Evening star., 1944-08-15
Hospitals Here
Given 4MiIIion,
Says
WFA Chief Lists
AIlotments From
Lonhom Act Funds

Responding to inquiries by the
Tydings Senate subcommittee about
Federal Works Agency ALLEGATION Of
Lanham Act funds to hospitals here,
Maj. Gen. Philip B. Fleming, FWA
administrator, today declared he
had made allotments of more than
$3.50 900 for hospital, health cen.
ters and venereal disease treat
ment in this city and the Metropol-
itan Area.
One Of the questions raised at the
Tydings subcommittee hearing on
the proposed private hospital CEN
ter here was why most of the pleas
Of the voluntary hospitals here for
Lanham Act funds were denied.
Gen. Fleming said he had recon-
mended provision for 1,072 general
hospital beds and 541 nurses beds in
the area In q special report In 1912,
but because of shortage of critical
material, the FWA was restricted
to a program Of about one half the
size recommended"
Chairman Tydings, at the end Of
yesterdays public hearing, which
was replete with declarations of
grave inadequacies in existing old
structures, asked Charles D. Drayton,
chairman Of the Hospital Presidents
Association, to seek replies from sew
eral Federal agencies on these ques-
tions. He is to be assisted by
Willard C. Smith of the Health
Security Administration.
Burton Joins in Request.
Senator Burton, Republican, Of
Ohio joined in the request, saying
he was wondering If Lanham funds
were unavailable then, would they
be now.
Earlier, the Ohio Senator asked
why the District government should
not contribute to the center's build
ing fund. He also suggested it might
be well for the title to the center to
be held by the Government and the
property leased on a nominal basis
to participating hospitals.
Then, referring to the fact that 50
far only Garfield and Emergency
Hospitals have joined the hospital
center plan, with Children's listed as
an anliate, Senator Burton said the
proposed Federal grant for building
purposes might prove a precedent
for similar requests from other pri-
vate hospitals. There might be .
string of them" he said.
In reply, Senator Tydings said hs
thought 1t would be less expensive
in the long run for the Government
to make clear grant to establish an
efficient, modern hospital center.
and thereafter to let it sustain itself.
If the Government held title, he
added, 1t might lead to annual ap-
peals for Government contributions.
Mrs. Barbour Testifies.
From Mrs. w. Warren Barbour,
widow Of the New jersey Senator,
who has served many months as a
nurses aide in three Washington
hospitals, came a shocking story.
She told of rats and vermin to be
found in kitchens and Easements OF
the old buildings, of defective
plumbing, and of absence OF fire
protection.
She concluded:
Physical conditions are 50 serious.
1t Is really only through the goodness
Of God that we have not had an
epidemic that would have resulted
in q national scandal"
DR.. Herbert P. Ramsay, another
supporter Of the plan, voiced belief
that eventually all the older hos.
pital buildings should be "scrapped."
He added the l941 Neergaard survey
Indicated that while hospital rates
were not appreciably higher than in
other cities, patients here pay high
for what they get" due to the high
cost Of maintenance of the old
buildings.
Case illustrates Need.
To illustrate the bed shortage, Mr..
Smith told of one case of an ex-
pectant mother who sought admit
tance to one hospital, onlS to hnd
the place full. Her baby was de-
livered after she was placed on a
mattress on boards laid on top of .
bathtub.
J. D. capossela, superintendent Of
Emergency Hospital, and Clarence
A. Aspinwall, Garfield president, also
urged approval of the center.
The question Of whether Episcopal
Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital may
cooperate in the movement, either
as q participant or an affiliate. still
is open, according to Henry P. Blair.
vice president Of its Board of Direc-