Evening star., 1938-10-17

ITOup HeuLtH ASSOCIATION, INC,
established in November, 1897, to
furnish medical care for its MEM
bers in the Home ODners' Loan
Corp. at a clinic in the 1900 block
OF I street NV, has expanded to
seperal Government departments.
Under fire by the Medical Society.
G. II. A.. in court, Dds held legal.
Investigation oDer months by De-
pdrtn1ent OF Justice leads to grand
jury probe OF organized medicines
tactics against G. H. A.
DR.. Hugh Cabot Of the Mayo Clinic,
Rochester, Mimi, was presented to the
new extra grand jury as the nrst
witness this afternoon in the Depart
ment Of Justice case charging the
American Medical Association and
Medical Society of the District of Co.
lumbia with violation of the Sherman
Antitrust Act because of their al
legged fight on Group Health Associa-
tion, Inc.
DR.. Cabot appeared before the jury
OF % men shortly after they had
been sworn in by Justice James NJ
Proctor in District Court.
The jury was selected and sworn in
In District Court, then moved across
the street to quarters in the new Police
Court Building, where it will hear the
charges against organized medicine
DR.. Cabot, who has made several
speeches here and throughout the
country in favor of cooperative medi-
cine, bitterly attacking the position
OF organized medicine in this particu-
lar. has always emphasized that he
spoke for himself only and did not
represent the Mayo Clinic He ere
ated somewhat of a sensation at the
National Health Conference recently
at the Mayiower Hotel. where he was
the most outspoken critic OF the Amer
lean Medical Association as 1t Is now
organized.
The new extra grand jury is headed
by William M. Beall, 81. real estate
broker. who resides at 1870 Thirty
first street NV.
Earlier Justice Proctor selected 80
persons out of the first group of SO
called for the additional grand jury
More than 500 men and women had
reported at the court this morning
from whom a list of so was called
They appeared before the justice,
who eliminated IL. This left a panel
Of 80. who were given juror ques-
tionnaires to I'LL out.
Woman On List.
One woman remained on the list
Of the 80. She is Mrs. Ruth Davis,
40l3 Fourth street NV. When Jus
tice Proctor asked her in court wheth-
er she cared to be excused. as she
could be simply because she Is q
woman. Mrs. Davis replied that she
two grown children.
A stenographic record of the pro-
ceedings in open court Is being made
for the Department OF Justice. But
conforming to the rules of strict
secrecy in grand jury proceedings,
there will be no record made when
the evidence is submitted behind
closed doors to the jury.
The Department of Justice was
onicially represented by four special
assistants to the Attorney General
who were armed with broad powers
in the case.
Letters Of Authority.
The scope Of their authority was
ofhcially before the court in their let
tiers of authority signed by Attorney
General Homer Cummings and by
Joseph B. Keenan,. the assistant to
the Attorney General.
The Justice staff included Allan
Hart, John Henry Levin, Grant w
Kelleher and Douglas B. Maggs.
The broad scope of the authority
brought by these four to the probe
WAS specifically disclosed In the four
letters filed with the court. Al
though the Department of Justice
in formal statements to the press had
previously outlined at some length
its intention in the medical case, the
official documents filed early at the
court had made no mention of the
doctors until today.
In his letter, Attorney General Cum
mings appointed each of these four
men as special assistant to the At
torney General under the authority
Of the Department of Justice to assist
in the investigation and prosecution
of alleged violations of the Sherman
Act by certain medical associations
and societies, and by certain physicians
and such other corporations. firms and
persons as may be involved; and in
that connection you are specifically
directed to conduct in the District of
Columbia and in any other judicial
district, or districts where the juris-
diction thereof lies, any kind Of legal
proceeding, civil or criminal, includ-
ing grand jury proceedings and pro-
ceedings before committing magis-
trates which district attorneys are au-
thorized by law to conduct"
Excuses Are Presented.
Justice Proctor, in opening the pro-
ceedings this morning, explained
briefly that he would first call the
group before him and proceed with
excuses The prospective grand jurors
called by Samuel Silverman, clerk OF
the court, filed before the bench in
two semi-circles. Justice Proctor then
went through long list of questions
providing qualifications Of grand jur-
ors. Later individuals presented ex-
cuses of various kinds, and the list
of so was whitfield down to 80.
The name of Group Health Associa-
ton was brought into the record when
Justice Proctor asked the panel II any
Of them was q member Of an organi.
nation In the District Of CQlumbia
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