Evening star., 1943-10-23
La Roe Recommends
Naming Citizens Unii
To Probe Ga||inger
Tells Randolph Public
Is Confused by Conflict
In Reports on Hospital

Appointment of citizens investi-
eating body by the House District
Committee to study conditions at
Gallinger Hospital was recon-
mended today by Wilbur La Roe. jr.,
chairman of the Committee of Civic
Affairs of the Washington Fedora
ton of Churches.
In a letter to Chairman Randolph
of the House District Committee Mr..
La Roe said he had been authorized
by the Board of Directors of the
federation to seek such a survey
as a means of ending some of the
confusion which has resulted from
the recent Senate District subcom-
mlttee's report of mismanagement
at the institution.
Says Public Is Confused.
The public is confused as to the
merits of this controversy" he said.
1T is difficult to understand how an
Impartial representative of the
United States Public Health Service,
with intimate knowledge of hospital
conditions throughout the United
States. can report after careful study
of conditions at Gallinger Hospital
that they compare favorable with
those in well-managed Government
hospitals throughout the country.
and how, at the same time, an able
Senate subcommittee can report
that conditions are so bad as to re-
quire the dismissal of some of our
highest ranking public officials"
Mr.. La Roe pointed out that the
officials whose dismissal has been
recommended by the subcommittee
Wefe not elected by the people of
the District, nor were the Senators
who conducted the investigation.
The subcommittee asked the dis
missal of Commissioner Guy Mason.
DR.. George c. Rutland, District
health officer; DR.. Edgar A. Bocock
superintendent of Gallinger. and two
OF DR.. Bocock's department heads
You have personally indicated."i
Mr.. La Roe wrote Mr.. Jennings
that the people of the District do
not have sufficient voice in the
management of their affairs. Desig-
nation by your committee of a group
OF citizens to make the study would
at least be step in the right direc-
ton. Such committee would
serve only in an advisory capacity
but its findings would carry much
weight in the community"
List Submitted
Meanwhile, list of GIG employees
OF Gallinger Municipal Hospital and
the convalescent home on Upshur
street needed on a 4S-hour week basis
was submitted late yesterday to WAL
ter A. Fowler, District budget officer
by DR.. Bocock.
The proposed increase, which will
be studied by Mr.. Fowler before
being sent to the Commissioners
with recommendations, will add
Eats man-hours week. The pres
ent Work-week is A hours. The i
classification and number of en-
ployeS involved follows:
Nurses, 206; attendants, ia: Or
derlies and maids, 54; temporary
orderlies and maids, 60: dietary
workers, 104 nuhses' home staff
IL; X-ray department. 4; labora-
tory workers, II; laundry workers.
25; elevator operators, Is, and tele-
phone operators, 49,
Confer on Building.
Last week the Commissioners
conferred on emergency steps to
meet the manpower problem of the
citys health, welfare and correc-
tlonal institutions Among the ideas
explored at that time were a 49,
hour week, to cut red tape to employ
qualified workers, and to reduce for
the duration the annual leave
period.
DR. Bocock also conferred yester-
day with Nathan C. Wyeth, munich
pal architect, on the construction
of proposed new laundry building
and work on older buildings. Mean
while, D. " Auld, liaison officer be-
tween the District and Federal Gov
ernments, discussed with the Com
mlssionerS the question of obtain
ing Lanham Act funds for the con-
rt ,r-o,l,