Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-22
Hospitals
Continued From First Page.)

Is for the purpose of seeing to it
that all available space already ex-
listing in the District is utilized so
that your recommendations can be
carried out. If by any action we
can make available bed facilities as
recommended by you without the
expenditure of critical construction
materials, know it will be as pleas
Ing to you as it will be to u.s.
Congratulates Committee.
Before discussing what has been
referred to as delay in this program
by the War Production Board" Mr..
Maverick congratulated the District
Committee ION the splendid work it
has done for the District"
He said Il have long known of your
deep interest in the welfare of the
District and have enthusiastically
supported your very active efforts
to improve all sorts of living condi-
tons here in Washington"
Explaining the position of the
Government war agencies regarding
improved and increased hospital ia
:cilities in the District, MI Maverick
wrote:
1T is unfortunate that applica-
tions were not submitted sooner for
priorities to affect some of the i'm
provements which were so badly
needed at the time 1 made my state
ment before the District Committee
last January. l feel sure that if
action had been taken then, year
ago, critical materials so badly
needed now by an ever-increasing
demand by our armed forces would
have been available at that time.
But now the situation is vastly diff
ferent For ordinary military needs
we have not third enough copper
for our troops. Of steel, iron and
dozens of other critical materials
the amount is utterly inadequate for
even a minimum training program,
much less aggressive war.
Cites War Shortage.
For indeed, we are now begin
ming to hold our own. and are ready
ing for the offensive. When we do
get on the offensive. untold amounts
of critical materials by the millions
upon millions Of tons will be neces-
sary for the victory Shipyards and
plane factories must be built and
maintained and planes, ships and
all manner of equipment and am
munitions must be manufactured
and sent to the front.
TT was hard for us to foresee
then that our boys would now be
fighting in Africa, Guadalcanal and
other areas overseas, but such is the
case and it is literally true that in
many a scorching lonesome jungle
our boys are without hospitals at all
according to standards here 1t is
thus that we here must triple up,
improvise, use available non-hos-
pital structures and learn to go
without for the sake of our sons in
the field and for the very practical
purpose of winning the war.
Indeed, the whole question is
even more serious and on a greater
scale than you indicate in your
letter. The belligerents in Europe
and Asia and Africa have had
many millions of wounded. This
Nation will have its share. What,
then, must be done? Because it is
impossible to get the materials or
to build in time, We must utilize
every already completed building
available.
For a time after the war the
problem will continue. We must
convert for peace production as we
have for war production in order to
avert having as many as even So
100000 unemployed. 1t is for this
last reason especially that the
utilization of all available space for
a reasonable time after the war
must be continued. In any event,
this is gigantic problem which will
last for years,
Must Reverse Methods.
"Tne general problem must be APP
preached now by using all former
resorts, spas, seaside hotels and,
finally, some Of the hundreds Of coli
leges that will close for the dura-
ton; and then after the war, In re-
verse order, starting with colleges
ready to open-release these build
ings back to their original use. It Is
q far greater question than We
dreamed OF even two or three months