Evening star., 1948-01-12
Truman Urges
Great Hospital
Expansion Here
Budget Lists z Million
To Sturt New Center
At Naval Observatory
By Harold B. Roqers


President Truman, in q bulge
proposing tremendous expansion O
medical research and hospita
facilities in this area, today aske,
Congress to appropriate $2,000,00
to proceed with Washington's nev
$18, 900 900 hospital center on Nava
Observatory grounds.
The great $34,000,000 clinical re
search center for the public health
service would go under construc
ton in the next fiscal year nea
Bethesda, Md, under an additiona
100000 outlay requested.
The Presidents budget also car
ried a total of $2,985 900 in nev
construction money for st. Eliza
beths Hospital, which with carry
over funds is expected to make pos
sible two new buildings. They ar
a storeroom with laundry and /,
500-bed infirmary for treatment O
older persons with mental disease
The estimate also includes $3O7 ,OOl
for planning other future construc
ton and for the demolition of tw,
old buildings.
Funds for Howard University.
Howard University is given $507,'
240 for expansion of its power plan
and n1odernization of Thirkielt
Science Hall. Contracts for tn,
construction Of two new building.
on the campus-a dental schoo
building and an auditorium fin.
arts building-could be let mex
fiscal year under an increase ir
the total limit of cost for botf
from $4,109,755 in this years act
to $4,860,5O5 in the budget for next
year.
Plans have been virtually COM
pleted by the Public Building Ad-
ministration for the four projects
DR.. Mordecai Johnson, university
president said. The remainder OF
5000, ,080 appropriated for the two
new buildings this year is avail
able.
An item of $4,000, in addition to
$4,000 in this years appropriation
act, is recommended to prepare a
master plan" for the campus. This
would guide the future design and
construction of buildings and i'm
provements, including roads, walks
utilities, recreation facilities, and
landscape development"
Plans for the Washington hos
pital center are being worked out
by the Public Buildings Administra-
ton of the Federal Works Agency
in cooperation with representatives
of the three existing institutions
here to join in the center. They are
Emergency, Garfield, and Episcopal
Hospitals. Informal agreement was
reached long ago with the Navy
Department, for use of a part OF
the Naval Observatory Grounds for
the center, but details Of the land
transfer have not been completed.
Contracts Authorized.
The $4,000 900 recommended for
the hospital center next fiscal year
is in addition to $1,7OO,000 already
appropriated. The budget autho-
rizes PBA to enter into contracts
for construction in an amount not
exceeding $18,000,OO0.
Referring to the Clinical Research
Center at Bethesda, the President
estimated it ito cost a total of over
S34,000,000." 1t is to be located
virtually opposite the Naval Hos
pital on Rockville Pike. A sum of
S2,650,000 was appropriated for this
year to make rlans and buy the
site.
The new research center also is
to be occupied by the National In
stitute of Mental Health, which
originally had intended building its
own home. An appropriation this
year of $850,00O for planning this
mental institute building and pur-
chase of its site has been turned
over to the new research center
account.
The National Cancer Institute, it
was learned, will cooperate with
the new nearby research center, but
maintain its own laboratory.
Plans Being Completed.
Plans for the new research center
have been completed to tho point
where they are to be laid before the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission and the Maryland Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Association at their next joint meet
ing this month.
Scope of the construction program
is disclosed in the budget, which
says the money is for construction
of a combined hospital and research
building, together with a power
plant and distribution facilities, ga
rage, storage facilities, and roads
and walks for the National Institute
of Mental Health, and for general
medical research including research
in cancer and cardiovascular dis
eases, and for alteration and repair
of existing research facilities, and
the construction of temporary struc-
lures for radioactive research"
Negotiations are under way to
buy between $50 and ITS acres for
the site.
DR.. Winfred Overholser, super
of st. Elizabeths Hospital,
welcomed not only the appropria-
tions for construction but also the
item of s307,00 for planning. This
would look forward eventually to
two new treatment buildings, one
annex to two existing
structures, and the demolition and
removal of Oaks and Toner Build
ings
Youths Held After Wreckinq
{ ar in chase With DnIirn