Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1961-10-22
2 Congress Groups
Probing D. c. Units
Licenses Office,
PoIice-Fire Clinic
Undergo Check
By SAM EASTMAN
Star Staff Writer

OlSLIlCG BORGIIllIlcIlG OpCl d
tons are under active investi-
cation by staff teams from two
congressional committees.
Investigators from the House
Appropriations Committee are
checking records to see if doc
tors at the police-fire medical
clinic are earning their pay.
The other team is compiling
data for the previously an
nounced investigation Of city
government departments by the
House District Committee.
The Appropriations Commit
tee inquiry is being conducted
by q special four-member team
which has been given office
space in the District Building.
0utgrOwth of Rift
This investigation, which
may spread to other municipal
government areas, is an out
growth of a budget battle ear
lier this year on the merits of
the city'S Board of Police and
Fire Surgeons.
The House in the past ses-
sion voted to limit the clinic
service to emergency care by
two doctors, and to meet other
medical needs of policemen
and firemen at District General
Hospital.
This action reflected the
viewpoint of Chairman Rabaut
Of the House District Appro-
priations Subcommittee that
the clinic was a boondoggle.
Mr.. Rabaut'S counterpart
on the Senate side, Senator
Byrd, Democrat of West Vir-
ginia, however. did not agree.
The Senate restored a S241 900
House cut in the clinic budget.
House Senate conferees
backed the Senate restoration,
but at the same time ordered
the investigation on the best
method Of giving the line-of-
duty medical services.
The House Appropriations
Committee repeatedly was cor,
cerned over reports that clin1
doctors earning stable mus
nicipal salaries were spending
only two to three hours a day
on this work, and were con-
Quoting private practices stimuli
taneouSly.
The Districts Human Rela-
tons Council staff was moved
into outside quarters to provide
office space for this team of
investigators headed by Rich
ard F. McEliece.
The District Building last
week also was visited by staff
investigators gathering infor-
nation for a city government
inquiry to be conducted by the
House District Committee.
Pressure" an Issue
Chairman Mcmillan an
nounced his intention to in
vestigate District departments
after a city official accused the
Congressman of presSuring him
to give Ross Rosenberg an auto
dealers license. Mr.. Rosen-
berg had lost his dealers per.
nit during a breakdown on
used-car abuses here.
Mr.. Mcmillan said reports
of pressure were distorted, and
added: Il call it investigation"
The Districts handling of the
case, he said, was
not the only one on which he
had received complaints.
Mr.. McMillan's announce
ment last July was that the
special subcommittee would be
instructed to look into all types
of complaints against any de-
partment charged with the en-
forcement of laws passed by
Congress.
A special subcommittee
named by Mr.. Mcmillan was
given subpoena powers for the
investigation.
AS was expected, the COM
mittee staff has been con-
centrating its efforts in the De-
partment of Licenses and In
spections.
City officials reported that
the investigators have spent a
major part of their time so far
studying records of the de-
partment'S Housing Division.
In addition, the investigators
have been interviewing depart
ment employees, it was reported.