Evening star., 1939-03-13
100000 Urged
To Increase
Staff
DC. Legislative Unit
Will Ask Boost
In Supply Bill

The District Legislative Commit
tee OF the House today decided to
appear before the Subcommittee on
Appropriations in charge of the
1910 local supply bill and urge an
increase Of 5000, 900 in the Gallinger
Hospital budget for additional per-
sonnel.
Demands for some form of suf-
frage for the disfranchiZed residents
of the District also were made bv
several committee members when
they were called on to consider a
bill authorizing the central heating
plant to furnish steam heat to build
ings to be erected in the Municipal
Center area.
There ought to be some way to
make 1t unnecessary to have such
f1ddling little things come before us
and Congress" declared Representa-
tive Bolles, Republican, of Wiscon-
sin. "A city council in another city
wouldn't even handle such a thing.
That detail would be taken care of
by the city engineer"
Randolph Applauds View.
IF Congress will give these people
of the District some sort of suffrage
it would take these problems off our
hands," said Representative Byron,
Democrat, of Maryland.
Chairman Randolph applauded
that statement vigorously. He is
sponsor OF a resolution now pending
in the House Judiciary Committee
to give District residents both local
suffrage and national representation.
Corporation Counsel Elwood H.
Seal explained that considerable
thought already had been given at
the District Building to legislation
broadening powers of the Commits
sioners in handling purely munici-
pal matters. He said, however, that
it had been found difficult to draw
bill that is all-inclusive.
Why" he declared, the Com
missioners can't even order the re-
moval of body from a cemetery
without the approval of Congress"
The heating bill finally was favor
ably reported and ordered placed on
the House calendar.
subcommittee Report.
The committees decision to ap-
pear before the Appropriation SUBJ
committee followed a suggestion by
Representative Bates, Democrat. of
Kentucky, chairman of the Public
Health, Hospitals and Charities Sub
committee, which recently completed
an investigation of conditions al
Gallinger. The subcommittee in
its report recommended the follow
ing additional employees:
A full-time medical officer, 40
graduate nurses, 2 dietitians, 3
trained laboratory workers, social
workers. 40 nurse aids and 30
orderlieS.
Chairman Randolph congratu-
lated the subcommittee for the dill
gence and fairness" with which, he
said. it carried on the Gallinger in
Quiry.
Our committee is not RESPONSE
BILE for appropriations" he said, "but
we are bound by right to focus at
tention on conditions in District in
stitutions.'
Urges Fire Bill Study.
Representative Bolles urged the
committee to reconsider its action
on bill to establish a five-day, Co.
hour week in the Fire Department.
After having been tentatively ap-
proved by the full committee this
measure was returned to the Police
and Fire subcommittee for further
consideration.
Mr.. Seal said the Commissioners
had sent favorable report on the
bill with certain proposed amend
ments to the Budget Bureau. Rep
resentative Schwert, Democrat, of
New York suggested that when the
committee appears before the Ap-
preparations Subcommittee to ap-
peal for increased funds for CAL
hnger it also ask that appropria-
tions be provided for 207 additional
firemen that would be needed to
establish f1ve-day week in the
Fire Department 1t has been esti-
mated that the five-day week would
add between 100000 and $5O0,OOO
year to the cost of operating the
Fire Department.