The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-10-23
PROPOSES SELECTVE
DRAFT Of DOCTORS

The medical profession has failed
to realize one basic principle connected
with its part in this war, I" says Major
Richard Derby in recent issue of a
medical magazine. Major Derby is an
officer Of the medical reserve corps on
duty at Camp Yaphank, New York, one
Of the training camps for the new
army. He Is also the son.in.law Of the
one and only Teddy Roosevelt
"Reponsibility for the aggressive
prosecution Of this war lies more heav.
lily on the medical profession than on
any other, be continues. II is this
fact which the profession fails to real
ize, according TO Major Derby.
selective Draft Suggested
In order to insure the obtaining OF
sufficient physicians for the continue.
ton Of the war, u seems to me impera.
tive that n selective draft be instituted.
The greatest service the profession
could do for the country would be to
selfimpose euGh draft, based on a
competent classification. - 49,. ID.
cit Is said that enough physicians
have volunteered 20 care for the first
million increment of the National
Army. Will il be possible to obtain
similar quotas for the second and third
millions by the same methodist EN-.
phatically do not think so. Have we
obtained through the volunteer system
the best qualified men for the duty OF
airing for the sick and wounded
Again, emphatically no. 4 fair proper
ion of the physicians who have yolun.
teered are men who have been attracted
to the new life through failure in the
old The medical reserve corps today
contains too many men over forty and
too few under thirty. Many commun.
ties throughout the country have been
stripped Of their physicians, whereas
from many others none have gone. Do
these facts show that the medical pro
fession is performing the best kind OF
national serviceP' ,... -.a
aonolulans Are Ready ~
Doctor Derby's words are interest.
ing in view. of the fact that the Homo.
lulu physicians, through the president
# the medical society, DR.. /. j. Shep-
erd, have declared their entire willing.
ness to serve their country in the event
Of any medical selective draft being
necessary.
Few Of them have volunteered, and
of those few two have received active
commissions, one has received reserve
commission, and two others have been
Examined. Drs Frederick Alsup and
Joseph STROBE are the commissioned of
fcers, and DIR. Frank l.. Putnam of Ka-
uai has been made a major in the med
zeal reserve. DIR. Young z. Colville
of Hilo has been examined, but the
result is not known yet. Iii. 4.
Many Honolulu doctors are unwilling
to give up good practises which are
worth from $4,000 TO $4,000 q year for
lieutenant commission in the medical
reserve at $1,000 yearly, unless it be
necessary. Most Of them are men of
family. Nearly half of their salary
would be required for their own ex'
penses. and they are unwilling to ask
their families TO undergo the hardships
involved in living on a sum 80 much
less than they have been accustomed
to. a@' ..r. .-- 90.
Necessity Is Not Seen 3. '%s p ~
In ease of real need, in which their
services would be vitality necessary TO
the continuation Of the national wei.
fare. they would gladly serve, they say,
but they do not feel that such time
has come yet. Responsibility for the
aggressive prosecution of the war,
which Major Derby states lies with the
medical profession, is not theirs yet
apparently, but when the time comes in
which they feel that responsibility
they will respond readily, according to
statements made by several. G.. a, =.
The 10000 physicians needed for the
first million men of the new army have
been secured, but there will be 10000
more needed for each of the second
and third millions. Judging by the
response to the first call for doctors, II
win be necessary to put medical Sc
lective draft into operation to obtain
the necessary number, unless the ply
sieians of the country, come forward
with much more readiness.
Any who would volunteer now could
be used, without doubt. 1t is likely
that the second draft for the National
Army may be made in January. A
civilian doctor requires a short train
ing course before undertaking military
medJ zeal practise. Those who would
volunteer now would be prepared fol
the moment Of need, and would perhaP
be able to do their bit for their country
md flag when others were still talking
about the necessity of draft TO Obtain
enough skilled physicians to keep hun
dreds of thousands of Uncle Sam I
boys in fighting health.
CINCINNATI, October 10--Cinein'