Evening star., 1951-11-04
$4,000 Voted
To Ar|ington's S
Hospital Fund
County Board Acts
Amid Charges on
Political Compoign

to the Arlington Hospital building
fund by the County Board yes
|terday amid charges that the prof.
|ect had been dragged into the
current political campaign.
Before the board acted. Will
liam p. Ames, member Of the hos
|pital board and former Republi-
can member Of the County Board,
said the hospital must raise $685.
866 to match Federal funds under
the Hi1l-Burton Act which have
been allocated for the addition.
Mr.. Ames said $144 ,667 already
has been raised in the building
fund and $79,198 is needed to get
the project under way.
Dugan Cites Advertisement.
On motion Of Mrs. Florence
Cannon, chairman, the Board
pledged $25 900 to the hospital.
Board Member Daniel Dugan
then displayed an advertisement
in county newspaper. thanking
State Senator Charles r. Fenwick
and Delegates Maynard Magruder
and George Damn for performing
a great service for Arlington
Hospital" The three are the DEM
ocratic nominees for reelection.
Tuesday.
The advertisement, sponsored
by an unnamed group, reprinted
q speech by Representative Rivers,
Democrat, of South Carolina,
praising the Arlington State legis-
lative delegation for its efforts
in behalf of Hill-Burton funds.
In my opinion this advertise
ment has used Arlington Hospital
| as a political football In the cur
rent campaign for legislative
posts" said Mr.. Dugan.
Said to Have Spearheaded Drive.
Mr.. Dugan said mot one red
cent OF Hill-Burton money has
ever been given to Arlington
Hospital-that all of the money
has gone to down-State hospi-
tails :"
MIR. Dugan insisted that Arling-
tons legislative team "has in no
instance made any particular
effort to secure matching funds
from the legislature to match
Federal funds . ;"
Senator Fenwick said later that
Ihe. Mr.. Magruder and Mr.. Damn
had spearheaded the whole Hill
Burton program in Virginia.
Senator Fenwick was a member
of . commission in 1912 and Mr..
81 lMagruder was a member of the
same group in 1914 which led to
the State qualifying for Federal
aid. according to MIR. Magruder.
Arlington Delegation Credited.
1t was the Arlington delegation
which was primarily responsible
for the State advancing a total of
$3.5 million in matching funds to
qualify for Federal aid, Mr.. Ma
gruder said. Senator Fenwick said
it was legislation introduced in
l946 by Mr.. Magruder and Mr..
Damn that permitted Virginia to
participate in the program.
Board Member Robert w. Cox
said at yesterdays meeting that
he thought it was unfortunate"
the hospital had been used "for
political purposes" =
In response to a question, Hos
pital Administrator John j. An
derson said State officials had not
given Arlington Hospital an A
priority when Hill-Burton funds
were assigned.
l. The ALLEGATION Of Hill-Burton
funds to the hospital this year was
: announced after a hearing before
the Virginia Hospital Council
about six weeks ago.
1t was the three Arlington
legislators. however. who appeared
before the council. of which
Senator Fenwick is a member, and
, appealed Tor Hin-Burton funds
for the hospital.
Fenwick Tells of Campaign.
Senator Fenwick said he had
led a campaign last year to urge
restoration Hill Burton funds
that were cut. They were not
restored. Mr.. Fenwick said, and as
result there was not enough
money to go around in the State.
He said the entire amoutn of Hill
Burton funds available for Vir-
ginia last year was spent to COM
plete projects which were half
completed. He said it would have
been foolish to allocate funds for
new construction-such as an ad-
dition at Arlington Hospital-and
leave some projects half complete.
Senator Fenwick said that as
a result Of an appropriation the
ldelegation had written into the
State budget IN 1948. the locali-
ties have to raise Is per cent
matching funds. while they previ-
ously had to raise nearly 40 per
cent.
When the time came to allot
Halliburton funds this year, Sena-
tor Fenwick said, the delegation
went to bat for Arlington. He said
there was no politics involved-'it
was just a case of showing that
Arlington was entitled to the
money and we did that"
On motion of Mr.. Dugaf, the
matter was referred to the County
Boards commission on ethics in
government.
l(nfo+v TnILe