Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-07-25
Senate Rejects
New Site for
|Sibley Hospital.
Committee Beaten
After Approving
Another Location


prise attempt to end the long
dispute over the location of a
new Sibley Hospital.
The attorney is Alan john
stone, a former general counsel
of the old Federal Works Agency.
His Inflated mediation effort
came to light yesterday just as
the Senate was preparing to nip
1t in the bud.
The unexpected intervention
which still had officials of the
District, Sibley and American
University, where Sibley wants
to build. spinning today-came
about like this:
Sibley and the District have
been feuding for many months
over a plan to build a new hos
pital on American University's
The District, at the
urging of nearby residents, re-
zoned the university to prohibit
almost all new buildings not
specifically authorized, including
the hospital.
Sibley and AU took the coming
order to court and Federal Judge
Holtzoff last month
threw it out. The city now is
to a higher court.
Bill Offers New Site.
Thursday night, the Senate
Appropriations Committee made
public its action on the District
appropriation bill. The bill con-
tanned a surprise provision on the
hospital project. This authorized
the sale of the site of the old
National Training School for
Girls to Sibley for its new build
ing. This site is on Loughboro
road near Macarthur boulevard
NV.
University and hospital OFF,
Gals and attorneys, processing
complete surprise, went into
hasty consultation. They said
they weren't responsible for the
suggestion.
Commissioner Samuel Spencer
said the Commissioners weren't
either. He said the District
wasn't making any offer.
Late in the day the would-be
was identified.
Mr.. Johnstone said he had
suggested the training school
site to Senator Dirksen, Repub-
lican, of Illinois, chairman of
the District Appropriations sub
committee.
1.-THE District is in fearful need
Of hospital space" he explained,
land I thought it would be in
the public interest to find a
nom controversial site"
He added he thought the
school site would fit the
bill and end the litigation,
But last night the Senate
killed the authorization after
several Senators raised objec-
tions.
Senator LANCER, of North Da-
kota, and Case, of South Da-
kota, Republicans, and Morse,
Independent, of Oregon, were
the objecting Senators.
Senator LANCER said the au-
thorization was legislation-and
therefore out of order in an APP
bill. Senator Morse
questioned limiting the pro-
posed sale of the training school
site to one prospective buyer.
Senator Case objected to acting
on the provision without a pub
lie hearing
Senator DirkSen admitted
that "softness of heart" toward
the hospital may have over
whelmed and dominated the
better judgment of the commit
tee."
Lacks Support Elsewhere.
Even without the Senate dis
the move apparently
wouldn't have had much of a
chance. Commissioner Spencer
said he had refused to indorse it
when Mr.. tombstone consulted
him recently. And officials Of
both the hospital and the uni
versity last night indicated they
have no intention of taking up
the idea.
DR.. Hurst r. Anderson, uni
versity president, said a restora-
ton of the university's old zon-
ing-leaving it with a right to
build more freely-is the pri-
mary objective, and the hospital
location is only secondary.
IT don't see any possibility of
getting this settled until the zon-
ing is settled" he said.
DR.. John M. Orem, Sibley
president. said he planned no
new action, either.
Mr.. tombstone, now vacation
ing IN Ocean City, Md, was
asked why he was interested in
his suggestion.
He explained that as counsel
of the Federal Works Agency
forerunner of the General Serv-
ices Administration-he helped
draft the law providing Federal
funds for both the proposed new
District hospital center and the
Sibley project.
Somebody must take the in
itiative," he said. I'D like to
see the hospital program pro-
ceed."
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