Evening star., 1947-06-26
Ban on Neyius Tract
Hospital Would Give
u. s. White Elephant
By George Beveridee

If the House Appropriations
Committee decides to block loca-
tion of the proposed veterans
hospital on the Nevius tract In
Arlington, the Federal Govern
ment will have on its hands a
white elephant worth at least
5000 900, 1t was learned today.
Veterans Administration ofi1cials
pointed out they already have title
to the land. II they can't use 1t, the
property will have to be turned over
to the War Assets Administration.
1t can not be turned back to its
original owners, they said.
Thus, the 25-acre site, which had
been sought for nearly q year by
the Veterans Administration, would
become piece OF surplus property.
WAA would be charged with dis
posing OF it as such.
Price Still Undetermined.
Meanwhile the final price the
Government will have to pay for the
property still must be determined.
The veterans agency acquired
the title via condemnation proceed
ings when the owners refused an
offer of 1891 900. The agency hand
ed over check for the amount
offered and Federal court handed
over the title. "A jury will make
final decision of the lands value.
Possibility of blocking the hos
pital location came from action OF
the House Rules Committee in al
lowing objections to hospital loca-
tions in the form OF amendments
to the House-approved Independent
Offices appropriations bill. Repre-
sentative Smith, Democrat, Of Vir-
ginia objected. The amendment
was changed, however, on the mo-
ton of Representative Hendricks,
Democrat, of Florida, to allow the
House Appropriations Committee to
make a final decision on the loca-
tion.
Investigators Launch Study.
Mr.. Smith objected that the Gov
ernment could obtain other sites
nearby for as little as $25, 900, and
that the tracts proximity to Ar
lington Cemetery would not be con-
ducive to high patient morale,
Mr. Hendricks said today commit
tee staff investigators already have
launched study of the property.
Veterans Administration officials,
he said, may be called before al
House Appropriations subcommittee
to defend their choice OF the Nevius
tract.
The agency,s hospital experts, in
looking for a site last year, studied
properties at Fall Church and near
Great Falls in Virginia but discard
ed them because they were too far
from the District, it was learned. |
They said they knew of no suitable
sites in Arlington that could be
bought for $25,o00-as Mr.. Smith
claimed.
To Mr.. Smiths objection that the
site is too near Arlington Cemetery,
they declared that is hospitals and
homes of the agency already in
operation have cemeteries in their
immediate vicinities-and that there
had never been objections to them.
- Architects Partly Paid.
One official predicted the Veterans
would be set back
five years" in getting a hospital built
here If it must start over again look
ing for a new location.
= Besides the 1891 900 outlay, they
said, $3.50, 900 has been set aside for
Justement, York and Sawyer, New
York architect engineers who are
planning the structure About a
third of the money already has been
paid, they said.
This is in addition to time
and money spent by both the Vet
erans' Administration and the Army
Corps of Engineers-the construc-
tion supervisors-on selection and
planning .....
A spokesman for the engineers
said preliminary plans have been
completed and the architects are
ready to 60 ahead with working
plans. The project will be ready for
construction bids in four or five
months ,,nlesx CnporcsS intervenes