Evening star. [volume], April 02, 1937, Page A-16, Image 16

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
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Change Would Deprive Cit
| izens of Voice in
Policies.
This is the second of a series dis
cussing principles lying behind the
proposal to transfer control over
the municipal hospitals and medi
cal charities from the Board of
Public Welfare to the Health De
partment.
BY DON S. WARREN.
One of the principal arguments
raised against transfer of the hospi
talization and medical care of the poor
to the Health Department is that it
would deprive the disfranchised Wash
ington residents of any voice at all in
the policies of administration of these
services.
In short, the change would mean
that instead of having the Board of
Public Welfare—one of the non-sal
aried boards of citizens—formulate
the general policies of the hospitals,
there would be substituted the direc
tion of an appointed official, the health
officer.
In this connection, advocates of the
present plan report that a survey of
hospitals shows the great majority are
under the supervision of boards of wel
fare, boards of trustees, institution
commissioners or similar bodies, rather
than by health'officers.
Question One of Pressure.
Proponents of the present form of
administration are relying heavily on
the history of the development of the
welfare administration to sustain their
arguments. The difference in the pos
sible effect of pressure which could be
exerted on one single city official, as
opposed to a non-salaried citizen's
board was cited in 1925 by the com
mission which developed the present
plan for organization of the District’s
.welfare administration.
The following quotations are taken
from the report of that commission
which had studied the problems for
nearly two years:
“The board form of organization for
the District has some distinct merits.
In the first place, we have always had
It, our present problem 11925—before
the present Board of Public Welfare
had been created) being too many
boards. It seems wiser to reduce the
existing diffusion of boards to order
and unity rather than to turn sudden
ly to the extreme form of centraliza
tion by abolishing all participation of
the citizens through a board and by
putting one man in complete control ,
«f our welfare administration.
“A well-chosen board can bring to
the problem, without cost to the pub
lic, a wealth of experience, a knowl- j
edge of business methods, a human
eympathy and understanding which
ought to be invaluable to the director
In the solution of his difficulties, and !
f.n assurance to the public that its j
wards are receiving proper attention j
at a cost which represents efficiency in
both administration and service.
Responsible to City Heads.
“Responsibility to the heads of the
municipal government is definitely es
tablished by having the Commission
ers appoint the board, and the director
upon nomination by the board, and by
having its budget submitted to the
Commissioners as are all other boards
lor municipal activities.
"It is worth recalling that public
welfare is one of the newer develop
ments in government. It deals with
human beings in distress, and its work
fe not so definite, tangible and meas
ureable as are, for example, the activi
ties of the Police and Fire Depart
ments.
“A board of citizens can be an edu
cative and interpretative force in the
community and can help to acquaint
the public with methods and needs in
a field where public education is great
ly needed. It can bring the non- j
expert but intelligent lay point of view
to bear upon the problems of the sick
and needy, which is always a whole
come and often a very necessary thing.
“It is sometimes true, also, that a
department controlled by a single ex
ecutive may lend itself too readily to
domination by particular persons or
groups of interest either through bias
er fear of opposition.
"It is, of course, supremely impor
tant that public welfare administra
tion be fair and just and free of petty
Appointed
NEW COMMANDER OF LOCAL
TROOPS NAMED.
BRIG. GEN. D. T. MERRILL,
Native of the District of Co
lumbia, who has been desig
nated to command the Wash
ington Provisional Brigade,
composed of Army troops sta
tioned in and near the Capital.
He ivill come here from Fort
Sheridan, III., June 15, to take
over command of the Brigade,
succeeding Brig. Gen. Charles
D. Roberts, slated for retire
ment. —U. S. Army Photo.
motives. Sometimes an executive must
run the risk of determined opposition
to a particular course of action which
seems to him wise. Often he is threat
ened with attempts to secure his re
moval by reason of disagreement with
his decisions and pclicies. Such situa
tions are inevitable and need to be
faced courageously, but unfortunately
a public official freouently becomes a
special target for criticism. When he
shares responsibility with a board of
citizens who represent the community
it is possible to formulate policies and
make special decisions in accordance
with community needs. The board can
bring balance, continuity and the wis
dom and experience of several minds
to the administration of public wel
fare, and its members, being unpaid.
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THERE’S LOTS OF NEWS IN THE NEW
FLORSHEIM SHOES
New lasts . . . new leathers . . . new
patterns! Brown is big for Spring . . .
and Gray is going great guns! We’ve new
ventilated styles for comfort and per
forated brogues for style! In short we’re
ready with just about every Florsheim
style a well-dressed man could want.
14th & G • 7th &K • 321214th
/ MUTT AND JEFF. Mutt Is a Firm Believer in “When a Case Is Closed, It’s Closed.” —By BUD FISHER
"muTTWHVDiD all! jS THAT THE WtAyTO ^SOSH, l'M^
you KNOCK ME \_yA HAD/ JES TREAT A FRIEND SORR^JEFF/
DOWN yfSTE WHO STUCK WITH yA
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AND BURIED FOR
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have less personal stake in controver
sies that may arise.”
While this report was drafted some
12 years ago, it is held by advocates
of the present setup to be a pertinent
argument today, though there is no
suggestion that Dr. Ruhland is not
competent or highly qualified, either
as an expert on public health measures
or as an administrator of a city de
partment.
Chairman Ross Collins of the House
Appropriations Subcommittee, which
has charge of the 1938 District bill,
who said the current proposal of trans
ferring the hospitals and medical
charities to the Health Department
was his own, declared that many
cities have such forms of administra
tion.
Advocates of continuing the present
set-up claim, however, a survey shows
that the majority of hospitals similar
to those operated here for the treat
ment of the poor are not under the
control of a health officer.
It is reported there are 85 such in
stitutions which can be classed as
“comparable.” Such city and county
institutions having 300 or more beds
were found to number 85. Twelve of
this number are reported to be oper
ated by health departments. Seventy
three were reported to be operated by
welfare boards, boards of trustees, in
stitution commissions, similar bodies
or by supervisors.
This survey showed there are 112
institutions of cities and counties
having a bed capacity of less than 300.
Of this number, 92 were reported to
be under the control of welfare divi
sions, boards of trustees, managers
and the like. Twenty-three were
iound to be subject to report direct
to the city council, county commis
sioners or supervisors. Two were re
ported under the direction of sisters,
one was directed by university heads
and four by local health departments.
Free State to Up Pay.
Salaries of ministers in the Irish
Free State are to be increased sub
stantially at the suggestion of Presi
dent De Valera. The chairman of the
Dail will rank as a minister under the
new arrangement. When the present
government took over power in Dublin
| five years ago economy was the watch
word and the new officials accepted a
low scale of pay. Some of them have
! been getting less than officials who
work for them. Under the new scale
President De Valera and the attorney
general will receive $12,500 a year In
! stead of $7,500 and all other ministers
$8,500 instead of $5,000.
1 Fnro'l for Spring Classes Now Formlnf In
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Summer motor oil needed NOW
m
TT’S not the long, steady runs that wear
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Approximately 34 °f your engine’s wear
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So, when you change to summer-grade
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TOUGH BODIED, it stands the high tem
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breaking down into sludge and carbon.
It takes only 15 minutes to have your
crankcase flushed and refilled with the cor
rect summer grade of Golden Shell Motor
Oil. At the same time ask your dealer
about Shellubrication.
A