Evening star., 1940-03-08
House Group
Sees G:jaI|inger i
In Z Minutes
Subcommittee Leaves
To Inspect Lorton
On Lightning Tour

VII 6SSuututHS SOuI
Firing q barrage of questions at
DR.. E. A. Bocock, Chairman Cald-
well and five members Of the Dis
trict Subcommittee of the House
Appropriations Committee made q
lightning inspection tour of CALM
ger Hospital ct noon today.
Twelve minutes after they had
entered the hospital the visitors,
guided by Maj. Daniel j. Donovan,
District auditor and budget officer,
went to the District Jail and with
Supt. Thomas M. Rives, made brief
inspection of the jail
/ The subcommittee members then
piled In three automobiles and left
for an inspection tour of the Lorton
(Va0 Reformatory. Todays itin-
erary marked the second day that
members of the group had visited
District institutions. Earlier today,
Maj. Donovan said, they had visited
the District Training School at
Laurel, Md.
Points Out Facilities.
DR.. Bocock, superintendent of Gall
linger Hospital took the members
OF the subcommittee up on the roof
Of the main wing, where he pointed
out the facilities of the institution
and explained the future uses of the
two new wings now being completed.
He told them that overcrowding at
the hospital, which has been the
subject Of criticism during the kst
year, would be greatly lessened when
the new wings are put in service.
Chairman Caldwell later said the
nearly completed additions to the
hospital appeared to be the answer
to the criticism Of overcrowding.
At the same time, Mr.. Caldwell ex-
pressed belief that the new wings
on the District Jail would consid-
erably improve the situation there.
Representative Rabaut, Democrat.
of Michigan, asked DR.. Bocock II
there were many INDECENT from
nearby Maryland and Virginia who
were being treated in the hospital.
DR.. Bocock replied that not more
than 4 or per cent Of the patients
were residents of those States. A
s.v minutes later at the Jail, Rcr
resentative Rabaut asked Supt.
Rives if there were many prisoners
from Maryland and Virginia. Mr..
Rives answered that there were a
number.
Reporter Accompanies Group.
Although Chairman Caldwell yes
terday emphasized the subcommittee
did not want any publicity in con-
nection with its visits, he permitted
a reporter to accompany the group
through the institutions. The sub
committee members. however, de-
clined to pose for q photographer.
In addition to Representatives
Caldwell and Rabaut, these mem
bers Of the subcommittee made the
rapid inspection: Mahon. Demo-
! crat, Of Texas; Houston. Democrat,
Of Kansas; Stefan, Republican. Of
Nebraska, and Lambertson, Repub-
Ican, of Kansas.
The hospital and Jail, among
others. recently were inspected by
Representative D'Alesandro, Demo.
crat, of Maryland. temporary chair
man of the public health subcom.
mittee of the House District Com
mittee, who is preparing report
on his findings as to these and other
institutions under the supervision of
the Board of Public Welfare.
D>l>-~L
While the major problem at the
Jail Is expected to be solved with
completion OF projects for enlarge
ment and modernization of its phys
ical plant, already approved by Con-
gress, progress has been delayed by
the inability Of the District to award
contracts for the construction of the
new administration building and
hospital there. Bids received by the
Commissioners were far in excess
of the amount available for this
portion of the project and District
officials have sought an additional
sum of some $4,000 to cover the
bill,
The Commissioners found some
time ago 1t would be impracticable
to cut down on the size of the
building to get within the lowest bid
received. The extra sum needed
has not been included in the de-
flciency bill and the suggestion was
that it might be added to the regu-
lar District appropriation bill for
the next fiscal year.
Yesterday the subcommittee in
spected the Home for Aged and
Inflrm and the Industrial Home
School for Colored Children, both at
Blue Plains, D. c., and the Indus
trial Home School for White Chill
dren on Wisconsin avenue NV, and