Evening star., 1943-02-16
Mason Renews
Efforts 10 Get
Health Funds
Commissioner Plans
Appeal to Congress
If Necessary

lLAOl lilCQ tIldb Vic TC0Cl al WOI Ms
Agency has temporarily rejected an
application of the District of Colum-
bia for $256,744 to furnish certain
health services here, Commissioner
Mason today planned to take steps
to get such funds under a new
policy developed by FWA, the Fed
eral Security Agency, and the Bu-
reau of the Budget, or by appeal to
Congress If necessary.
The disapproval was without
prejudice, Commissioner Mason was
told in letter from Henry J. Sui
livan, assistant regional director of
FWA, because "a certification sup
porting the need for the services as
essential to the war effort has not
been issued by the United States
Public Health Service. In case a
favorable statement is Forthcoming
you will be notified Immediately"
ut appears" Mr.. Sullivan wrote
that you may make a direct request
for assistance along these lines from
the USPHS, which has specific legis-
lative authority for most of the serv-
ices described in the application. -
The APPLICATION, he said, would be for
war public works" certification
Referred Back to Sullivan.
The request for funds had been
referred by FWA back to Mr.. Sulli-
van, who, in turn, notified Commits
sioner Mason. 1t was suggested that
the Commissioners submit the mat
ter first to the Public Health Serv-
ice. Commissioner Mason indicated
he would do so.
The program had included an
item of s26,656 for the dental, equip
ment and maintenance of three
health centers.
Commissioner Mason said it ap-
peared from the Sullivan letter that
SO far the Public Health Service
had turned down the application.
He referred to those items in the
list which the Commissioners had
not included in the 1914 District
budget, now pending before Con-
gress.
Mr.. Mason said District officials
would promptly prepare an applica-
ton to the Public Health Service
for the health centers, and would
follow this with an application to
the FWA, if Public Health Service
approval was given. If not, these
items would have to be included in
request to Congress.
The general principles on which
money would be made available by
the FWA and Public Health Service
were worked out through an agree
ment between Paul v. McNutt, Fed
eral security administrator, and
Maj. Gen. Philip B. Fleming, Federal
works administrator. The agree
ment, approved by the Budget Bu-
reau, was made public by Owl.
Fixes Responsibility.
"In general" said the owl, "FWA
will have responsibility for assisting
in the financing of construction o.
;eeQ11sition of facilities where thu
Ear-connected need is certified by
the Public Health Service. The
Public Health Service will have re-
sponsibility in general for assisting
in the financing of health services
as distinguished from the construc-
ton or acquisition of facilities. In
certain instances the responsibility
is fixed according to particular def
nitions set up in the agreement.
"As a matter of general policy
where specific legislative authority
exists for particular type of prof.
ect or function, such project or func.
ton will not be financed under the
general authority of the Lanhan
Act, but will be the responsibility OF
the agency having specific legislative
authority"
Under such general terms of the
agreement, it was believed today
some of the projects contemplated
under the program might be pro-
vided for, but others could not be
financed.
Detailed Study Planned.
At the Public Health Service II
was said that the requests from the
District Of Columbia would be taken
up and reviewed in detail to deter
mine which of them-if any-would
be eligible for funds under the new
agreement.
The projects include, among
epthers, three health centers. men
-. hygiene bureau and patient
.nNolcal service at Gallinger Hos