Evening star., 1944-03-07
Hines Sees Long Rise
In Veterans Care,
Asks 80 Millions Now

Social and medical problems aris-
ing from the war were high lighted
today in testimony made public by
the House Appropriations Commit
tee, including prediction by Brig.
Gen. Frank I. Hines, chief of the
Veterans Administration that the
peak load IN veterans hospitals will
come in 1875, when 100000 beds will
be needed.
Other witnesses testified that the
federally aided day nursery plan has
made it possible for $4,000 mothers
to accept employment in war indus
tries. Still another witness from the
National Housing Administration re-
vealed that the Nations $4,000, ,00O,- :
600 war housing program is virtually
complete, with 1,250,000 family units
constructed.
Gen. Hines appeared before the
committee to urge an appropriation
Of $50, 0,000,0 900 to provide 9,252 beds in
Government hospitals, all but 200 in
tended for neuropsychiatric patients
Sees Heavy Hospital Load.
Looking to the future program for
the care of veterans, Gen. Hines es-
timated that 81 years from now 207,-
900 men in the present war and 91,-
400 from past conflicts would be un-
der Veterans Administration care.
mo man can tell how long the
war will last he said. There are
some uncertain factors which may
change 1t. But think our building
program should be continued with
the prediction we have projected
until we see that it is wrong"
Testifying on Government fous-
ing, Administrator John H. Blan-
ford of the MIA said the present
vacancy rate in Government prof.
ects is 6 per cent, which he termed
pretty good adding that in
peacetime a 10 per cent rate was
considered by private operators as
satisfactory"
Housing Difficulties Cited.
Mr.. Blandford said that in iso-
lated instances there has been too
much Government housing construc-
ton but claimed that as a whole
estimates of requirements for hous-
ing war workers had been "conserya-
tive" and accurate. He emphasized
difficulties in anticipating con-
structed schedules" and in trying to
do job in almost 1000 communi-
ties"
Il think it would appear that we
have hit the target fairly accurate
ly." he told the committee, when
We say that for our family dwelling
units We have vacancies that even
those will be measurahly filed up,
except in certain special situations
where plants have actually shut
down"
Mr.. Blandford asked for $25, 900 900
to add to approximately $4,000 900
available to build a total 23,26l
dwelling units still needed.
Would Conclude Program.
He said this would wind up our
Sc 900 100000 program" though
emergency situation would undoubt-
edly arise such as recent instance
in which the Navy made an unan-
ticipated request for a $4,000 900
housing development at Pearl Har-
Dor.
Federal Works Agency officials
described how the day nursery sys-
tenn has worked, with mothers pay
ing so cents a day for one main
meal. two supplemental feelings
and supervision daily for 10 to IL
hours. Communities make up the
difference between the fees and half
the total cost of the project, and
the Federal Government pays the
other half.
The FWA, seeking q deficiency
sum Of $50, 900 900, said 1t now has
about 2,200 child care centers estab-
lished in highly populated war in
dustry areas. Up to last January 81,
the Federal Government allotted
$40, 2o4,565 for the projects and the
VIA said another $4,000, 900 is
needed to continue through the
fiscal year 1945.
The Red Cross Club is the only
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