Page images
PDF
EPUB

MONDAY, JULY 16, 1917.

OFFICE OF THE SURGEON GENERAL.

STATEMENTS OF COL. HENRY C. FISHER AND MR. B. B. THOMPSON, CHIEF CLERK.

TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES.

Col. FISHER. Gen. Gorgas was unable to appear, and he asked me to come in his stead. Mr. Thompson, the chief clerk, is also here, and as he knows all about the details I will ask him to answer your questions.

The CHAIRMAN. You are asking what for the Surgeon General's office?

Mr. THOMPSON. The scheme that was laid before the Secretary some weeks ago contemplated an aggregate emergency force of 272 people, costing $290,116. I think, however, that Gen. Gorgas, in submitting those figures, did not understand that it was a formal estimate; that it was more in the nature of a conjecture. The CHAIRMAN. You mean that is too many?

Mr. THOMPSON. Scarcely, sir. At the present time we have on the emergency roll an aggregate of 214 people, including the messenger and labor force, which would make an annual pay roll of $219,000. We immediately need, according to the estimates of the various sections and divisions of the office, 98 more people-2 clerks at $1,600, experts in accounting; 90 at the flat rate of $1,000; one laborer at $660; and 5 messengers at $720-and things are changing so from day to day that the Surgeon General feels that he will likely need before the end of this fiscal year 100 clerks in addition to that. Of course, that is more or less of a conjecture, but the immediate need now is for 98 more people than the present force of 214, which would bring it considerably above the figures of 272 which are comprised in the estimates now before the committee.

Mr. SCOFIELD. May I add that the present force, instead of being 214 is 266; that is to say, he has 214 on the roll, but the difference between 214 and 266 have been appointed and are on the way for duty. Mr. GILLETT. How many did you have before the war?

Mr. THOMPSON. The clerical force before the war was 115. That does not include the laborer, messenger, and mechanical force emploved in the museum building.

Mr. GILLETT. So you have already added about 100?

Mr. THOMPSON. We have added 214, but that is only the emergency roll: that is in addition to the old roll.

The CHAIRMAN. A considerable portion of the work that would naturally fall on the Surgeon General's office is done in the Red Cross

office, is it not?

Mr. THOMPSON. I would hardly like to state it that way, Mr. Chair

man.

The CHAIRMAN. You understand what I mean, so tell it in the way

You want to tell it.

Mr. THOMPSON. They have certain activities of their own which are, after they reach a certain definite shape, adopted by the Surgeon

General.

The CHAIRMAN. They have been in charge of a great deal of the preliminary work in the organization of base hospitals, have they not?

Col. FISHER. They have organized a certain number of base hospitals and have been of a great deal of assistance in turning them over to the Surgeon General, but as soon as they turn them over to the Surgeon General his office takes entire charge of them and the Red Cross has nothing more to do with them.

The CHAIRMAN. Is this preliminary work by the Red Cross performed by employees of the War Department?

Col. FISHER. No.

The CHAIRMAN. So that a considerable amount of work that would necessarily be done in the Surgeon General's office is done outside of it.

Col. FISHER. The work of the organization of those Red Cross units has been done by the Red Cross outside of the Surgeon General's office, but as soon as they are turned over to the Army the Surgeon General's office takes charge.

The CHAIRMAN. I mean, the preliminary work in connection with organization is taken off of the Surgeon General's office?

Col. FISHER. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. What I wanted to find out was whether we furnished the clerical assistance required in that work?

Col. FISHER. Not at all; but if they are taken over by the Government, then we do.

Mr. CANNON. They do much of the work, then, for the benefit of the Government, as represented in your department?

Col. FISHER. Oh, yes, sir; a great deal.

The CHAIRMAN. What I wanted to develop, Colonel, was that this force now asked for is for work outside of that preliminary work in connection with the organization of these units?

Col. FISHER. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. While it has been done by the Red Cross it has really been in charge of an officer of the Surgeon General's office? Col. FISHER. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. But the clerical services were not furnished out of the Surgeon General's appropriations?

Col. FISHER. No.

The CHAIRMAN. But that work was done in that way?

Col. FISHER. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. And these requests are for employees required in the office of the Surgeon General in connection with the work directly done by that office?

Col. FISHER. Yes, sir: that is correct.

The CHAIRMAN. In making up this estimate was an average compensation stated or was the detailed organization worked out?

Mr. THOMPSON. There was a detailed statement submitted at the time this aggregate of two hundred and ninety thousand and odd dollars was computed for the 272, which is in the hands of the Secretary.

[blocks in formation]

STATEMENT OF MAJ. GEN. WILLIAM C. GORGAS, SURGEON

GENERAL.

RENDEZVOUS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD FOR TRAINING.

Mr. CANNON. General, I read an article in the Post this morning giving the rendezvous of the various National Guard units for training. I have been away for a little over two weeks and have just returned from my own State and I notice that they are to be sent to Houston, Tex. We are up toward the North Temperate Zone, and if that statement is correct that involves transportation down and back, does it not?

Gen. GORGAS. Will those troops necessarily go back to those particular localities?

Mr. CANNON. I do not know.

Gen. GORGAS. I do not know those general conditions that you speak of: I mean, what they intend to do with these troops.

Mr. CANNON. I do not know, either; but I know that if they rendezvous in Texas it is a long way to Tipperary and it is a long way from Illinois, especially Chicago and the northern part of the State, and they must be transported by rail. Now, when they are needed for service across the ocean, I take it for granted they would have to be transported probably to Norfolk or New York or Boston or possibly across into Canada to be convoyed with the greatest safety. I was surprised about it. Of course, I knew about the kicking out in my own State about going down to a semitropical country like Houston, Tex., where they would have to be, as they claim, acclimatized and all that kind of thing. In sending these people from the North down South, some of them, I noticed in that article, go to New Mexico and Mississippi and Alabama.

