Evening star., 1939-01-29
Rutland and Hayden
Statements Disagree
On Rumors Of Riff
Proposal for Enlarged
Powers for Health Aide
Reported Opposed

Rumors of q disagreement be-
tween DR.. George c. Ruhland, head
Of the District Health Department,
and Col. Herbert B. Hayden, busi-
ness manager for the department,
over q reported recomme endation in
Col. Haydens annual report that his
administrative powers be extended,
brought conflicting statements from
the principals last night.
DR., Ruhland said: "Col. Hayden
would like to be sort Of major
domo for the Health Department
and relieve other Health Department
officials of all administrative re-
sponsibilities."
Would Create Bureau.
1t was learned that Col. Hayden,
retired Army officer, had proposed
, creation OF a Bureau of Admins
tration, which he would head as
business manager, and that among
other things it would be provided
that all questions dealing with
Health Department personnel, pur-
chases, accounts and other business
matters must be submitted to him
before agents of the department
transmitted such matters to DR..
Ruhland.
DR.. Ruhland said he had not had
an opportunity yet to discuss the
recommendations with Col. Hayden
and that he had delayed publica-
ton Of the business managers re-
port until he had received annual
reports from the other officials of
his department. He added that
not all Of Col. Hayden's recon-
mendations are supported by suf1i-
cient arguments"
Col. Hayden declared:
If you will soft pedal all this
you will be doing everybody a
favor. If you say anything about
1t you will give everybody around
here a case of the jitters. I was
asked to write an annual report
and I did. There is nothing in it
to excite anybody. 1 don't talk un-
less the boss says to. There is
nothing 1 admire more than the
military system of doing things"
Lump Sum Budget.
Later Col. Hayden said he had
| recommended submission to Con-
gress OF estimates without reference
to the Bureau of the Budget and
a lump sum budget for the Health
Department. He said he was In
favor of simplifica ton in the method
of appropriation for all the branches
of the Health Department.
He said he also had proposed a
fee OF Is cents for all patients at
medical and dental clinics who
could afford to pay and reduction
In the cost of birth and death Ger
tif1cates from so cents to 10 cents.
An improvement plan, submitted
to the Engineer Commissioner, COW
ering an expenditure Of over a
million dollars for additional health
centers, clinics, ETC., was a part of
the report. This plan, he declared,
was Gust to be on hand in case the
money was available from some
source"
Col Hayden said his relations with
DR.. Rutland always had been en-
tirely agreeable and that no diff
Guilty had arisen over the report.
Provision Of $500 a year for Col.
Hayden's position was written into
the District appropriation bill in
Congress last session after the Com
missioners' estimates were sent up.
One of the sponsors of the plan
was Chairman Collins of the House
District Appropriations Subcommit-
tee. The provision says the business
manager will supervise the busi-
ness administration and operation
of municipal hospitals and sanatoria
and business activities Of the Health
Department"