Evening star., 1953-04-14
Revised Budget
Plan Outlined
By MRS. Hobby
House Group Due
To Hear Of Savings
At Closed Session

A revised budget for the De-
partment of Health. Education
and Welfare was discussed by
Secretary Oveta Culp Hobby be-
fore a House appropriations subs
committee today.
Before the closed budget ses-
sion.- there were indications that
the new cabinet officer would
outline some possible cuts in
construction plans for Federal
institutions in the Washington
area.
Today's session was set up to
hear Mrs. Hobby's review Of
budget estimates sent to Capitol
Hill for her Department before
the new administration took
over.
Mrs. Hobby, then administra-
tor of the Federal Security
Agency, appeared with other
officials on February "a before
the subcommittee, headed by
Representative Busbey, Repub-
lican, of Illinois.
The February testimony. made
public today, indicated that the
closest scrutiny of Washington
area construction requests for
the next fiscal year would center
around Howard University and
st. Elizabeths Hospital.
Returns After Study.
At the earlier session, Mrs.
Hobby said she did not feel quail
fled to discuss the building re-
quests. She asked permission to
return after making a complete
study of the request, in line with
Budget Bureau economy direc-
tiveS.
At one point, however. M. E.
Stephens, then FSA budget off,
Ger, said a temporary delay had
been ordered on "a bunch Of
buildings at Howard. where the
builders had even turned in
bids"
Defending the request, DR..
Mordecai w. johnson, Howard
University president, said only
$4,000 was being sought in
new money" along with $1.9
million to liquidate contract au-
thority on projects already voted
by Congress. He said four build
ings, part of a long-range i'm
provement program, were ex-
pected to be started early this
year.
The main new construction
fund sought at St. Elizabeths IL
$195,000 for preliminary plan
ming Of a new maximum security
building to replace the existing
structure, Howard Hall.
DR.. Winfred Overholser, st.
Elizabeths superintendent, said
he could see other uses for
Howard Hall, however. He said
he didn't subscribe to an ap-
parent thesis of the Budget
Bureau that an old building had
to be torn down before a newI
one could be occupied.
High Points Listed.
In other highlights of the tes-
timony:
l. DR.. Paul B. Cornely, Freed
mems Hospital medical director,
said that Budget Bureau cuts
would not provide enough money
to buy sufficient drugs for tuber-
culosiS patients, or provide ade-
quate aneSthesia or laboratory
service.
/. F'reedmen's officials said
they have been unable to get
satisfactory reimbursement for
treating INDECENT residents of
nearby Maryland and Virginia,
including many emergency cases.
They said reimbursement con-
tracts in Arlington and Fairfax
have netted a $126 total, while
negotiations in Prince Georges
County have hit "a stone wall"
3. DR.. Overholser strongly op-
posed as "a backward step" sug-
gestions that st. Elizabeths be
transferred from Federal to
District control. Representative
Busby had asked DR.. Overholser
for his opinion on the advis-
ability of putting the hospital
under District control.
4. The st. Elizabeths head
warned that the pending budget
request would not permit hiring
enough personnel to open a 1861
bed section Of the 2A-year-oId
geriatrics building. He said the
section never has been used, de-
spite crowded conditions else
where in the hospital.
S. DR.. Overholser disclosed
that. because Of overcrowding at
Howard Hall, the hospital has
had to refuse admission to
some Of the prisoners in the Dis
trict Jail who had been declared
OF unSound mind"
Budget Slashed.
DR.. Cornley told the subcom-
mittee deficiencies In actual
medical service at Freedmen's
stem from a Budget Bureau
slash in the hospitals request
from $4.5 million to $3.1 million.
First Of all, in the area Of
clinical laboratories we do about
145,000 tests a year." he said.
But at the present time, we
are unable to give coverage at
night and on week ends with
technical personnel.
Secondly, we have the prob
lem Of performing 1900 opera
tions year and we do not have
a corps of anesthetists sufficient
to handle them.
Lastly, I would like to men,
ton drugs.
I'VE have not been able to
. provide some Of the new
drugs for the treatment Of tu-