Evening star., 1942-12-22
District Hospital
Aid Promised
WPB Official Tells
Randolph His Stand
Is Unchanged

Promise of the best co-opera-
tion possible under present war
conditions to provide adequate
hospital facilities in Washington
was given today by Maury Nav
erick, director Of the Govern,
mental Requirements Division OF
the War Production Board, re-
plying to letter from Chairman
Randolph of the House District
Committee urging speedup &C
tion in providing desperately
needed facilities in the District.
In his letter, submitted last Sat.
urday, Mr. Randolph reminded Mr.,
Maverick that the latter had testi-
fled at hearings before the District
Committee last January that ths
District was badly in need of hos
pitals and urged that action be
taken Immediately.
To this the requirements director,
who must pass on priorities for
critical building materials, replied
that a vastly different" situation
had developed since then, month
after Pearl Harbor, and that "at
that time I knew at once that I
was expressing not only my own
views, but yours as WE'LL
The two letters have grown out
OF delay ordered in the proposed
hospital construction program until
the WPB can complete a new sur
vey of the local situation. The
Federal Works Agency's study, on
which the proposed projects are
based, was made during the sum-
ner with the aid of the United
States Public Health Service and in
line with an agreement on critical
materials set up jointly on July
by the WPB and FWA.
FavOrs Conversion.
Questioned after his letter had
been made public, Mr.. Maverick
said Georgetown Hospital, one Of
the IL hospitals included in the
FWA program, should be given spe-
cial consideration because it al
ready has torn down buildings and
placed orders for supplies and fur
rishings in connection with the pro-
posed expansion. >-s
He added, however, that a nearby
school should be converted to hos
pital use as part of the expansion
there and that drastic adjust
'ments"-both at Georgetown and at
other local hospitals-should be put
into effect with view toward max
ing the best possible use out of ths
present buildings and equipment
and toward doing without as much
IS possible to support the war drive.
Asked about statement made
IN his letter to Chairman Randolph
that hotels and colleges should be
taken over, Mr.. Maverick said that
this had no direct reference to any
hotel or college in the District
where, he explained. he feels the
Government has taken over enough
already"
Await Survey Completion.
Mr.. Maverick said the survey the
WPB now is having made of local
hospital needs will not be completed
for four days and that he cannot
speak definitely until it is finished.
He added that, in making his de-
cisions, he will give consideration
to the possibility of making emer-
gency use of Government-owned
and operated hospitals and of Dis
trict and privately owned hospitals
here.
In his letter today Mr.. Maverick
also said, my position is the same
as yours and I have the utmost
confidence in the recommendation
OF your committee"
He reminded Mr.. Randolph that
the War Production Board has ap-
proved many applications for prior
tiles to provide better hospitaliza-
tion for the District. The first prof.
ect for Gallinger Hospital that was
submitted in october was approved
by the War Production Board at
once. During the past three weeks
five additional projects for hos
pitals in the District have been sub
mltted to the War Production
! Board.
The survey that we are under
taking on these projects is not
against your recommendations, but
(See HOSPITALS, Page 2-X.)