Evening star., 1939-06-02
Dr.. Parran Asks
Congress Balance
Health Budget
Makes Statement While
Testifyine in Favor
Of Wagner Legislation

3y the Associated Press
DR.. Thomas Parran. surgeon gen.
eral. urged today that Congress
pay more attention to balancing
the health budget"
He made that suggestion while
testifying before Senate Labor
Subcommittee in support of legisla-
ton by Senator Wagner, Democrat,
OF New York to provide a national
health program.
Members of the subcommittee had
mentioned congressional sentiment
for balancing the budget" in con-
nection with the Federal grants to
States provided in the bills 81
1T is cheaper" DR.. Parran said,
ITO keep a woman from dying in
child birth than it is to take care of
an orphaned child in an institu-
ton.
1T is cheaper to help in the build
ing OF tuberculosis sanitariums than
1t is to support the widows and or
phans of those who die from tuber-
cuiosis"
Cost of Burials Cited.
The surgeon general said it had
been estimated that the cost of
burials in Tennessee was $3.50 q
person.
AT that rate" he said, more
money is spent burying persons who
die OF tuberculosis in Tennessee than
the State spends on its entire health
program"
DR.. Parran contended the Wagner
bill would "socialize more of the
costs of medical care but not So
cialize medicine itself"
1ndorsing provisions for construc-
ton OF new hospital facilities with
Federal aid, DR.. Parran testified that
500 counties in the Nation needed
hospital facilities.
Some witnesses had expressed fear
the bill would result in unnecessary
duplication of private facilities in
some communities. They also con-
tended no provision was made In
the bill for expenditures of public
funds for INDECENT care in private
hospitals.
DR.. Parran said such expenditures
would be permitted under the bill
and said he was quite in favor of
the principle
Favors State Programs.
He urged that no prohibition be
enacted against use of Federal funds
for State health insurance programs,
which he said would be "an i'm
portant factor in any complete ma
tional health program
Arthur J. Altmeyer, chairman of
the Social Security Board, also in
dorsed the bill, proposing some ad-
ministrative changes. With DR..
Parran, he urged that single Fed
eral Advisory Council, instead of
the several provided in the bill, be
created.
DR.. Altmeyer also proposed that
the bill specifically authorize ex-
penditures for private hospitals and
health agencies.
Senator Murray, Democrat, of
Montana, chairman of the subcom-
mittee, told witnesses at yesterday S
hearing on the bill that data in
connection with their testimony
could be submitted August be-
cause it would not be possible to
bring the bill to the floor at this
session. Senator Ellender, Demo-
crat. of Louisiana, a subcommittee
member, agreed.
Representatives of dental, med
teal and hospital groups criticized
various provisions of the bill dur
Ing the hearing.
Spokesman for the American Pro-
testant Hospital Association, the
Catholic Hospital Association and
the American Hospital Association
contended the legislation failed to
recognize the function of private
hospitals in national health.
In many localities, they told the
committee, expenditure of public
funds for disqualification in exist
ing private institutions would be
preferable to expansion of facil-
ties.