The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-08-08
CUNNINGHAM AFTER
LUCRATIVE POSITION,
DECLARES DIR. PARKE
Ward and Hogan Engage in
Heated Discussion as to
Whether Gorgas Repudi-
ated Authorship of Bill
By HUGH W. RoBERTs

By HUGH w. ROBERTS
Montgomery, August 7.--tspeciaI)
Sharp personalities characterized and
featured the appearance of prominent
physicians of the state before the SEN
ate committee on finance and taxation
today. Al noon DIR. Marlborough of Lee
county and DIR. Hill of Montgomery
came to blows.
In the afternoon DIR. Parke of Birming-
ham charged that Dr. Cunningham of
Birmingham had finally espoused the
cause of the Gorgas bill because of his
desire to become county health officer at
handsome salary. DR.. II. S. Ward, DR..
E. p Hogan and others engaged in a
lively controversy as to whether or not
DIR. Gorgas had repudiated the author
ship of the bill with which the committee
At the time was engaged.
Other than the fight between Marlborough
and Hill. the livest incident was that in
which DR.. Sanders and DIR. Parxe proved
TO the committee that DIR. Cunningham
after having strenuously opposed the Cor
gas bill, had all of a sudden embraced
It, and in which DIR. Parke openly insin-
uated that DIR. Cunningham was plan
ming to acquire position which the Cor
gas bill would create and which would
prove more luscious plum than that
which at present he holds.
Visited by Delegation
why, gentlemen" said Dir. Parke. Il
saw a certain delegation visit DIR. Cum
ningham the other day and you may
judge just what the motive of the visit
was and what its result"
Or. Cunningham in reply did not refer
to the alleged visit of delegation. but
stated that whereas he was not an appli-
cant for any position, he would not object
to acquiring a place of fine remuneration.
DR.. Parl<e, espousing the Shapiro bill,
that which would put the election of
health officers in the hands of the people,
referred repeatedly to the Gorgas bill as
the Bogus Gorgas BILL" This induced
DR.. Ward to take the floor. and brought
forth a pointed statement from DR.. Ho-
gan. The latter explained that while DR..
Gorgas did suggest the principle features
of the bill, it was his hope that he would
not become involved in a controversy.
Sometime ago." he added, 'it was
charged that Dr. Gorgas had repudiated
the bill. / Immediately wrote him and
asked him to notify me at once whether
or not this charge was true. Three
weeks have passed and from him not a
word has come
Says Gorgas Pleased
Dr. Ward added: Some days ago a
Birmingham physician. in conversation
with DIR. Gorgas, discussed the bill which
is before the committee today. DR.. Cor
gas appeared to be pleased in that We
had named the bill in his honor. He stated
that he had been bombarded with tele-
grams urging him to repudiate the bill,
hut that he had not replied to any one of
Them
TT was natural that he should not re-
ply," interposed DIR. Parl<e:
AT any rate" retorted DR.. Ward, you
did not get an answer
"That is true said DR.. Parke. Il did
not write him.
with the exception OF the personalities
injected into the debate, DR.. Cunning
hams masterful address was the feature
Of the day The doctor attacked the
health system of the state on the ground
that 1t was created in an unconstitutional
manner He alleged that under a demo-
cratic form of government department
of an oligarchical nature could not pe
created that men could not be elected or
appointed for life, that titles of rank and
honor to be retained-forever could not. be
bestowed and that no institution could
be ordained in which the people as the
prime source of authority were not repre- |
sented.
The Birmingham physicians, advocat-
ing different remedies for the evils which
both contended did exist. were followed
by DIR. W. H. Sanders, state health Off
GER and ruling factor of the medical asso-
cjation of the state of Alabama. DR.. |
Sanders delivered the argument of the
'.standpatters" and his theme was that |
the association should be permitted to re-
main as it is and has been FOR 10 years.
There seems to be no question but that
the committee is unalterably opposed to
a continuation of the present policy. IL
cannot be ascertaineG, however, whether |
the Gorgas bill or the Parke bill will be
favored 1t is considered positively GER
tain however, that the college of coun- |
sellors sef-perpetuating and representa- |
tive of no constituency, born to legislate
execute and exert unchallenged sway is
doomed.