Evening star., 1961-07-30
Police and Firemen's Medical Clinic
Fights for Its Life on Capitol Hill
BY GRACE BASSETT
Star staff Writer

100 years Of service to Wash
ington police and firemen is
fighting on Capitol Hill for its
life.
The outcome may depend on
the comparative determination
of two men-Representative
RabAut, Democrat of Michigan,
and Senator Byrd, Democrat Of
West Virginia. They head con-,
gressional subcommittee han
ding the Districts budget.
Mr.. Rabaut believes the
clinic is a boondoggle. The
House. in effect, agreed by vot-
ing unanimously to limit clinic
service to emergency care by
two doctors and to meet other
medical needs of officers at
District General Hospital.
Conscientious Senator Byrd
sees the clinic as a time and
money saver. Prospects are
good that the Senate will re-
store the $241 900 cut from the
clinic budget by the House.
Rabaut VS.. Byrd
This would pit convictions Of
Mr.. Rabaut and Senator Byrd
against each other in a Senate
House conference to reach a
compromise on the item.
By far the most evidence on
the records supports the Sem
ator'S view. He became con-
vinced on a tour of the clinic,
which has been on the third
floor Of the Thirteenth street
firehouse between K and L
streets NV. since 1892. Police
and firemen, eager to retain
their clinic. have won pledges
of help from Republican Repre-
Sentatives Matthias of Maryland
and Broyhill of Virginia.
District Commissioners. their
Police and Fire Chiefs, Robert
v. Murray and Millard Sutton,
Clinic Director Daniel L. Fin
ucane all are insisting District
General can't bear the burden
of clinic services within the
hospitals type budget.
New Facts Assembled
They plan to come to Senate
hearings armed with facts and
figures not given the House.
Though city officials seemed
unaware during House hearings
that Chairman Rabaut was
contemplating drastic clinic |
cutbacks. there was consider
able discussion of the question. |
Talk was put "off the record"
at the request of Fire Chief
Sutton. Repeatedly. Chief Sut-
ton was worried that his men,
accustomed to their own clinic,
would resent having to go to a
charity hospital to be treated |
with INDECENT patients.
Apparently unimpressed. |
Chairman Rabaut asked Chief
Sutton to furnish an answer,
from DR.. Reed preferably, to |
the committees primary ques- |
ton. why can't clinic services +,
be given at District General
Hospital?"
OF Great Benefit
The ION the record" answer
summarized clinic history and
added only: "While have not
specifically given thought to
the minds Of Congress who
have established this service,
/ feel that in their wisdom, it
has proved to be Of tremendous
benefit"
City officials now searching
for an answer to the ''why?" of |
the House cutback probably |
can find it in their own answer
to the Committees why not?"
question.
But House committeeman
offer this further explanation. |
They began looking at clinic
costs critically last year with
the addition, under consider
able HoueS protest, of a psy-
chiatrist and equipment. They
discovered that eight doctors
filled "part-time" positions for
which each was paid an aver
age Of $1,000 annually for de-
voting. 80 per cent as much
time to the clinic as permanent
staffers.
This year. members had re-
ports that "part-time" doctors
habitually checked into the
clinic and left after working
several hours or less daily.
These temporary positions were
ordered abolished in the House
bill.
$4,000 Allowed by House
The $25,000 allowed by the
House for two permanent doc
tors is close to the combined
pay of $l3,520 and $11,939 of
the permanent chairman CDR.
Reed and vice chairman of
the board of police and fire
surgeons, which runs the clinic.
Presumably other permanent
staff MEMBERS nurse, a lab
oratory technician, a secretary
and a clerk-would be paid by
the Health Department or lose
their jobs, should the House
budget be sustained.
I'VE know this will be hard
on District General Hospital"
a committee spokesman said.
I'VE know hospital administra-
tors have no plans for clinic
services. But they can find a