Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-11
Medical Library Bill
|OK'd by House Unit
Senate to Debate
Measure Today; !
D. c. Site Backed
By HAROLD B. ROGERS

ASAoAoOAoAA W 1dllSlOIm JIG
Armed Forces Medical Library
into the National Library Of
Medicine on a site in or near the
District was approved by a House
subcommittee today.
The bill was sent to the House
Interstate and Foreign Commerce
Committee for action tomorrow
morning. An almost identical
bill was scheduled for debate and
action this afternoon by the
Senate.
! The House Subcommittee on
Health and Science approved the
legislation after hearing unani-
nous support for the project.
Representative Priest, Demo-
crat of Tennessee, chairman of
both the subcommittee and the
full Commerce Committee, an.
nounced at the close of the hear
ing that there had been no oppo-
Sitlon by witnesses this morning
and no one had requested to tes-
ltify against the measure.
Expects Senate Passage
Mr.. Priest told the public
hearing he had information in
dicating the Senate would pass
the bill.
i There were indications that
the full House Commerce Com
mittee would approve the meas
lure by its chairman tomorrow
and send it to the House.
Only one prospective contro-
verSy arose today as legislators
on both sides appeared ready
to push the bill toward enact
ment. That was the site for the
library.
! Other bills have been intro
duced in both the House and
Senate to specify that the Ma
tional Library of Medicine should
be located in Chicago. Pro-
Iponents of the bill, however,
predicted the measure would
pass specifying the site for
Washington or the Metropolitan
Area.
Five Testify for Bill
The unanimous support given
the House bill this morning
came from five witnesses and one
statement from a cross section
of Federal and medical authori-
ties was submitted.
The measure was Endorsed by:
DR.. David E. Price, assistant
surgeon general Of the Public
Health Service speaking also for
the Department of Health Edu-
cation and Welfare; Frank B.
Berry, Assistant Secretary Of
Defense in charge of health and
medical affairs; DR.. L. Quincy
Mumford, librarian of Congress;
DR.. Preston A. McLendon, speak,
ing for both the American Medi-
cal Association and the District
Medical Society. and DR.. Worth
Daniels of the Society of Medi-
cal Consultants to the Armed
Forces.
Submitting a statement APP
proving the bill was DR.. William
is. Middleton, chief medical di-
rector of the Veterans Admin.
Iistration.
Chairman Priest added he had
received a phone call emphasize
ling the American Medical AS
Isociation's desire to locate the
library in this area, from DR..
Thomas Alphin, director of the
washington Office of the ANA.
Back d. c. Area site
Virtually every witness this
morning was questioned after
his testimony to emphasize the
fact he had approved the loca-
ton of the library in the District
or vicinity. Each replied in the
affirmative.
The argument for this area
was concentrated mostly on the
fact that the library will be q
national institution to Coop
erate with the array of other
national medical bodies in the
metropolitan area.
! Furthermore the library would
, have as a nucleus and keystone
the Armed Forces Medical
Labrary.
!. Chairman Priest emphasized
the fact that the old library is
in an old structure which has,
: been condemned for more than
80 years."
i am convinced" said the
legislator, that it should be
housed in a modern building as
) part of the new National Lii
brary of Medicine"