Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-19
Medical Library
Site in CHICAGO
Urged in House
Is Witnesses Oppose
D. c. Location for
National Institution
BY HAROLD B. ROGERS


Sixteen witnesses from Chi
cago today strongly urged a
House committee to approve Leg
islation establishing the pro-
posed National Library Of Medi-
cine In Chicago.
Chairman Burleson Of the
House Committee on Administra-
ton announced after the hear
ing that another session viii be
held next Tuesday morning by
his unit to hear spokesman for
opponents Of the Chicago pro-
|posal.
Legislation to re-establish the
historical Armed Forces Medical
Library as the new. National
Library If Medicine in the Dis
|trict Of vicinity has passed the
Senate and gone to the House.
Another bill for the same pur-
pose naming the District or
vicinity as the. site, has been
approved by a House subcom-
mittee on Interstate and For
|eign Commerce and sent to the
full committee for action.
Central Location Cited
Witnesses before the Burleson
COMMITTEE today. representing
medical. educational, pharma-
|ceutical and drug interests from
Chicago concentrated their aTgu-
ment for the big library on the
fact that their city is centrally
located and Is the headquarters
of many great medical, dental
and affiliated organizations
The testimony was led of by
Representative O'Brien, Demo-
crat Of Illinois, and Representa-
tive Yates, Democrat of Illinois,
who are among sponsors of leg
islation to move the library to
Chicago.
Among the kilograms from
persons objecting to the Chicago
location and favoring the Dis
|trict Of Columbia site were those
from the Defense Department.
Also asking to oppose Chicago
was DR.. ]. S. Ravdin of the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania, who was
on the team Of surgeons at Pres
|ident Eisenhower's recent opera
ton. Another leading surgeon
favoring, the District site, in his
telegram to the committee, was
DR.. Daniel C. Elkin of Lancaster.
Ky, president-elect Of the Amer
lean College Of Surgeons, whose
National headquarters is in Chi
|cago.
Representative O'Brien, con-
tending that the proposed new
library should be located in
Chicago, charged that previous
testimony before the House
Commerce Committee indicating
the American Medical Associa-
ton favored the District of
Columbia as the site. was mot
true"
Reads ANA Letter
Mr.. O'Brien read to the COM
mittee q letter from DR.. George
r. Lull, secretary of the Ameri-
can Medical Association, saying
the ANA is strongly in favor of
the new proposed library but
has never made any recon-
mendation as to the geographic
cal location of the library"
Approval of the District site
by the ANA had been testified
to at the recent hearing before
the House Commerce Committee
on the bill placing the library
in this area.
Senator Douglas, Democrat of
Illinois, told the Burleson Com
mittee today that the testimony
before the Commerce Committee
had been one Of the things that
led to a defeat Of the move on
the Senate floor to change the
Legislation then pending from a
site in the District to a site in
Chicago.
Senator Douglas said he had
mo doubt the statement before
the Commerce Committee about
the ANA wanting the library
here had been made Gin good
faith"
Stresses Central Location
Senator Douglas said that
when the District Of Columbia
was selected as the Capital Of
the Nation it was in the geo.
graphical center Of the country.
But now he said the geographical
center Of the Nation is in Illinois.
Representative Long, Demo-
crat of Louisiana, questioned
several witnesses during the
hearing about the issue Of
whether the ANA favors the
District or Chicago as the IL
brary site.
Mr.. Long, a dentist, said he
has participated in many gath
erings Of dental and scientific
men and knew from experience
that there is a difference Of
opinion among members Of diff
ferent associations.