Evening star., 1946-03-03
Hospital Center,
Slun1 Bills May
GET Early Action
House D. c. Choirmun
Says New Finance Plan
For Center Is in View
By Don S. Worren

By Don S. Worren
Prospects for early action by the
House District Committee on bills
proposing development of a 1.50O-
oed modern hospital center here
and for a full-scale attack on WASH
ington's slums were stimulated yes
terday by reports of progress" on
the legislation.
Chairman Mcmillan revealed ne
EQUATIONS were under way on a
new plan for financing the hospital
center, designed to assure repay-
ment to the United States of at
least 20 per cent and perhaps more
OF the proposed outlay of $15,oO0.-
700 without making a charge against
the city government.
AS this revision of the financial
arrangements now is shaping up.
some 100000 of the construction
and equipment cost would be re-
canned by the United States
through the sale or use of the
land of the three nonprofit private
hospitals to participate directly in
the center-Garfield Emergency
and Episcopal.
Further, it was revealed, the ten
tative new plan, which awaits for
NAL action by the hospital boards
as well as by the District Commit
tee, calls for using the grounds of
Garfeld Hospital as the site for the
center.
Slum Bill Taking Shape.
AS to the $20,000,000 slum clear
ance bill, prediction that a re-
vamped measure would be ready for
consideration by the full House Dis
trict Committee probably" by
March 20 and certainly" by April
l, came from Chairman McGehee
OF the Judiciary Subcommittee
Mr.. McGehee tentatively planned
to resume public hearings some day
this week, but said he would an
'nounce the date later. at can as
sure you," he said, 'that the SUBJ
committee will bring out bill, |
though it probably will be different
IN some important respects from
the one passed by the Senate"
He indicated he would seek to re-
store the definition of public low
rent housing as contained in the
original draft of the McCarran
compromise bill; to insert provisions
to make sure that low rent hous-
ing, developed with public instead
OF private funds, could be rented |
only to persons in the lowest in
come brackets. who could not pay
the lowest private housing rent, and
to prevent excessive" land con-
demnation in connection with re-
development programs.
Negotiations for a revised hospital
center financial plan that would be
agreeable to all parties are being
conducted by Alan Johnstone, gen.
eral counsel of the Federal Works
Agency, at the request of the Dis
trict Committee, it was brought out
by Chairman Mcmillan.
Though described by Mr.. john
stpne as still in formative state"
with many details yet to be worked
out, hope was expressed that some
thing definite might be ready for
presentation to the District Com
n1ittee by the end of this week.
FWA Insists on Repayment.
To give reasonable prospects that
Congress will favor Federal aid in
development of the center. the
FWA has been insisting on. re-
payment of about one third of the
original outlays. The Senate bill
required the participating private
hospitals to repay one-third of
such costs within SO years, with in
terest at 2 per cent, in addition to
meeting all maintenance and op-
Grating costs.
When taken up in the House
Committee, the FWA proposed
substitute plan, whereby repayment
Of one-third of the grants would be
charged to the District Govern
ment instead: of to the hospitals
The Commissioners promptly pro-
tested the District could not and
should not meet that burden.
Action then was deferred to per-
NIT negotiations of another plan.
Under this arrangement-said to
have been approved tentatively by
representatives of the three hospi-
tais-the Garfield tract would be =,
taken as the site for the center;
Emergency would be offered for use
as Government Office building and :
Episcopal would be put on the mar
ket for sale, the proceeds to 90 to
the United States as a part of the
repayment
1t was calculated, according to
SOME estimates, that this would re- ,,
suit in a net increase of only 500 !,
hospital beds, when the changes )
were. completed and the three old !,
plants were out of service, but it is
argued the 1,500 new beds. would
be in modernly planned and
equipped center. c
Total Outlay of S2O,OO0,0 900. :
The program calls for total out !
lay of up to $2O,0oO,O 900, but IS, ,Ooo,- :
600 OF this would be earmarked for :
possible grants to other nonprofit
private hospitals here for which +
improvements or expansion is n
planned, although not as a part of =
the center. =
Mentioned for possible participa- h
tlon'>ln this phase of the Federal n
aid measure were Providence. Co. :
iumbia, Children's and Sibley Hos 9
pltals.. Mr.. Johnstone has been q
asked to ascertain definitely what !,
would be the extent of their inter- - -
ests. u
The minimum of $4,000, 900 to be
reclaimed by the United States un- Q
der the new plan, if it meets with
hospital and congressional approval,
is based only on the value of the g
land OF the hospitals, one official A
said. Inclusion of the yal,es of ~. n