NATIONAL DEFENSE MIGRATION

FRIDAY, JULY 18, 1941

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

SELECT COMMITTEE INVESTIGATING
NATIONAL DEFENSE MIGRATION,
Washington, D. C.

The committee met at 10:30 a. m., July 18, 1941, in room 1015 of the new House Office Building, Washington, D. C., Hon. John H. Tolan (chairman) presiding.

Present Representatives John H. Tolan (chairman), of California; Laurence F. Arnold, of Illinois; Carl T. Curtis, of Nebraska; and Frank C. Osmers, Jr., of New Jersey.

Also present: Robert K. Lamb, staff director; Mary Dublin, coordinator of hearings; Creekmore Fath, acting counsel; F. Palmer Weber, economist; and John W. Abbott, chief field investigator. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will please come to order. Dr. Parran will be the first witness this morning.

Mr. Reporter, this is Dr. Thomas Parran, Surgeon General, United States Public Health Service.

TESTIMONY OF DR. THOMAS PARRAN, SURGEON GENERAL, UNITED STATES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, FEDERAL SECURITY AGENCY, WASHINGTON, D. C.

The CHAIRMAN. Dr. Parran, we appreciate very much your coming here this morning. From my personal interview with you I understand you have a short statement of eight or nine pages and that you desire to read it to the committee.

You may proceed in that manner if you desire.

Dr. PARRAN. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman (reading). In response to your request this statement is based upon the health problems which have arisen as a result of the migration of large numbers of people to those areas in which military cantonments or defense industries are located. This migration has given rise to many crucial problems of a public health nature. The rapidly growing population in these areas has, in many instances, imposed responsibilities and burdens upon State and local health departments and agencies which cannot be met with their present facilities and

resources.

HEALTH FACILITIES INADEQUATE

In many localities these facilities could not be termed adequate even for the demands of normal times. The additional strain im

posed by the sudden and sharp increase in the population to be served has not only intensified inadequacies but has brought forth new problems with which some local health authorities are not equipped to cope.

At the very outset of the national-defense program the Public Health Service realized the critical nature of the situation and set about taking steps which would meet it in the most comprehensive and effective manner possible.

Before such steps could be taken it was necessary to prepare estimates of the additional facilities needed. Such estimates have now been made and are set forth in a report, "Health Needs in ExtraMilitary and Industrial Defense Areas," which is based on reconnaissance surveys conducted by the Public Health Service in cooperation with State and local health departments.

(The estimates referred to above are as follows:)

Health needs in extra-military and industrial-defense areas

ESTIMATES OF SHIFTS IN POPULATION

Dr. PARRAN. These surveys have covered 184 critical areas in which in-migration of population will take place as a result of the presence of military camps or industrial activities concerned with defense. In general, the area covered in each instance was that within a 25-mile radius of the military or industrial establishment.1

After careful study, civilian population increase in the extra-military areas was estimated as one-half the aggregate military population, whereas the increase in industrial areas was estimated as three times the increase in the number of industrial employees when due allowance was made for the employment of local residents and those who might be expected to commute from nearby communities.2

I have here samples of the kind of surveys upon which the estimates are based. The survey covering Savannah, Ga., is representative of the surveys of military areas, and that covering Pascagoula, Miss., is representative of those conducted in industrial defense areas. (The material referred to above is as follows:)

STATEMENT BY DR. THOMAS PARRAN, UNITED STATES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, FEDERAL SECURITY AGENCY, WASHINGTON, D. C. RECONNAISSANCE SURVEYS

EXTRA-CANTONMENT AREA, SAVANNAH, GA.

I. Military area.-Two Military Establishments, the Army air base about 5 miles south of Savannah, and Fort Scriven on Tybee Island 18 miles east, are located in Chatham County. Much of the area is flat tidal marsh. Strength of the air base and Fort Scriven expected to reach 4,000 and 2,000, respectively. Separate water supplies are to be developed from deep wells and chlorinated. In the past sewage has been discharged untreated into the Atlantic Ocean. A plea for primary treatment is under consideration. Sewage from the air base is to be treated by the activated sludge process. Garbage disposal is expected to be by incineration.

II. Communities in critical area.-Savannah, 97,000.

III. Industries.-No major industries connected with national defense contemplated.

IV. General character of area.-Malaria was formerly a serious public-health problem in Chatham County. Agricultural and residential developments, as well as drainage projects, however, have resulted in confining the problem to more or less isolated sections of the county. Negroes comprise about 47 percent of the total population of area. Aedes solicitans mosquitoes are certain to be a problem in the area. There are 5 towns, all less than 500 inhabitants, within the county and inside the 25-mile zone, but none are expected to be of importance to the military population. Ground water is readily available throughout Chatham County. Many wells are shallow. Excreta disposal is usually by pit privies. There are a number of food and drink stands, as well as cheap night clubs and "juke joints" along the main highway.

V. Summary (Savannah).-Water: Ground supply readily chlorinated from wells 600 to 1,000 feet in depth. Present system can be expanded to care for expected increase in population. Consideration has been given to development of surface supply for industrial use. Present consumption is about 6.7 million gallons per day. It is claimed that water system is accessible to nearly all parts of city, but that some Negro homes in outlying sections still use water from shallow wells.

Sewage: Sewerage system is said to be accessible to nearly all premises in the city. Evidence indicated that several homes in outlying sections were not connected with sewers. System is at present being extended to serve the ex

1 At the time this testimony was given, reports were available on 115 of the 184 surveys. A list of these appears on p. 6696. In order to cover all existing and contemplated defense areas, Dr. l'arran estimates that about 300 more such surveys will have to be made. (See p. 6708.) As these become available they will be obtained for committee files.

For detailed description of the method of estimating population in defense areas, see Exhibit A, p. 6694.