Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-10
DOCTORS WANT
ARMY CONTROL
SOCIAL MALADY
Rock Island County Society Goes
Ou Record for War Depart
mcnt Direction.
AGAINST CIVILIAN CHARGE
Resolutions Passed Urging That
Surgeon General BE Given
the Authorization.


society at a meeting at the Rock
Is.auu club last night went on rec
ORD Tor war department control OF
i.e social disease problem.
It TOOK TINS STAND against the
treasury department plan OF assum-
lug tue responsibility Tor direction
O.. the WO4A Ia the elimination OF
tnIs disease as military necessity
htSOlUt0uS were passed expressing
Tie OPINION that under the direction
Isl the surgeon general OF the army
ana win Inc uelp OF quallued phy-
Stclaus throughout the country
connecting authority would be re
moved and the matter would be
.,aH with as war emergency
measure in better way than
through handling by civilians, as
would he the case in the event that
the treasury department assumed
Coutrol OF tAe drive against social
disease.
Paul Kersch of this city. a tri-
city Insurance man, who was sue
CtssIut in securing The endorse
melJ Of similar resolutions before
the Scott County Medical society in
Davenport last month, has taken an
active interest IN the fight 10 place
The campaign against social dis
ease IN TIE hands OF army medical
authorities. Mr.. Kersch last night
read paper on the question a the
meeting OF the medical society
Since the Scott county society
PASSED Tie resolutions. there ha a
been IS local medical societies
which have endorsed the resolu-
lions as well as the medical faculty
OF the State University OF Iowa.
Mir. kerscn has explained that the
occasion OF Inc CJnHictlng endeav-
oTs OF TIE TWO departments tC
handle this problem results from
the TACT tnaL marine hospitals, es-
1aBLshed at various parts Of the
country following the Civil wan
have been under the control OF
The treasury department and thai
The department now expects to take
charge OF the present social disease
problem by reason OF having in its
jurisdiction the operation of these
hospitals
1t is the opinion of Mr.. Kersch
that unless eLLOrsem Mt Of war de
paTrment control Of the social dis
ease problem pOurs into Washing
ton that the treasury department
viii take over the work and that
tie surgeon general of the army
whom ne believes is the properly
constituted authority, viii be with
cut power 10 direct the campaign.
kersch's Talk.
In part Mr.. herscl said last
night.
Already too much time has been
wasted II the attempt to act on the
whole Of the population through
the long, labOriOus and intricate
LarmonizatiOn and collaboration OF
conflicting federal. municipal and
state laws and efforts and individ-
Lai and group idiOsyncracies and
hot enough attention devoted &c
acting through the Comparatively
much simpler and from the point
military eXpediency much more
urgent course OF safeguarding thai
part Of the population from which
al some time or the other in the flu
tuTe all Of our armies must be
drawn. In extending protection tC
that portion Of the population we
would not only COincidentally take
the biggest single step forward in
protecting the whole of the people
but would also be meeting the more
obvious requirements Of military
foresight and OF plain duty and
common decency by those VINO are
TO give their labor, life and limbs
and by their families.
For such a purpose there should
be no doubt Of an army Of 10000
medical men. unavailable for ser
vice away from home, but never
rheless eager and anxious TO Dc
their part in this great national
emergency reporting for duty oven
night once assured Of that unity OF
direction under central military
which military Jurisdiction alone
can supply.
Dormant. difused and impoten
sleeps idly today the mighty giant
Of medical energy while his blest
powers OF saving are needed as
they were never before. l. the will
II the medical men Of the nation
rests the power OF gslvanizing him
into life. set free his unbounded
beneTact0ns and snatch from one
Of the menacIug storm clouds OF
war the threatening torrents OF
desOlation and disaster.
Should not the local medical SO
cieties. above all. express that viii
and take the initia,iye2 As Ofticia
IaOutupieces Of the busy pTacti-
toners Of the country with them
rests primarily the responsibility
and power for action The natiOna
society has done valiant service
considering the apathy Of its units
The general is powerless in the
face Of luke warm battalions. Whai
has your society done Is 1t gOing
10 prove nations friend in need.
yea. the most needed friend Of its
own nation in her most urgent
uepd9
Then in the name Of our suffer
ing nation let the wires be strung
this day lest the saving current
come too late"
Resolutions Passed.
Following the reading of Mr.
Lersch's paper, Dr.. Arthur T. Lei
po-d OF Moline, presented these
resolutions which were adopted:
Whereas, Grave conditions
exist - disclosed by the shocking
yeuereal disease rate OF nearly 400
per 1000 in the new draft army.
reflected similar condition
among all tine male population Of
military age, primarily among the
IegistTauts.