Evening star., 1938-07-26
c. H. A. HOSPITAL :
PERMIT |SDEN|ED
IN MONTGOMERY
County Commissioners Are
Unanimously Against
Chevy Chase Site.
MANY RESIDENTS VOICE
PROTEST AT HEARING
Other Places in Mind, Spokesman
Says-1ssue of Legality Is
Injected Into Session.

The application Of Group Health
Association to operate hospital in
Chevy Chase, Md. was denied today
by the Montgomery County Board Of
Commissioners. The vote was unani-
nous.
Commissioner Robert D. Hagner Of
Bethesda reported that residents Of
the Chevy Chase section at a hearing
last night were almost unanimous in
opposition to granting the permit and
made the motion that it be denied.
Commissioner Clay Plummer Of
Gaithersburg, who attended the hear
ing last night with Mr.. Hagner, Sec
onded the motion
The G. H. A. application was Ngor-
ously protested at the hearing by
more than 100 residents who filled the
hearing room in the Bethesda County
building to overfowering.
Delay in Action Asked.
Among those appearing against the
proposal was William F. Prettyman,
attorney representing the Montgomery
County Medical Society, who suggested
that the county board, represented
by Commissioners Hagner and Plum
mer, defer any action on the G. II. A.
application until the courts had de-
cided the legality of the association,
which has been questioned in a suit
instituted several months ago by the
District Of Columbia Medical Society.
Mr.. Prettyman said the Montgomery
County Medical Society did not wish
to enter into the controversy between
the G. H. A. and the District society,
or at the present time to go on record
as opposed to group medicine.
G. H. A. Plans Explained.
William c. Kirkpatrick. president
OF the G. H. A., who made the formal
application to the county board two
weeks ago, attended the hearing and
introduced Ormond LOOMS, a trustee,
who outlined the associations plans.
The G. H. A., Mr.. Loomis explained,
expected to use the home now on the
seven-acre tract block west Of Wis
consin avenue on Davidson drive, after
spending about $4,000 In renodeling.
A smaller building on the site would
be used for a nurses home, he said.
Mr.. Loomis emphasized that the
G. H. A. had several othe- sites in
mind, although the one in question
was considered most desirable, but
that the association did not want to
operate hospital in an area 1t was
not wanted and welcomed.
He pointed out that the place would
be kept attractive and made an asset
to the community, and that when re-
quirements Of the G. H. A. members
made it possible, brick structure
would be erected approximately in the
center Of the tract.
Opponents Heard.
H. H. Downes, president Of the
Chevy Chase Terrace Citizens Asso-
ciation, presented petition opposing
granting the permit api introduced
Oliver F. Busby, who argued against
it for the record. Mr.. Busby declared
that operation of a hospital would
mean ambulances with sirens scfeech-
ing up and down Wisconsin avenue
perhaps every Is or 20 minutes" and
also asked the Commissioners to take
cognizance Of the fact that G. H. A.
was being opposed by the American
Medical Association.
o. P. M. Brown, vice president of
the Edgemoor Citizens Association,
spoke briefly in support of the petition
presented by the Chevy Chase Terrace
association.
H. D. Aniss evoked applause from
the crowded hearing room when he
emphasized that he had bought his
property with the understanding the
section was to be residential. and that
a hospital was Of necessity Of a COM
mercial nature.
I'D rather have apartment houses
on that tract with a lot Of healthy
people living in them than a hospital
with lot of sick people" he declared.
The overwhelming majority OF the
speakers were against the proposal,
including E. H. Flagg, Thomas J.
Keefe, j. H. Mcleod, Mrs S. B. Maize.
E. N. Maxim and other residents Of
the vicinity, who stressed their insist
ence that the community retain its
residential character, and stated
property values would be harmed by
establishment of a hospital.
Two Favor Proposal.
Two persons spoke in favor OF the
hospital application. c. S. Miner of
Silver Spring and Henry F. Rhodes,
an employe Of the Home Owners Loan
Corp, original sponsor of the G. H. A.,
who lives near the proposed hospital
site.
Both pointed out that property
values in the vicinity OF Walter Reed
Hospital and Washington Sanitarium
In Takoma Park had not suffered
because of proximity to those insti-
tutions, which we're in the finest
residential districts Of their respective
communities.
Mr.. Hagner received several peti-
tions bearing signatures of residents
Of the community protesting against
granting the permit. He announced
they would be made part Of the hear.
ing record and that the county board
would take action in the near future,