Evening star., 1938-04-04
MEDICAL SOCIETY
ALLOWED TO FILE
CHA. CASE BRIEF
Enters Court Discussion as
Friend as Plans Are
Made for Fight.
LEGAL STEPS TAKEN
TO SPEED DECISION
Agency Seeking to Determine
Whether It Be Held in Violation
of D. C.. Laws,

Justice Peyton Gordon OF District
Court today granted leave to the Dis
trict Medical Society to file brief
as friend of the court" in the pend
ing ease for a declaratory Judgment
of the legal status of embattled Group
Health Association, Inc.
The society. which has been fight
ing G. H. A., was represented by
Frederick A. Fenning, George P.
Hoover and William E. Leahy.
This follows recent legal steps to
speed a decision in the case, which
is a friendly suit to determine whether
G. H. A. is violating District law.
District Attorney David A. Pine
last Friday filed motion to dismiss
the case, in order to bring it up for
argument sooner than would have
been possible otherwise Corporation
Counsel Elwood H. Seal plans to file
also brief for the superintendent of
insurance. who is co-defendant with
the district attorney.
The case was filed by G. H. A. under
the declaratory judgment law, after
the corporation counsel had indicated
he agreed with the District Medical
Society that G. H. A. was violating
the law, either by the corporate prac-
tice OF medicine, or by operating an
insurance company without license to
do so.
Society to File Next.
The Medical Society, it was indi-
Gated today, will file its brief after
that filed by the corporation counsel.
Meantime Representative Shafer,
Republican, of Illinois planned to ad-
dress the House today, or to insert in
the Congressional Record, his position
on the Group Health Medical Society
controversy.
He said this morning he felt the
controversy had now reached such
proportion that there should be a
general investigation by a select COM
mlttee of Congress, instead of the
subcommittee of the House District
Committee, as first recommended bv
MIN. But general investigation, Mr..
Shafer insisted should include not
only the Medical Society and the
American Medical Association. but also
Group Health Association, itself. He
would support such resolution. he
said. but did not intend to introduce
one himself.
Scott Seeks Inquiry.
A resolution now pending in the
House Rules Committee, introduced
oy Representative Scott, Democrat Of
Col1ornla, calls for investigation of
the District Medical Society and the
American Medical Association. but not
Group Health Association. Mr.. Shafer
indicated. This resolution in its pres
ent form could not pass the House.
Mr.. Shafer believes. because of its
many "Whereases," which in effect
ndlct' the American Medical As
sociation.
The only thing I want is to give
the medical society and the American
Medical Association square deal in
this matter" said Mr.. Shafer. Il will
be in the middle of the road in this
controversy"
The claims of G.. H. A. that 1t was
set up to reduce sick leave in the
Home Owners Loan Corp. have not
yet been proved by any official reports
on this question, Mr.. Shafer indicated.
He wants an accounting" from
H. o. L. c. on this question.
Meantime, G. H. A. plans its regular
quarterly meeting next Monday night,
probably at the Departmental Audi
torium, where many facts relating to
the dispute probably will be laid be-
fore the membership. The meeting
has not been called due to any phases
of the dispute, officials said today. but
is a regular scheduled quarterly
meeting.
The newly organized Washington
Committee for Cooperative Medical
Service, which had intended calling
a mass meeting for public discussion
Of the group health side of the row
with the medical profession, decided
to join the G. H. A. quarterly meeting
instead.