Evening star., 1945-04-27
biIbo Predicts
Final Senate OK
On Hospital Bill
Tydings Joins Fight
To Block EIIender's
Move to Reconsider
BY DON $. WARREN.

supporters OF the Iy0lngS-BllDo
measure to authorize Federal aid in
the postwar construction Of a 1,500-
bed hospital center here organized
today to defeat move by Senator
Ellender, Democrat, Of Louisiana for
reconsideration Of passage Of the bill
voted Wednesday by the Senate.
Since the Ellender motion, filed
yesterday, will hold the once-ap-
proved bill in the Senate until ac-
ton is taken on the motion, hope
was expressed the Senate soon would
have an opportunity to sustain its
hrst judgment.
On the House side, District Com
mittee Chairman Randolph was to
confer with other members of his
committee to decide whether to
await final action by the Senate or
to proceed independently with con-
sideration Of the hospital problem.
Bilbo Expects No Change.
Belief that the Senate will stand
by its original action because Of the
known need of better hospital ia
cilities in the National Capital" was
voiced by Chairman Bilbo of the
Senate District Committee.
Likewise, Senator Tydings, Demo-
crat, of Maryland. who co-sponsored
the bill with Senator Bilbo, said he
would do all in my power" to sup
port the position taken by the Dis
trict Committee, which had unani-
mously backed the bill.
The Maryland Senator added that
not only is there a serious need to
replace obsolete, inadequate. and
poorly planned buildings of WASH
ington's nonprofit private hospitals
but that the terrific" wartime ex-
pansion Of the Districts population
had created a special need for
action.
Ellender Sees Preference.
Senator Ellender, while not OBJ
jecting to the general idea of Fed
eral aid in hospital construction.
protested there was no reason to
give the National Capital prefer
ential treatment"
On this point, Senator Bilbo told
reporters: II do not regard this bill
in anyway as giving the District
preferential treatment. Rather, it
Is means Of assuring adequate
hospital care for the great army of
Federal workers living or working
in the District"
Senator Ellender declared that
outside of Federal income levies,
District residents are taxed much
lighter than citizens in other sec
tions and said he would withdraw
all opposition if the bill were
amended to provide for use of Dis
trict instead of Federal funds to aid
in construction Of the hospital
center.
Il am confident" he asserted,
there Is no spot in the United
States more able to build hospitals
than the District. The taxing prob
lem here amounts to little or MOTH
ing In contrast to that of many
States.
Calls Taxes Here Low.
"It is true the District residents
pay the same rate of Federal in
come taxes as those Of the States,
but the amount of taxes, other than
the Federal income tax, paid here
is far less than that of other sec
tions that have built hospitals and
now contemplate the building of
hospitals.
II can see no reason why the citi-
zens of this city are more entitled
to dip into the Federal Treasury for
funds to build a hospital or other
facilities than any OF the States. "
Senator Ellender also cited the
fact that the United States makes
an annual payment of $4,000, 900 to-
ward the costs of the National Capt.
tai. This recalled that the Senate
repeatedly has sought to boost the
lump sum because of the extra costs
devolving on the District by reason
Of this city being the National
Capital and that the Senate APP
propriations Committee now is en-
gagged in a study Of this fiscal prob
lem.
Senator Ellender said he also
wanted to determine whether the
Tydings-Bilbo bill would run counter
to the national hospital aid bill now
being considered by the Senate Edu-
cation and Labor Committee.