Evening star., 1941-08-12
Prince Georges
Move Launched
For rHospita|
Committee Named
To Ask County Heads
To Seek U. S. Funds

The Prince Georges Md Hos
pital Association last night named
a committee of five to request the {,
county commissioners to take appli-
cation to the P. w. A. for funds to T.
aid in construction of a county hos
pital under terms of the Lanham
Defense Act.
The committee, headed by Robert
and consisting of Mrs.
Nelson G.. Tayman, Mrs. Daisy La
Paul Kea and Mrs. Will
liam Breen, will meet at pm. FRI
day to determine the amount of the
request and to draw up the appli-
cation for presentation to the county
commissioners.
The move followed a series of dis
cussionS by more than 200 repre-
sentatives of AZ civic and profess
sional organizations, which brought
from some groups outright demands
for immediate construction of the (
proposed hospital and from others
pleas for delay of the project.
Commissioners Absent.
Absent from the meeting last
night were the county commissions
erS, who have withheld permission
to make use of a State legislature
approved 100000 bond issue for the
hospital for fear that maintenance
funds will not be available and that
taxes may have to be increased to
meet these costs.
A surprise speaker was Senator
Radcliffe, Democrat, of Maryland,
who threw his support to proponents
OF immediate construction because
Washington hospitals are now hav-
ing demands made on them they
cannot meet" He pledged himself,
a member of the Senate Finance
Committee. to do all in his power to
aid the project.
Hospital Executive o. K. Fike, who
directs Doctors Hospital. warned of
trouble ahead" for those who would
push immediate construction of the
planned hospital. He predicted an
adequate building with adequate
equipment would cost $4,000 per bed.
Under present plans, the county
hospital would contain $50 beds and
cost. by Mr.. Fixes figures, s750.00o
or s350,000 more than provided in
the approved bond issue.
He pointed to dangerous shortages
In equipment and personnel. adding
that necessary articles, such as
stainless steel implements. cost much
more this year than in 1910.
Tract May Be Donated.
Although no decision was reached
on location for the hospital,
I fgnatius Keane. president of the
Prince Georges County Young
Democrats, offered a possible solu-
ton. He told the gathering his
organization was substantially in
favor of donating a tract of land,
located on the Defense highway,
near Bladensburg for hospital site.
Engineer Fred w. Cast and Mr..
Kea announced they had drawn up
complete plans for erection of a
U-shaped building which could be
built for 100000 and would contain
110 beds. The engineer urged i'm
mediate construction Of the hospital,
which he said could be accomplished
in nine months to a year.
Walter Mulligan. president Of the
Prince Georges County Federation
of Citizens Associations, opposed
location of the hospital in the Ber-
wyn or Largo areas. He said 80 per
cent of the county residents live in
the upper portion and would have
to bear 80 per cent of the ultimate
cost He added that Washingtons
1000 plus hospital beds had reached
the saturation point that the county
actually needs a 540-bed hospital
and that the planned 150-bed edifice
was an absolute minimum for pres
ent needs.
County Health Officer DR.. John
M. Byers said he anticipated no
difficulty in stating and maintain
ing the hospital.
Doctors in Disagreement.
Members of the County Medical
Society, which is also preparing to
sponsor an application for Federal
funds for erection of the hospital,
differed on several points.
DR.. Martin Keane foresaw trouble
if the county attempted to build
without Federal assistance, advo-
Gated that the matter be left in the
hands of the county commissioners.
He declared Washington hospitals
were having trouble getting suffi-
cient internes and other necessary
hospital attaches and predicted
Prince Georges would experience the
same difficulty.
DR.. W. B. Meyers said the medical
society would keep the hospital ade-
quately stated. He demanded the
hospital be of the highest type, re-
minding those present the hospital
would have to be approved by the
American Medical Association and
the College of Physicians and Sur
geons. DR.. Aaron Deitz concurred
with DR.. Meyers.
DR.. Wendell Malin, who has been
contemplating establishment of a
private, 50-bed hospital in River
dale, Md, said he agreed on the
necessity. of hospital but said a
small building would not meet the
present need.
DR.. Thomas A. Christensen was
for immediate action. Our prob
lem needs adjustment now, not after
the emergency" he stated. I'm
afraid of what would happen if an
epidemic were to hit this county"
Meanwhile, the question of how
much Federal aid to ask loomed
large before both the hospital as
sociation and the medical society.
The society plans conference soon
with Representative Sasscer of the
5th Maryland district and Sena-
tors Tydings and Radcliffe to dis
cuss the problem, while the asso-
citation committee will probably
name an amount Friday.
A campaign to raise maintenance
funds will be conducted October
1925. designated as Hospital
Week"