Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-22
BY JOHN c. HENRY.


BY JOHN c. HENRY.
President Roosevelt disclosed to-
day that he is studying with ap.
parent favor a comprehensive plan
for Federal construction of med
ical centers in localities where such
facilities are now inadequate and
local resources are insufficient to
effect any improvement.
The President indicated the pro-
gram will be submitted to the com.
ing session of Congress, in eff.
feet a substitute for the more COM
pick and costly plans embraced IN
pending bills introduced by Sena-
tors Wagner of New York and Har-
rison of Mississippi.
Its early consideration, Mr.. Roose-
welt told his press conference, is
being undertaken by the Special
Interdepartmental Committee on
Health and Welfare Activities,
headed by Miss Josephine Roche,
and with cooperation of the Fed
eral Security Agency. the Public
Health Service and other health adj
visory groups. The plan will be SUBJ
mitted soon to the American Med
ical Association, the President said.
The Wagner bill would provide an
$500 100000 Federal expenditure
spread over 10 years, with Fedora
grants on a variable matching basis
depending on the kind of aid.
Matching Basis Faulty.
In unfolding the project Mr..
Roosevelt said there had been q
feeling that the scheme of Fed
eral assistance for health purposes
on a matching basis fails in one
important particular, namely. that
the poor States and counties. where
the need is greatest, are invariably
unable to put up their portion Of
any country wide matching formula.
Since the public works program Of
water systems, schools, ETC., is being
curtailed, the Chief Executive said
he believed the Federal Govern.
ment could we'll afford to launch
this health plan.
Although cost estimates have not
been prepared, he said the total
involved would not be unduly great.
Strict measuring rod for the Fed
eral Governments intervention in
any community. the President en-
phasized. will be the absolute need
of hospital or clinical facilities and
the absolute willingness and ability
of the locality to maintain and oper-
ate the institution.
For the Federal Governments
part, it will furnish the physical
structure and equipment-and will
retain title to same At an average,
the institutions contemplated prob
ably will cost about s150.00O each
and will have facilities for hospital
izing about 100 patients at a time.
He emphasized that it is not to be
"grandiose" scheme of big hos
pitfalls. Although there may not
have been any significance in the
figure used. Mr.. Roosevelt remarked
that the so localities most in need
might be selected
Federal advisers. either medical
men enlisted in the program or
others drawn from the Public Health
Service, will survey local facilities.
needs and capabilities, Mr.. Roose-
welt said, before any building COM
mitment is made. Actual construc-
ton would be accomplished mostly
by w. P. A. labor, he said. with P.
w. A. supervision likely.
Urges Medical Board Control.
Medical men from several areas
already have approached him on
such a program, the President said.
Asked about the danger of congress
sional "log rolling" on such a prof.
ect, Mr.. Roosevelt said that Con.
gress. of course, would have the
right to locate the institutions az
they saw fit. but that wisest system
obviously would be to place the
planning in the hands of compe-
tent medical men, both local and
Federal.
Throughout his discussion of the
idea. the President made it clear
that he was definitely thinking Of
needs of the poorer Southern States,
mentioning one instance of three
Southern counties of total 100000
population where no hospital or
clinical facilities are available.
Nearest available, and these only
in limited fashion, are 80 miles
away, he said.
BY contrast, he added, a single
New York county of about the same
population has six hospitals. If it
wants another, he remarked, it IL
able to build one
"Appeasement" Feared.
Despite the Presidents implied
hope that Congress will not turn the
program into a pork BARREL 1t Is
evident that the gift of a hospital by
the Federal Government would be
real factor of "appeasement" in
areas where there might be some
GOODNESS toward the administration.
Under this circumstance, the pro.
gram may be of considerable as.
sistance in keeping Congress orderly
under administration leadership in
the coming session.
Discussion of the whole project
began today when the President was
asked If he was reviving the Inter-
departmental Health Committee and
if it signif1ed shelving" of Federal
Security Administrator Paul v. Nc
Mutt as top man in national health
affairs.
Mr.. Roosevelt said that story was
made out of whole cloth, but he did
add that he had persuaded Miss
Roche not to resign her chairman
ship Of the special committee and
to continue that groups health