Evening star., 1947-06-13
S1,7OO,0OO Approved
By Group 10 Buy Site,
Plan Hospital Center

A $1,700,oo0 appropriation to
acquire a site and make plans
for Washington's proposed 1900
bed hospital center, which ulti-
mately will cost $20,000,000, was
approved by the House Appro-
priations Committee today in
reporting the independent offices
appropriation bill.
The amount is S1o5o,oo less than
the s2,750000 originally asked by
Federal Works Administrator Philip
B. Fleming for the site and plans.
The reduction grew out Of the will
ingness of the Navy to transfer part
of the Naval Observatory tract for
the hospital site.
.S950,000 for Site.
The appropriation bill, as now
written, provides for the transfer
without exchange Of funds"
Of the $1,700,000 now carried by
the bill, $3.50, 900 is for site purchase
and $750000 is for plans.
The $3.50, 900 covers the amount
the District must be paid for giving
up the Industrial Home School,
which lies just west of the observ-
atory and is to be part of the pro-
posed hospital site.
1t also is supposed to cover any
other land purchases which might
have to be made in fitting the hos
pitaI on the site.
Before approving the hospital
item, transcript of closed hearings
revealed today, the subcommittee in
charge of the bill heard testimony
showing the need for additional and
up-to-date hospital facilities for the
District.
William R. Castle, president Of
Garfield Hospital, described hos
pital conditions in the Capital as
pretty terrible
"I think it is rather shameful
that the Capital of the Nation
should have just about the worst
hospitals In the country" he said.
1.-THE point is, we keep on; we make
good in the care of the sick because
Washington has some of the finest
doctors in the country.
But - the great doctors are,
In Washington, getting to be old
men. And these very poorly equipped
hospitals do not attract the right
kind of internes. If we want to
keep up our standards, we have got
to be able to offer to these gradu-
ates of the medical schools proper
place in which to study and work. "
2,750 Beds BADLY Needed"
Alan Johnstone, who heads the
Federal Works Agency's legal de-
partment, told the subcommittee
Washington badly needs 2,750 new
hospital beds.
In questioning Gen. Fleming on
the need for the center. Chairman
Wigglesworth asked:
1T (the centeD should greatly
raise the standard of medical care
here and eliminate much that has
been subject to criticism hereto
fore?"
'I think So" Gen. Fleming re-
sponded, land I think it would in
duce internes to come to hospital
Of this kind much more than the
three Chospitals) can do now
The center would combine Emer-
gency, Garfield and Episcopal Hos
pitfalls in one center larger than all
three now are together.
Several Buildings Provided
Gen. Fleming told the committee
the center would be in the form of
several buildings. There would be
nurses and internes' quarters, as
we'll as central laundry and heating
facilities.
The hospital was authorized by
an act sponsored by Senator Tydings,
Democrat, of Maryland, in the last
Congress. 1t authorizes a total Of
$35, 100000 for the center. Part of
this total originally was intended to
be spent to improve District hos
pitals not going into the center. This
provision was knocked out of the
act before passage, although the
total figure went through un-
changed.
The center itself is to be financed
Jointly by the Federal and District
governments and the three hospitals
involved. The District is to put up
one-third of the cost, while the three
hospitals are to reimburse the Fed
eral Government by turning over
their present buildings or whatever
they can get by selling them.