Evening star., 1942-02-18

FIe0 10 be MQ0e
To Senate Group
For Fund Diversion
A Special Joint Committee of thu
House and Senate District Commit.
tees today decided to make a ples
to the Senate Education and Labor
Committee for ALLEGATION Of at least
$1,000 600 of the $50 ,oOO, 900 appro-
priation authorized in the Lanham
housing bill for construction Of
urgently needed hospital facilities.
Already passed by the House, the
bill will be given public hearings
tomorrow by the Senate Education
and Labor Committee. Chairman
McCarran of the Senate District
Committee will make the appeal on
behalf Of the special committee.
Decision of the Special Joint Com
nittee was made after a conference
with Commissioner Mason and
Health Offlcer George c. Rutland,
at which it was developed there Is
an absolute minimum need of 867
beds in Washington charitable and
private hospitals. A bill already Is
pending in the House District Com
mittee providing for construction OF
1000 additional beds at the two
municipal hospitalS-600 at Gal
kneer and 400 at the tuberculosis
0anitoria ut Glenn Dale, Nd.
Urgency Of quick provision OF
additional hospital facilities was
stressed particularly by Senator
McCarran, Chairman Randolph OF
the House District Committee and
Commissioner Mason.
Norfolk Plan" Proposed.
NV rather cursory information
n to the effect that every hospital
IN Washington is congested beyond
all proper conditions" Senator NC
Carran said. IF even we have a
mild epidemic no one knows what
may happen. We are dealing with
a desperate condition. 1t is re-
ported that a certain war enemy Is
not adverse to spreading anything
chat would impair our Army. If
we should have an epidemic here,
We would be in a very bad way
A suggestion was made by Com
missioner Mason that the so-called
Norfolk plan" for building concrete
additions to the II private ana
charitable hospitals in Washington
be followed. Under that plan, the
hospitals would furnish the land and
the Government would build tenn
porary additions which would later
be made permanent.
Representative Randolph ex-
planned that the House District
Committee some time ago recognized
the seriousness of the hospital prob
lem and called in the heads of every
hospital in Washington for a dis
cussion of their needs.
Budget Bureau Criticized.
Representative Randolph was
critical of the failure Of the Budget
Bureau to submit q report on a bill
he sponsored authorizing construc-
ton of temporary facilities at CAL
lineer and the Tuberculosis Sana-
toria. He said the bureau had been
asked to report on the legislation
about q month ago, but had not yet
outlined its position.
Commissioner Mason emphasized
the shortage Of hospital facilities
in Washington had been made more
acute by the fact that there has not
been an increase in hospital accom-
modations for the rapidly rising
population in surrounding Maryland
and Virginia areas.
In addition to the bed shortage
in the private and charitable nos
pitals, he said, there is a serious lack
Of beds at the tuberculosis Sana-
toria for 313 patients who. for that
reason must be kept at Gallinger.
Hospitals Agree to Plan.
Commissioner Mason said it had
been estimated it would cost $4 800
a bed unit for permanent additions
to the hospitals, including equip
ment, but that temporary accommo-
dations could be provided at cost
Of about $2,500 a bed unit.
Further, he declared, the private
and charitable hospitals are In no
financial position to build even tenn
perary additions, and that they
must rely on Federal aid.
The hospitals have agreed they
viii provide the land" he said, ii
the Federal Government will pro-
vide the buildings and equipment.
The hospitals are willing to oper-
ate the additions at their own ex-
pense"
Commissioner Mason also told the
Special Joint Committee that Gov
ernment officials had planned to
allocate $4,000, 900 of the funds for
housing units for Federal workers
and $40, 100000 for related public
works. such as school facilities. addi-
tions to the water and sewer sys-
TENS and increased police and fire
DICIcCtlOil. k1OWCfCA, AiS oASSA, SAASA~
has lately been a disposition" to
reduce the amount to be spent on
housing to $35, 900 900, so the addi-
tional IS 900 900 might be used for
hospital facilities.
Hospital Beds Needed.
Representative Dirksen, Repub-
lican, of Illinois said the need OF
more hospital beds 'iS very evident
and has been very clearly shown. ="
He estimated that at a minimum
cost Of $500 a bed at least $4,000, 900
would be necessary to relieve the
acute shortage of hospital facilities.
During q brief resume of the Dis
trict's wartime health problems,
DR.. Ruhland disclosed that the
Health Department is trying to i'm
munize strategic groups" of Gov
eminent employees against typhoid
and other diseases in event the city
Is bombed and water mains are
destroyed.
Representative Schultz, Democrat,
OF Indiana, chairman of the Public
Health Subcommittee of the House
District Committee, Endorsed .the
plan for an appeal to the Senate
committee for the specific alloca-