Evening star., 1948-06-02
against IlIe MUIIuC-NI1
(Story on Page AID

Proposed establishment of q Dis
trict medical center on the Naval
Observatory grounds here caused
some House Appropriations Com
mittee members, according to rec
ords disclosed today, TO protest that
"the District is looking for some
free land" aG the expense of the
Navy.
The record of hearings on the
Navy appropriation for l949 also
quoted Navy officials as saying the
plan originally called for building
the medical center on 20 acres in
one corner of the observatory
grounds. The officers added that
"at the present time the hospital
center desires to move into the mid
die of the grounds, which is the
location of our important build
ings."
The Naval Observatory, mean
while, seeks a new location because
its 72-acre tract between Wiscon-
sin and Massachusetts, avenues
NV. is unsatisfactory for scientific
The committee was informed that
the Observatory has been testing
conditions at sites near CharlotteS-
vile, Lynchburg and Front Royal,
Va. Capt. Guy w. Clark, Observa-
tory superintendent, said 1--WE will
probably decide on one of these sta
tions as the new site
Establishment Approved.
Congress has approved establish
ment of a medical center in WASH
| ington. Advocates of the plan sug-
gested the Observatory ground as
an ideal site if it could be trans
ferred for that purpose. if Congress
provided the necessary funds, and If
the Observatory could move without
'interrupting its essential work,
Capt. Clark explained.
rs the Navy giving that land to
the District or is the District buying
it?" Representative Thomas, Dem
ocrat, of Texas, asked.
Il am not qualified to answer, but
my belief is that the land will be
purchased" Capt. Clark replied.
He added that actual negotiations
cannot be completed before Con-
gress decides whether the Observa-
tory can move out and the hospital
can move in.
Il am not in accord with the pro-
cedures as far as I understand the
matter" Representative Sheppard,
Democrat, of Texas. said. Il would
not be sympathetic to having a
transfer of the Navy's property to
any other organization without due
compensation. AS far as I am con-
cerned I absolutely refuse to sup
port any more appropriations to
carry the other departments OF
Government and have the charges
reflect against the Navy. 1t is bad
business"
Representative Plumley, Republi-
can, of Vermont, chairman of the
subcommittee in charge of Navy ap-
preparations, commented that it
would not be case of taking money
out of one pocket and putting it into
another The Appropriations Com
mittee, he said, would have to ap-
prove outlays for new Observatory
buildings elsewhere and doesn't want
"to be holding the bag when that
day comes"
Let us not fence about the mat
ter" Representative Thomas said at
another point. ITO be perfectly
frank about it, the District was look
ing for some free land that the
Government owned. In other words,
the city officials did not want to buy
piece of land and then have it
taken out of their own base. So
therefore they went to the Govern
ment that owned the land.
Land Is Off Rolls.
"It (the Observatory lanO is al
ready off the rolls and they received
bit of encouragement from your
organization (the Naval Observa-
tory) when they began to feel