Evening star., 1946-08-16
Bradley Backs
Arlington Site
For VA Hospital
Hits at Critics of
Plan to Use Tract
Near Cemetery

0Ch' oA dNlCS HldUc his pOSlLlO0
emphatlcally clear both during his
first Report to the Nation" broad
cast last night and at his first
anniversary press conference late
yesterday.
Taking blunt issue with Arlington
County critics Of the proposed site,
the Veterans Administrator particu-
larly cited complaint that the war
Is over" by an opponent of the site
near the national military cemetery
"The shooting war may be over
but the suffering isn't" Gen. Brad
ley said over the radio, citing the
numerous cases of wounded men
and of those suffering with war
contracted diseases.
See Sacrifices Belittled.
mo the war is not over" he
said, certainly not for the disabled
Those heartless people who feel that
the misery of war is over belittle the
sacrifices and suffering of our hos
pitalized fighting men,"
Gen. Bradley said he hoped the
kind of discussion that was crop
ping up here in connection with the
hospital site would not become gen.
eral throughout the country.
Listing Washington as one of the
IA places where the Veterans Ad-
ministration was still facing con-
siderable difficulty" in getting a
suitable site, he said it was hard
to find any spot in Washington that
doesn't meet with some objection. .
He confirmed previous report.
that the Veterans Administration
had recommended the Arlington
tract, owned by Avon Nevius, vice
president of Riggs Bank, to the Fed
eral Board of disqualification but
pointed out it had not yet beer
approved.
Pressure for Distant Site.
We've been getting pressure te
put the Washington hospital way
out in Maryland or Virginia" he
said. 1--WE don't think it should be
there. We think it should be within
S or 10 minutes driving distance OF
Georgetown and George Washing.
ton University Hospitals, not OF
miles in the country"
Gen. Bradley also said over the
radio:
The Washington newspapers car.
ried stories telling of our interest II
this site. When the manager of 6
neighboring county where the hos.
pital presumably was to be located
heard of our plans, he declared tha'
he was Absolutely opposed Il
them"
He urged the citizens to fight
these plans.
| This gentleman was a practica
man. He wasn't opposed to vet
erans. He wasn't opposed to med
ical treatment for war-wounded vet
erans. He preferred the tax income
that his county would derive from
commercial property.
Quotes County Official.
"'The war is over he told re.
porter. I don't think the military
or Gen. Bradley or any other gen
eral should ride roughshod over u.s.
I'VE may ignore completely the
offensive references he used which
aim to confuse the issue. Two ci-
william commissions serve to give
full consideration to the communi-
ty and property owners before the
hospital Is approved.
But We cannot ignore the impli.
cation In his statement that the
war is over"
County Manager Frank C. Hanra'
han of Arlington declared 1t Is un'
fortunate that the phrase was giver
the Interpretation that has beer
placed upon 1t and asked that hi,
previous position be reiterated anc
clarified.
II have too much respect for Gen
/ Bradley and his war record as {
really great American to say any.
thing that would appear as an effort
to discredit him." Mr.. Hanrahar
said.
Arlington Not Consulted
Before the war, the Federal Gov.
ernment always consulted with ap.
propriate county officials before
large projects such as this vert
planned. Arlington officials we're moi
consulted on this project and the
fact that hostilities actually are oyel
and we are attempting to return tt
normalcy appears to me to be rea-
son why spirit of cooperation be-
tween the Government and Arling-
ton should be resumed"
He said it Is his honest belief
that the Nevius site Is inappropriate
because of low flying planes from
the Washington National Airport
the psychological effect Oh patients
of the adjoining Arlington Nationa
Cemetery where taps are sounded
almost daily and the proximity oil
Fort Myer with its various military
bugle calls. The tract appears to be
too small and there are other areas
in Arlington as well as in other
communities, which would be more
appropriate, Mr.. Hanrahan said.
Asked at his press conference
whether Representative Smith
Democrat, of Virginia, had regis
tered protest against the choice
of sites, Gen. Bradley responded
that he didn't want to name names
Planners Inspect Site.
The National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, which has
to approve the site selection, spent
most of day this week conferrine
with Veterans Administration rea,
estate representatives and inspect
ing the Arlington property.
Endorsement Of the Nevius tract
as the site for the Washington hos
pital came today from Omar B
Ketchum, national legislative direc-
tor. Veterans of Foreign Wars, who
wrote Daniel A. Dugan, VFW Vir-
ginia chief of staff, that the site
would be Ideal for veterans hos
pital."
| Mr.. ketchum said he was sure the
citizens Of Arlington County will
decide that a veterans hospital is
"of greater need than a luxury
hotel" The site has been men.
toned in connection with plans for