Evening star., 1955-06-16
BY ROBERT X. WALSH

by hObEhI n. WALSH
Any plan the Senate Labor
and Public Welfare Committee
approves for Federal financing
of polio vaccine faces Q highly
debatable fate In the Senate it.
self, committee members con-
ceded today.
Committee hearings yesterday
and Tuesday produced consider
able testimony that q mass In
oculation program for all young
sters everywhere In the United
States will require some degree
of Federal financial assistance
But. with American Medical
Association spokesmen opposing
any real Federal participation
except possibly supplying money
with no strings attached-and
with the National Foundation for
Infantile Paralysis refusing to
choose between rival plans, the
Senate committee faced major
Questions.
May Meet Soon
The widely split committee
hopes to. meet within q day or
two to digest the testimony and
report out q bill, Chairman Hill,
Democrat, Of Alabama said.
Some Of the questions 1t will try
to resolve are:
Could Congress discharge its
responsibility by appropriating
Federal grants to States without
Ienacting legislation controlling
limiting or otherwise governing
State and local community meth
ods of administering polio vac
cine programs?
Should any congressional bill
grant $135 million to States for
free vaccination Of all children
Through the age of 19, as pro-
vided in Senator Hills bill, or
merely give $35 million in sup
Elementary assistance to States,
as recommended in the admin
Iistration bill introduced by Sen
ator Smith, Republican, of New
Jersey?
Should a compromise version
be sent tosthe Senate, whereby
no specific amount would be re-
Quested either on q free -for-all
or limited basis? And would Con-
gress accept an arrangement
whereby Federal general assist
ance funds which States already
use for various vaccine and
other health projects would be
increased to help States meet
sudden increased burdens GER
tain to result from any mass
polio inocu1ation program
throughout the country?
hclatcu aueStlOn
This raises the related oues-
ton whether either the existing
Federal laws or State programs
are adequate to handle such
greatly expanded programs, OF
whether additional regulatory
Legislation is necessary.
/ VIII the Senate committee and
Congress in general be satisfied
with amendments which Welfare
Secretary Hobby recommended
for the original bill for Fedora,
grants to States for purchase o1
vaccine for children whose par.
ents otherwise could not afforc
to pay? The amendments woulc
eliminate any mention of ability
or inability to pay. They are de.
signed to supplement State fund.
to assure Salk vaccine for al
children without requiring an.
type of means" test or inter.
fering with any existing Stats
or local community methods.
Should Congress appropriat,
funds to buy vaccine which
could be turned over, in Who'll,
or in part. to the National Foun.
dation for Infantile Paralysis t,
administer an expanded mas
Iinoculation program?
| NIP Chairman Basil O'Con
lnor told the committee yester,
day that the foundation nigh
be willing to administer such B.,
program. He made clear, how
ever, that the foundation ha
not asked to do so and probabl!
would be reluctant, although 1
has the facilities. The founda.
tion already is financing ant
administering the vaccination
program for several million firs
and second grade school chill
; dren.
Committee Chairman Hill re-