Evening star., 1950-10-17
Hearing Readies
D. T.. Heads for
Shaping Budget
40 Organizations
Present Views on
Fiscal 1852 Funds

A succession of Spokesmen for
some 40 organizations made their
recommendations at the annual
public hearing in the District
Building yesterday.
Many took the opportunity to
call for tax reductions and an in
creased Federal payment to the
District
The spokesmen also set forth
the items they feel should be
spared the commissioners ak
when the city heads begin trim
ming at least $40 million from
departmental requests totaling
$131 ,682, ,280.
Special Plea for Planners.
In addition to various school,
library, recreation and welfare
improvements, the city heads
heard special pleas in behalf of
the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission and the
Minimum Wage and Industrial
Safety Board.
Louis Justement, chairman of
the city planning committee of
the Washington Building Con-
greSs. urged a $138,000 budget
for the planning commission. ex-
planning the $47,300 increase over
this years appropriation is ear
marked primarily for nine more
members of the planning staff,
He said it is hoped that, with
such a staff, it would not be nee
essary to engage out-of-town ex-
perts to handle major planning
problems Mr.. JuStement eX-
pressed the view that creation of
good plan for Washington could
best be handled by a competent
local staff. familiar with condi-
tions here.
Mrs. Dunn Backs Proposal.
Also speaking in support of the
Planning Commissions budget
proposal was Mrs. Milton Dunn,
vice president of the League of
Women Voters of the District, who
said principal staff members now
are burdened with details, which
cut constantly into the time they
should devote to high-level plan
ming and administrative activities.
The league was among those
fndorsing the budget request of
the Minimum Wage and Indus
trial Safety Board, as was the
Washington Central Labor Union,
Through its committee on mini
mum wage and industrial safety.
Mrs. Dunn explained the ST.
568 increase in the 1852 request
over the S71,600 base for fiscal
1851 is to pay salaries of two ad-
dltional staff members for the
minimum wage division and two
for the industrial safety division
as we'll as for other needs.
Fred S. Walker, in a statement
for the labor group, called the
safety division too modest" in
asking S38,492 for fiscal 1852. This
would bring the cost per worker
for accident prevention to about
18 cents, where the national aver
age is % cents and some States
spend IS cents, he said.
Play Center improvements.
Improvement of the present pre-
school play center program was
urged by Mrs. John Kenyon Berry,
speaking for the Council of Pre-
School Play Center Mothers of
Washington.
She urged an additional $28, $40
for personnel to improve the pro-
gram and $3.50 for additional
basic equipment for 80 centers un-
der the Recreation Department.
DR.. Walter H. Broedorn, dean of
George Washington University
School of Medicine, spoke in sup
port of more money for voluntary
hospital care of INDECENT patients.
DR.. Bloedorn was quoted in
correctly in The Star yesterday as
saying indigents should not be
cared for in private hospitals. but
should be taken to Gallinger
Hospital.
What he said was that "con-
tinuity of care" had become an
issue here because District officials
believe Congress intends that no
INDECENT patient should be cared
for in a voluntary hospital if there
are facilities available at Gal
linger and because out-patient
facilities at Gallinger are made
quate for a hospital of it's size.
Repeats in Diagnostic Work.
DR.. Bloedorn said that some
times a person certified for out
patient care in a voluntary hos
pital clinic is transferred to Gal
linger for impatient care because
the Hospital Permit Bureau can
not certify his admission to the
voluntary hospital
The patient may learn at Gal
linger he will have to wait until
a bed becomes available. Even if
he is admitted to Gallinger, the
diagnostic work usually is re-
peated. This means, DR.. Bloedorn
said, not only duplication, but in
stead of the work being done in
the clinic, it is done while the pa
tient is in the hospital at cost to
the District of $12 or $13 a day.
This is one reason, he said, why
the average length of stay at the
municipal hospital, Is days, is
nearly twice that in the voluntary
hospital, eight days.
DR.. Bloedorn also made the point
that a private hospital may be
located close to the patient, while
Gallinger might be long trip
away.
Pools Questioned.
Charles j. Bauer, executive sec
retary of the Building Owners
and Managers Association, asked
whether an item totaling more
than 81 million for two swimming
pools belongs in "a wartime budget
which should be characterized by
frugality in non-defense expend-
ttures," He added, 1--WE think