Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-05-05
ARMY DOCTOR RANK
IS SENATOR'S THEME
Should Be on Par With Allies,
Mr.. Owen Tells Defense
Delegates.
1000 MEN ARE NEEDED

Senator Robert L Owen Of Oklahoma
made . vigorous plea that the rank and
status Of medical officers IN the Army Be
raised to put them on q par with similar
onicers in allied armies. speaking before
the state committee delegates to the med
ical section. Council Of National Defense.
meeting at the New Willard yesterday
afternoon.
This 10 not . question Of rank" said
Senator Owen. 81 would not consider the
rank Of major general as comforting any
added dignity to men like DR.. Mayo or Dr.
Grille. The value OF the change would
be in enabling the men who are intrusted
with a task Of tremendous responsibility
to discharge their duties more efYicieutly."
The reform referred to 10 embodied in
bill now before the Senate military
affairs committee. known as the owen
bill. and Representative Dyer has in
troduced q similar measure in the
House.
obstructionists Delay.
The plan has suffered from obstruc-
ZIONIST tactics" continued Senator
Owen.
"For some occult reason the genera,
stan of the Army. who know the
science of killing and not Of healing.
have always been opposed to giving
any greater powers to the experts in
the latter art"
Senator owen said that the French
army has more than twice the general
Officers in proportion to its army or
ganization AZ IN provided in the bill
which he seeks to have passed. He
said that tho typhoid epidemic at
instance where soldiers died BY the
Thousands because medical officers
could only recommend measures to line
officers Of higher rank.
1000 Men Needed.
The session yesterday afternoon was
taken up largely with a discussion OF
the Medical Corps Of the Army and 1000
medical officers Of the Navy needed by
July 1. The means adopted to get this
viii be the appointment OF a commit
tee OF five in each state; who shall
examine into questions Of fitness and
dependency and take steps to urge
upon those who are picked as suitable
for this service to seek commissions.
committee on state act ss Severely W shs
scored young physicians who left
country practices to go to cities In an
effort to take the places Of city ply
sfcians who had entered the service.
refused commissions on the ground Of
physical disability, and later had been
drafted into the military service, was
discussed at length. DR.. Mclean gave
assurance that steps were being taken
to have such men transferred to the
surgeon general. where their. profess
sional training might be of greater
value.
Volunteer Service Corps.
The plan of organization Of the Vol.
unteer Medical Service Corps Of the
United States also was presented. This
corps is to be made up Of men who. be-
cause Of physical disability, age, de-
pendents, or essential public need. can.
not enter the Medical Reserve Corps.
but may render valuable service to
their country At home.
To raise the officers needed for the
Medical Reserve Corps each state has
been assigned a quota. That OF the
District Of Columbia il fifty: that Of
Maryland seventy-five and that Of vir-
ginia 100.
An enumeration of the physicians in
each state showed the District to have
for the medical corps to May /, q per-
centage Of Is per cent. which is ex-
ceeded by only IL states.
DIR. Edward Martin presided. This
morning there will be the annual meet
ing of the general medical board. at
Of the board and member Of the ad-
visory commission Of the Council Of
National Defense, will preside.
Surg. Gen. Gorgas, addressing the
meeting yesterday morning announced
the receipt OF a cable from Gen. Per-
medical men for service in France i'm.
mediately,