Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-10-13


D. c. IN 80. Poss E~s
Of q special Dis
trict fund to which the three
local medical schools could
make voluntary contributions.
The District Commissioners,
with the advice Of 9 committee
comprised Of the deans Of the
medical schools, could then use
this fund to supplement- the
regular government pay Of the
top doctors and hard-to-get
specialists.
The plan was worked out at
q closed meeting Of District Of
ficials d representatives Of
the medical schools on Friday.
Walter N. Tobriner, president
Of the District Board Of Com
missioners. said yesterday that
he believes the proposal
which would permit payment
Of extra salaries to the doctors
without violating conflict-of-
interest laws-"appears to
make a lot Of sense. but we will
have to study 1t further"
See Possibilities
Spokesman for the three
schools said that, while
this plan is not the only one
under consideration, they see
no immediate objection to it
and believe 1t has possibilities.
DR.. Murray Grant, director
Of the District Public Health
Department, said he thinks the
special fund proposal sounds
Ike 1t has q lot Of promise. We
ought to look at it carefully"
The idea Of q special city
fund for additional doctor pay
is being examined because Of a
recent ruling by the Districts
legal office that doctors who
work for the city can no longer
accept outside pay for teaching
while on duty.
This law prohibits any en-
ploye Of the District or Federal
Government from receiving
any salary from q private
source as compensation for
services rendered the Govern
ment. 1t also makes the giving
or receiving Of such compensa-
ton a criminal offense and
provides q penalty Of $1,000 or
one year In Jail, or both.
Payments Halted
Payments by the universities
to the District doctors were
promptly stopped after the le-
gal Offices opinion.
Until that time. q Of the
doctors at District General
Hospital had received extra
compensation from the univer-
stiles, ranging from about
1000 to $4,000 q year.
Meanwhile, Schuyler Lowe,
director Of the Department of
General Administration, said
special notices viii be sent to-
morrow to all Of the city gov
ernment's approximately 400
doctors asking them to file cur
rent statements about outside
employment or financial hold
ings.
The doctors are being asked
to return these statements by
October Is for review to make
certain that the District Com
policy against con-
file t-of-interest activities are
being observed.
D. C. Controlled
The advantage seen for the
special city fund plan Is that It
places control Of the sup
Elementary payments In the
hands of the District Commits
sioners and avoids the dual
aspect Of the present
arrangements.
DR.. John D. Schultz, medical
director of District General
Hospital, has warned that I'M
less some way Is found to pro-
vide extra compensation, "sev-
eral Of the top men at the hos
pital will go elsewhere-not
Immediately, but in time"
While no final decision was
reached at the Friday meeting,
the fund idea will be reviewed
again at a meeting of the COM
mittee at 7:45 am. Wednesday
in the District Building.
DR.. John Parks, dean Of the
George Washington University
medical school, said the special
fund proposal sounds like a
possibility and we are going to
consider every possible ap-
proach within the framework
of the law.
DR.. John c. Rose, dean Of the
Georgetown University medical
school, said he sees no immedi-
ate objection to the fund plan.
A spokesman for the Howard
University medical school, who
asked that his name not be
used, also said he saw no objec. /,
ton to this proposal.