Evening star., 1943-05-13
House Heariinq
On Vice 10 Call
Police Chief
New Disclosures
On VenereoI Disease
Here Expected

Further startling" disclosures on
venereal diseases here are expected
today when the D'Alesandro sub
committee of the House District
Committee continues hearings.
Among those expected to testify
are Police Supt. Edward j. Kelly and
1t. Col. j. A. Castell of the office
of the provost marshal, War De-
partment, who has worked with Dis
trict police in planning vice raids
here
James S. Owens, regional super
visor for the Federal Security Agen-
cy, testified yesterday that WASH
ington has the worst venereal dis
ease record in the entire country,
with total of 1,1O9 infections re-
ported by the Army for the last six
months of 1942-or 1888 per 100000
population.
Isolation Hospital Urged.
Mr.. Owens emphasized that there
is an urgent need for an isolation
or quarantine hospital to care for
these cases. many of communicable
nature. Commissioner Mason, Dis
trict Health Officer Rutland and
DR.. Frederick G. Gillick, acting di-
rector of the Bureau of Venereal
Disease of the District Health De-
partment, concurred in that recon-
mendation.
Mr.. Owens presented a chart
showing the Washington rate was
far higher than the record for 10
other of the largest cites in the
country. Chicago had the lowest
percentage, IT'S per 100000 popu-
latlon. Baltimore ranked second
highest with 716 The percentage
rates for the other cities are: De-
troit, 23.1; Cleveland, 23.4; New
York, 23.6; Los Angeles, 27.4: Bos-
ton, 2S3; Pittsburgh, 2a5; Phila-
delphia, Sill, and st. Louis, 646 per
cent per 100000 population.
Chairman Randolph of the Dis
trict Committee protested the prac-
tice of bringing Government work.
ers to Washington without predeter-
mining their physical defects, dis
eases or disabilities" He also COM
planned of failure to provide health
care between the time of their ap-
pointment and their application for
disability, declaring capitalization
and medical care become a financial
burden on the District.
1t was emphasized at the hearing
that many applicants for Federal
positions are brought here without
medical examinations, although reg
ulatlons require an examination by
licensed physician before acceptance.
The first question in the examina-
ton is Have you any physical de-
feet or disease or disability" If
the answer is NO." then the exam
lining physician is likely to give
only casual examination, DR..
Rutland testified, because condi-
tions have developed which should
have been detected by thorough
medical examination.
DR.. Harvey Questioned.
Mr.. Randolph questioned DR..
Verne K. Harvey, chief of the medi-
cal division of the Civil Service Com
mission, regarding to way in which
the Government is falling behind
private industry in health protec-
ton and care of employees.
There is very definite respon-
sibility for the Federal Government
not to be laggard in this matter, but
to take leadership" said Mr.. Ran
dolph, who is also ranking ma joritv
member on the Civil Service Com
mittee.
He said he would put figures into
the record of the hearing regarding
absenteelsm as result of prevent
able illness and the failure of the
Government to give proper health
care and precautions which he de-
clared are astounding. He called it
terrible Indictment mot against
the Civil Service Commission, but
against the Public Health Service
ana the Bureau of the Budget, which
should assess the situation and pro-
tect the health of employees"
Mr.. Randolph said the District
committee has every right and duty
to consider the situation because, IF
the Federal Government falls down
on its duty in this regard, the re-
sponslbility OF trying to get the
employees back in good physical con-
dltlon to do their work rests on the
District He said this is an i'm
portant consideration in the con-
servatlon of manpoWer, especially
curing the present emergency.
DIR. Harvey Explains Setup.
Regarding the requirement for
examinations. DR.. Harvey explained
that the Civil Service Commission
Goes not see or have anv contact