Evening star., 1944-01-22
Sharp Fight Expected
lover Action Asked
lin GaIIinger Report
McCurron Announces
He Will Press for
Full 1housecleanina'
BY DON s. WARREN.

A sharp battle-on or OF stage
appears in prospect over the i'm
pending action by the Senate Dis
trict Committee on recommends
tions Of its Gallinger investigating
subcommittee calling for the re-
moval Of four more municipal ON
cials.
One scalp already has been taken
as result of the inquiry made last
summer by Senators Holman, Re-
publican, Of Oregon; Bushfield, Re-
publican, of South Dakota and
Buck, Republican, of Delaware
that of DR.. Edgar A. Bocock, Gal
Hnger superintendent.
Members of the full District Com
mittee are scheduled to meet Mon
day afternoon to consider subcom-
mittee recommendations for the
removal of Commissioner Guy
Mason (who supervises District
health and welfare activities) :,
Health Officer George C. Ruhland
and two Gallinger division chiefs,
Drs. Charles P. Cake and Joseph
L. Gilbert.
McCarran States Stand.
Added emphasis was placed on
the issue late yesterday when
Chairman McCarran told reporters
he would urge adoption by the full
committee of all of the subcom-
mittee recommendations He phrased
it like this:
II believe 1t is time to clean
house from top to bottom. To clear
out just one corner of the place is
no answer to the conditions found
by the investigating committee"
Suggesting there would be a more
receptive attitude in the Senate
after the ''house cleaning" had been
completed, he said:
Until actions have been taken
in keeping with all the recommends
tions of the subcommittee we cannot
in good faith proceed to consider
advocacy of more funds for the
operation and development Of the
institution. The hospital must be
brought into line with the entire
report Of the investigating group
before we 60 into the matters of
appropriations.
When we have cleaned house
then we can, in good faith, call In
the new responsible officials and
ask them what it is they want in
the way Of funds"
Quizzed on Mason.
When asked what the situat ton
would be if Commissioner Mason
was asked to resign and declined
or the Commissioners did not oust
Health Officer Rutland or the two
Gallinger physicians, Chairman
McCarran said: I'VE won't attempt
to cross that hurdle until we come
to it."
The Investigating Subcommittee
in its report of last October l3, as
sailed sanitary conditions, the quail
ity and service of food, certain
management practices and general
ly the operation of the tuberculosis
and psychopathic wards.
There were indications last night
a full house cleaning" will not be
a AACAC tWAot-O1 VI Isl JOU SlIlCe
the regulations of four professional
men, as well as four jobs are at
stake. Whether the fight would
break into the open was conjec-
tural. Friends of the four are said
to be maintaining there would be
no justice or good In their custer,
that even If conditions at Gallinger
were as bad as pictured, the ad-
ministrative officials should not
alone be held responsible.
On the other hand, proponents
of busters seem convinced that even
if there be mitigating circumstances,
the hospital division chiefs, the
health officer and the supervising
Commissioner had become COM
placent" in the face of "deplorable"
conditions.
Other Discussions Heard.
Other discussions are heard For
instance, that Congress lacks au-
thority to order the removal of Dis
trict officials, that a District Com
missioner is the appointee of the
President and that the city heads
are vested with hiring and firing
power over subordinate officials.
This has brought up the reminder