Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-26
Speakers Reply
To Witnesses
Fuvoring Chicago


Administration Committee by
several speakers opposing Chi
Icago as the site.
Witnesses from the Defense
Department, the Office of the
Surgeon General, United States
Army the Armed Forces Medi-
cal Library, which is to become
the heart of the new library. the
Public Health Service were
among those who were to testify
today.
The hearing was set up for
today to afford opportunity for
those favoring Washington as
the site to reply to witnesses who
at an earlier hearing had in
sisted on Chicago.
During the hearing this morn
ing, Representative Long, Demo-
Icrat of Louisiana, announced
that he would later make mo-
ton to transfer the bill under
consideration which would place
the library in Chicago to the
House Interstate and Foreign
Commerce Committee.
Similar Bill Approved
A subcommittee of the Com
merce Committee recently APP
proved a somewhat similar bill
fixing Washington as the site
for the library. The committee
acted after hearing all witnesses
testify for the Washington site.
The Commerce Committee
Itraditionally has handled legisla-
ton relating to medicine in the
Government.
DR.. Frank Berry, Assistant
Secretary of Defense for HEALTH
led the witnesses before the
House Administration Commit
tee today insisting the library
should be located in Washing
ton.
He pointed out that the pres
ent famous collection IN the
Armed Forces Medical Library
lis a national treasury and as
such belongs in or near our Ma
ltional Capital in much the same
manner as the Library of Con-
gress. the National Art Gallery
and other distinguished founda-
tons and organizations"
Institutions Here Cited
THE National Science Founda-
ton. the National Academy Of
Sciences and the National Insti-
tutes of Health, all truly national
in concept, scope and function"
DR.. Berry emphasized. ARE To-
Gated in or near the city of
Washington. 1t is fitting and
appropriate that this library
should add its distinguished COL
lection to the national institu-
tions that are developing in this
city"
Dr. Stanhope Bayne Jones,
technical director of research of
the Office of the Surgeon Gen.
eral of the Army, said he felt
that the Armed Forces Medical
Library "can best fulfill the en-
larged purposes of the proposed
National Medical Library if its
location remains in Washington
or the vicinity"
The Army surgeon general au-
thorized him to say. the witness
continued. that this Metropoli-
tan Area rs the most suitable
location for the proposed ma
tional medical library and he
trusts that the final decision will
be to keep it at or near the
Nations Capital, close to the
main agencies concerned with
the health of the Nation"
Rogers FavOrs Priest Bill
1t. Col. Frank B. Rogers, di-
rector of the present Armed
Forces Medical Library here,
told the committee that he ia
vored the bill already approved
by the House Interstate and For
eign Commerce Subcommittee
headed by Representative Priest,
Democrat of Tennessee.
The Priest bill, placing the
library in the District or vicinity,
is virtually identical with a bill
which already has passed the
Senate.
Col. Rogers said he personally
would favor a building some-
where in nearby Maryland. Be-
cause of the great value of the
medical library books and docu-
ments already in the Armed
Forces Medical Library. Col.
Rogers said, he would like to
see new library building made
of "destruction-resistant" ma
Iterials, with book stacks UNDER
ground for additional protec-
ton.
Other witnesses on the list
who planned to support the
Washington site today included
Surgeon General Leonard A.
Scheele Of the Public Health
Service and representatives Of
the Library of Congress, the
Veterans Administration and the
Mayo Foundation for Medical
Education and Research at Ro-
chester. MINI.
Body Identified