Evening star., 1949-02-05
House D. T.. Unit
Studies Budget
Hearing Data
Bill May Reach Floor
March ID; Accounting
Problem to Be Settled

March ID; Accounting
Problem to Be Settled
A cross-section of communit,
opinion on the Districts budgetary
requirements was before the Distric
Subcommittee of the House Appro
priaticns Committee today as it pre-
pared to assemble it's recommended
tions to the full committee. .
Having completed budget hearing'
on schedule, Chairman Bates of tht
subcommittee said he believes tht
group can meet its March 10 dead,
line for furnishing a markedur
budget to the Appropriations Com
mittee.
The bill probably will be reported
out by the committee the following
Monday-March 14-Mr. Bates said
An accounting problem remains
to be settled, however, before hi.
group can clear itself for final study
of the $103,451 900 in recommended
expenditures, he said. 1t involve!
differences in accounting control!
used by the Federal Government
and the District, he explained-s
matter which has produced wran.
giles in recent years.
The problem arises in agencie!
subject to accounting under botf
the District and Federal budgets
MIR. Bates pointed out, such as the
Zoo and the Office of Nationa
Capital Parks. =
They have complained they have
been put in the position of having
to serve two masters" he said.
Farley Set for Monday.
Mr.. Bates said the disparity ir
accounting methods had puzzled
him and other members of the sub
committee He said the subcom-
mittee has arranged a meeting for
10 IN. Monday with officials of the
Budget Bureau and District Budget
Officer Walter L. Fowler in an effort
to clarity the language of the budget
on this point.
The subcommittee heard nearly
30 witnesses yesterday in public
morning and afternoon sessions.
These had been preceded by closed
meetings, during which officials of
District departments appeared to
justify their budget items.
At the conclusion of the closed
sessions, Mr.. Bates commented he
dio not see how the subcommittee
could cut the estimates substan-
TALLY without denying the Capital
needed services. He indicated again
at the close of the open hearings
that the subcommitte is not plan
ming major cuts in the figures.
Most of the witnesses asked in
creases in the proposed appropria-
lions for certain items, principally
health services and schools. Occa-
sionally witness expressed support
for a District sales tax. Miss Eta
L. Taggart, representing The Wash
ingtonians, citizens group, advo-
Gated a Government-supervised lot
terry to ease the national and Dis
trict tax burdens.
Mr.. Bates discouraged testimony
on revenue-raising plans, however,
pointing out it was not within the
jurisdiction of the subcommittee.
Sales Tax Up Tuesday.
The sales tax will be given serious
consideration at 2 pm. Tuesday,
when the Fiscal subcommittee of
the Senate and House District Com
mittees hold joint meeting.
The witnesses yesterday included
a group of officials of private, volun-
tary hospitals who urged an increase
in funds for District payments to
such hospitals for the care of indi-
gent patients. The institutions are
losing money steadily on these serv-
ices, and the Commissioners liberal
ization of the definition of INDECENT
patients will make the situation
more acute if more funds are not
provided, they stated.
The payments OF. 50 per patient
day for impatient care and So per
clinic visit is wholly inadequate, u
Daniel w. ODonoghue, jr., men,
Der of the Hospital Council, Ma
tional CAPITAL Area, representing
Providence Hospital, declared.
Because the full cost of services
to the INDECENT is not being met by
the District, the hospitals are placed
in the position of involuntary tax
collectors" seeking to make UP the
difference from other classes of pa
tients, he said.
Similar testimony was offered by
the other Hospital Council repre-
sentatives at the hearing, the Rev.
DR.. Paul A. McNally, administrator
of Georgetown University Hospital;
DR.. Montgomery Blair, jr., director
of Children's Hospital, and Robert
P. Bryant, executive secretary of the
council.
DR.. McNally, who also is dean OF
the Georgetown University Medical
School, suggested that medically
interesting" INDECENT patients at
Gallinger Hospital be transferred to
the voluntary teaching hospitals for
treatment and that the latter insti-
tutions be remunerated "at cost" for
such services.
He said this not only would assist
the programs of the private teach
ing hospitals but also would result
in some patients being given
prompter treatment than at Gal
linger, particularly in operative
cases, because of the overtaxing OF
operative facilities at the municipal
hospital.
Keyes Backs Position.
E. j. Keyes, executive director oi
the Community Chest Federation
supported the councils position ano
pointed out failure of the Chest
campaign to reach its goal last fal
will make it difficult for the fedora
ton to meet 'fts responsibility, the
payment for care of semi-indigents.
DR.. Henry c. Hadley of the Wash
ington Sanitarium asked that it bt
Included among the institutions
eligible to receive District funds TO-
care of INDECENT patients and tina
it be given a $4,000 allotment to-
the next fiscal year.
pa.+aro+;o,o IF f,1pdc for tU0 a6di,