Evening star., 1949-03-27
Legion and VFW
Oppose Hospital
On Neviius Tract
Neurness to Cemetery
And Airport Stressed
At Senate Hearing
By GEORGE 6everidqe

by George beverage
Opposition to use of the Nevius
tract in Arlington as the site for
Washington's proposed veterans
hospital mounted yesterday in the
form of protests from District Of
f1cials of the American Legion and
Veterans of Foreign Wars.
In testimony before a Senate
Labor subcommittee investigat-
ing President Truman's recent
16,O00-bed cutback in the VA hos
pital program, the 25-acre tract
was attacked because of its cost.
it's nearness to Arlington Cemetery
and overhead air routes from near
by National Airport.
George E. Ijams, VFW rehabi1-
itation director, said the Nevius
tract is lone of the poorest VA
sites ever selected and certainly
the most costly" 1t was chosen
more than two and half years
ago by Gen. Bradley, then Vet
erans' Administrator, after an ex-
haustive survey of other areas.
Alternate Sites Suggested.
VA now has title to the land and
courts have set its cost at $780,
900, although its use is not definite,
according to VA medical leaders.
Quoting recent letter to Vet
erans' Administrator Gray, Mr..
Ijams said the Nevius property
either could be sold for commercial
use or could be used by the Gov
ernment to expand Arlington
Cemetery. He said three possible
sites in the District could be con-
sidered Immediately as alterna-
tives. He listed them as adjoin-
ing Mount Alto Veterans Hos
pital, a vacant lot near George
town University and a site on
Sixteenth street NV. beyond Wal
ter Reed Hospital.
Referring to planes flying over
the land, Mr.. Ijams said that Of
the hundreds of burial services
he has attended at the adjoining
cemetery, Il do not recall one in
which the minister did not have
to interrupt the services at least
once" because of the noise. Fu-
neral services for Gen. Pershing
last year were interrupted twice
for this reason. he added.
Plane Disturbance Cited.
Mr.. Ijams cited other cases
where planes had created serious
disturbances for patients and said
he didn't think ANY hospital
should be built in proximity to an
airport"
! Senator Humphrey. Democrat.
fof Minnesota, who was acting as
chairman of the hearing, replied
that on the latter point II think
you are 100 per cent right"
Joseph A. Walker, District COM
mander of the Legion. blamed the
on-again- -off-again row over the
site in part for delays in the hos
pital construction and called it an
unfortunate selection"
Both groups also urged Congress
to restore the size of the proposed
Washington hospital back to its
original $50 beds. The plans, still
in the preliminary drawing stage.
were cut to 500 beds as a part Of
Mr.. Truman's order reducing the
number of VA beds. In addition
to savings that would result, the
order pointed out shortages of
VA medical personnel throughout
the Nation.
Hearing to End Tomorrow.
DR.. Hyman Shapiro. chief
Legion medical adviser, told the
committee there are more than
enough doctors here anxious and
eager to serve" at the Washington
hospital. He added that I'VE have
as large a proportion of medical
specialists as anywhere in the
country"
Mr.. Walker said that while the
VA here has beds available at
Walter Reed and the Bethesda
Naval Hospitals, it often is neces-
sary to send veterans to hospitals
| 70 miles or more away from Wash
/ ington.
He said that at present about
200 veterans here are on waiting
lists for disqualification, for treat
ment of nonservice- connected dis
abilities.
Senator Humphrey said the
committee will end public hear
ings on the controversial hospital
hospital reduction tomorrow, and
then will begin a series of closed
sessions with VA and Budget
Bureau officials. He said that
study will include a review Of
the entire policies of hospitaliza-
ton for veterans"