday is predicted by Mr.
Collins. who said there is very little
of controversial nature in the bill
the subcommittee is drafting"
However, the District Commissioners
and District health officers have op-
posed the purchase of the Homeopathic
Hospital on the grounds it is not suf-
flciently large or properly constructed
to be used as a health center.
Meanwhile. Chairman Nichols of the
District Fiscal Affairs Subcommittee
said there need be no fear of drastic
new tax levies here if Mr.. Collins cuts
the budget recommendations a million
dollars.
If the appropriation bill is thus
held down to real needs" Mr. Nichols
said, I will favor continuing the Is
cent increase in real estate taxes from
$3.50 to SITS, which would bring in
approximately S3,0O0OOO. I would also
be in favor Of business privilege
tax of one-flfth of l per cent, which
would produce 100000 to 100000"
I'VE might just as we'll forget about
any income tax because this Congress
would not authorize such levy now,"
he added.