Evening star., 1945-12-13
FWAAsks D. T..
ToPay Third Of
Hospita|Cost
Proposal Presented
To House Committee;
Protest Expected
BY DON S. WARREN.

A proposal that the District gov.
ernment be Required to pay one.
third the cost of constructing anc
equipping $4,000, 900 privately op-
Grated hospital center here was fleo
with the House District Commit
tee today by the Federal Works
Agency.
Following recent hearing before
the committee, which stressed the
urgency of replacing the Districts
outworn and inadequate private
hospital facilities, the FWA was di-
rected to prepare a redraft of the
District hospital center bill passed
by the Senate.
The Senate bill, sponsored by
Senator Tydings, Democrat, of
Maryland and Chairman Bilbo of
the Senate District Committee, pro-
posed that the nonprofit private
hospitals participating in the CEN
ter repay one-third of the cost over
a period of so years.
d. c. Opposition Expected.
Under the plan submitted today
by Alan Johnstone, general coun-
sci OF the FWA, the Federal Govern
ment would advance the whole sum
needed, up to $20,000,000, for the
acquisition of a site and the con-
Struction and equipment of a CEN
ter having a capacity not exceeding
1,500 beds.
Participating nonprofit hospitals
would be required, under lease ar
rangement with the Federal Gov
ernment, which would hold title. to
carry the whole cost of mainte-
nance, repair and replacement of
the plant.
District officials are expected to
contest the proposed new provision
that the Municipal Government, in
stead of the participating hospitals,
carry one-third of the cost of the
site and construction.
West Against One Provision.
Mr.. Johnstone wrote the commit
tee that Corporation Counsel Ver-
non E. West, who aided in the draft
of the revised bill, was satisfied
with all its provisions except that
dealing with the District repay
ment. 1t was indiacted the Com
mlssioners would file a separate re-
port opposing this feature.
This section requires that the
District repay the one-third share
over period not exceeding 25
years and pay the Federal Treas
ury interest rate on all unpaid bal
anceS.
The revised bill also proposes that
Federal grants be authorized for
nonproflt Washington hospitals that
would not participate directly in the
facilities at the center, but would be
affiliated with it and need funds for
relocating, rebuilding, repairing or
expanding their existing plants.
To Be Considered as Amendment.
The FWA draft proposes that such
grants be not in excess of one-third
of the fair market value of the hos
pltals plant. For such grants, the
District government would be held
liable to repay .one-third of such
sums within 10 years, with interest
on unpaid balances.
The redraft is to be considered as
an amendment OF the Senate-passed
bill, instead of separate measure,
to expedite possible final action. The
Senate bill now is before the Public
Health and Fiscal Affairs Subcom-
mittees of the District Committee,
which are considering the legisla-
ton jointly. The health group is
headed by Representative Mcmillan,
Democrat, of South Carolina, who is
to become chairman of the full COM
mittee January /. The Fiscal At
fairs Subcommittee is headed by
Representative Murphy, Democrat,
of PENNSYLVANIA,