Mr. GILLETT. The Massachusetts troops go to North Carolina. Mr. CANNON. Yes; and some to Georgia and so on. Now it seems to me that that is going to lead to great and unnecessary expense, and while I am a loyal supporter of all that would bring victory with the least disease and with the greatest efficiency--and when I say that I measure my words-it does look to me, from the standpoint of a tenderfoot, that unless that thing is tied up it ought to be reviewed. I simply wanted to call your attention to that. I read your statement about there being more daylight down there, and so on. and I will say for myself that that explanation does not explain. Gen. GORGAS. I know that one of the men from the information bureau came to me and asked the general question that you are ask

ing, what I thought of it from a sanitary point of view, of training those people in a southern climate rather than at their homes. I told him, so far as the sanitary point of view was concerned, I would have all of the concentration camps located in a warm climate, for the reason that being in a warm climate the camps could be kept open better, and in the crowded condition which will occur it would not be as bad as in a cold climate. While there is not any difference from a military point of view, I assume that a camp located in Alabama-the outdoor life in winter-they could have so many more days' drill in 365 days than at a camp located in North Dakota. From a sanitary point of view I think the advantage would be in the fact it could be open in the winter months. As to the East or West, I do not know anything about that. I did not know that the camps for the National Guard were selected in the Southern States. Mr. CANNON. Were they selected before or after you were consulted?

Gen. GORGAS. I do not recall ever being consulted. That was the first consultation I had. I am just expressing my views. He is one of our reporters there.

Mr. CANNON. You know that when you get over to France you will get something of winter, and if you go into Germany you will get a great deal of it. It just occurs to me that upon the whole there might not be much time for intensive training, without being acclimated. Of course, with the greater population North-take the registration in the city of New York and the city of Chicago-the city of Chicago has a greater registration than all the balance of my State, I believe.

Gen. GORGAS. Very strangely enough, Chicago has one of the very smallest death rates in the United States.

Mr. CANNON. It is subject to criticism, and I know it is subject to universal kicking in my State.

Mr. GILLETT. Would you think, on sanitary grounds, that it was as wholesome for northern boys to go south in the summer as to remain at home?

Gen. GORGAS. If protected from infection.

Mr. GILLETT. I mean taking everything into account?

Gen. GORGAS. I think so. I think it is just as healthy for a man to go on the Panama Canal-certainly more than living in the Connecticut Valley 30 or 40 years ago.

Mr. GILLETT. I do not see that that means anything-30 or 40 years ago. I mean now.

Gen. GORGAS. Of course there is no infection that I know of anywhere in Massachusetts. When it comes to Massachusetts in winter, with the doors and windows closed, I think they would be much better off in Florida, where the doors and windows could be kept open, when it comes to training troops.

Mr. GILLETT. You are talking about the winter?

Gen. GORGAS. The year round. We lose the winter months for training purposes, and lose the bulk of the winter for health purposes. You would have five months in the year when you would have to keep the barracks closed.

Mr. GILLETT. You will have to do so in North Carolina?
Gen. GORGAS. Yes, sir.

Mr. GILLETT. You do not save anything in that way. One thing criticized in my State is that the National Guard, who are supposed to be going abroad this fall, are being sent down South to spend the summer, when they are in camp now in the North. I can not see the reason for that. They are kicking, as Mr. Cannon has said.

Gen. GORGAS. I can not answer that. I do not know why it is. I presume the idea was that they would spend the winter down there.

Mr. GILLETT. If anybody is going abroad this fall, of course, the National Guard is going.

Gen. GORGAS. I think from now until the 1st of January, certainly until the 1st of December, camps in Massachusetts would be better, on the whole, than camps in Mississippi or Alabama-although that is a great concession for me-if you can keep the mosquitoes away; but you have to keep them away.

Mr. GILLETT. Merely sending them into the heat you do not think is harmful?

Gen. GORGAS. Until the 1st of December, I think, they would be better off in Massachusetts.

MONDAY, JULY 16, 1917.

OFFICE OF CHIEF OF ORDNANCE.

STATEMENT OF COL. E. B. BABBITT, ASSISTANT CHIEF OF ORDNANCE.

TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES.

The CHAIRMAN. Colonel, what have you requested?

Col. BABBITT. Mr. Chairman, we have placed our requirements up to December 31 at 1,500 clerks.

The CHAIRMAN. What is your ordinary organization?

Col. BABBITT. Our ordinary organization, including clerks and messengers prior to this war, was 92.

The CHAIRMAN. How many additional have you already taken on? Col. BABBITT. We now have 632 employees, with an authorization of 806, and the remainder are coming as fast as we can get them. A request is in progress, but has not reached Mr. Scofield's office, for approximately 400 more. We anticipate that by December we will have not less than 1,500 employees in the clerical force.

The CHAIRMAN. Does this include the force that may be required. if the estimates which have been in preparation are transmitted for certain additional matters, or would there be need for additional expansion at once?

Col. BABBITT. Not at once. I think the number I have given here would be ample until the next session of Congress. Most of the money which we are asking for under this latest deficiency estimate, of which you speak, will be in the nature of an authorization, the actual expenditure of which and the material resulting from such expenditure will not follow until after January.

The CHAIRMAN. So that the estimate submitted here will take care of you for the balance of this calendar year?

« PreviousContinue »