Evening star., 1944-08-16
Old Private Hospital
Facilities Awful
Stefan Declares
House Member lndorses
Proposed Construction
- Of ! 500 Bed Center
BY DON S. WARREN.

A strong Endorsement of the need
of providing Washington with a
modern, efnciently-planned hospital
center came today from a member
of the House who had made a per-
sonal inspection of older private
hospital buildings and found them
physically, sadly lacking"
Representative Stefan, Repub-
lican. of Nebraska. ranking minority
member of the appropriations SUBJ
member Of the Appropriations Sub
ply bills. said some Of the plant
deficiencies he had noted were
awful" He stressed he was not
referring to professional skill or
management.
Sees Need for Center.
Just back from a stay in the West,
the Nebraskan withheld comment on
details of the recently offered bills
for postwar construction of . new
1,500-bed hospitel center. But, on
the basis Of study OF the 11opstals
he made after hearing descriptions
of the inadequAcies from Mrs. w.
Warren Barbour, widow Of the New
Jersey Senator, and Mrs. Milard E.
Tydings. wife Of the Maryland Sen
ator, Mr.. Stefan declared:
There can be no doubt as to
the need Of establishing modern and
adequate hospital facilities for the
private patient. This is more than
local problem. There are many
thousands of Government workers
here from all over the country.
hope there can be agreement on
some workable plan"
Adding warning against Social
lied medicine" he said private hos
pitals should be left in private con-
troll and not subjected to Govern
ment domination.
Tydings Seeks New Data.
Senator Tydings, chairman of the
special Hospital Subcommittee of the
Senate District Committee, and CO.
author of the pending bills. an
nounced he had broadened the scope
of his inquiry and was calling on
various Government departments
for data on numerous phases of the
Washington hospital problem.
He said he hoped to receive replies
within few days, since he planned
to resume public hearings early next
week. Referring generally to the
proposal for Government grant to
erect the hospital center which
thereafter would be put on a self
sustaining basis and controlled by
private. non-profit interests, Sena-
tor Tydings said:
"As we explore further the whole
District hospital matter, it is ap-
parent there has been and is today
a friendly disposition on the part
of Government authorities. the
boards of the respective hospitals,
the medical and nursing professions
and citizens generally for the estab-
lishment of a medical center.
Says Prior Efforts Failed.
More and more, 1 am convinced
that prior efforts have failed, partly
through misunderstanding, partly
by conflicting approaches to the
general objectives and partly by
piecemeal treatment of hospital
conditions"
He predicted that If the present
spirit of cooperation continues I'VE
can reconcile various differences and
conflicts of plan and come out this
time with something tangible"
Earlier, Maj. Gen. Philip B. Flem-
ing, head of the Federal Works
Agency, replying to Tydings sub
committee queries. said the l942 pro-
gram for expansion of hospital facil-
tiles in the Metropolitan Area was
cut about in half because of the
shortage Of critical materials.
From a total appropriation of
$17,500,000 of Lanham Act funds,
made by the Congress for the Dis
trict and it's environs," said Gen.
Fleming, II have allotted 1922 1893
for general hospital beds, nurses
and internes' beds, venereal disease
beds and health centers."
Blames Material Shortages.
Reporting he had recommended In
1912 the immediate provision of / 1,072
general hospital beds and 541 nurses
beds for the area, he said the plan
was restricted to about one-half that
size. Apparently this was on War
Production Board orders, due to
material shortages.
Continuing, Gen. Fleming said:
Among the projects built with the
assistance Of Lanham Act funds are
the five suburban hospitals in Chew
erly, Md, 100 patient beds and so
nurses beds; Bethesda, Md, 100
patient beds and so nurses beds;
Arlington County, Va, 100 patient
beds and so nurses beds, and Alex
andria. Va. IS patient beds and so
nurses beds.
fTWA Y,rovidAd 81 H~llias>,. YJnx