Evening star., 1939-12-17

National Health Issue
Revival Expected as
Committee Is Called
Miss Roche to Call
Meeting This Week; Has
Long Talk With Porron
By HAROLD b. ROGERS,

BY HAROLD b. ROGERS.
The issue of national health,
which has been the source of lively
controversy on several fronts during
the last two years, appears to be on
the verge Of rehabilitation.
This was indicated last night as
Miss Josephine Roche, former As
sistant Secretary of the Treasury
laid plans for a meeting early this
week of the interdepartmental Com
mittee to Coordinate Health and
Welfare Activities, of which she is
chairman.
Called back into action by Presi-
dent Roosevelt himself, Miss Roche
arrived In Washington yesterday
from Colorado. and announced that
the committee, far from being
dormant. as had been reported from
some circles, was about to become
active, "revitalized."
Miss Roche had lengthy con-
ference yesterday with DR.. Thomas
Parran, Surgeon General of the
United States Public Health Serv-
ice, an important member of the
interdepartmental committee. She
did not disclose details of their dis
cussion.
To Meet This Week.
From her temporary headquarters
at the Carlton Hotel, Miss Roche
is planning to get the committee to-
gether early this week to survey the
situation She did not disclose a
definite agenda for the committee
She was definite, however, in her
conviction that the Wagner bill
which provides a broad health pro-
gram for the Nation. should be
enacted. Parts Of this measure have
been strongly opposed by the Amer
ican Medical Association.
Even in the face of increased
demands for economy, and for an
increased national defense, Miss
Roche said she feels the greatest
economy would be to conserve the
health of the people, and to pre-
vent disease"
One of the greatest assets in the
national economy she insists, is a
strong and vigorous citizenry."
During her recent travels over
the country, Miss Roche said she
mad found tremendous" interest
IN the subject of health, and the
general proposals in the Wagner
health bill. This interest she had
found particularly in the women's
farm and labor groups.
Won't Push Bill.
Asked If the committee would
support the Wagner health bill,
Miss Roche explained the COM
mittee was not formed for the pur-
pose OF pushing legislation through
Congress, but to make studies on
ways and means of co-ordinatinp
the health and welfare activities of
the Government.
The purpose Of the interdepart-
mental committee as outlined in
the Governments official manual, !"
significantly is said to be to "spon-
sor appropriate cooperative work.
ing agreements among the various
agencies of the Government in the
health and welfare field, to con-
tinue the work under agreements
already in effect, and to study and
make recommendations concerning
specific aspects of the health and
welfare activities of the Govern
ment looking toward more nearly
complete coordination of these
agencies"
Already there has been a sub
stantial coordination of some of
the agencies represented on the In
terdepartmental Committee through
their consolidation under the new
Federal Security Agency, of which
Paul V. McNutt is administrator.
They include the Social Security
Board, Arthur ]. Altmeyer is chair
man; the United States Public
Health Service and the National
Youth Administration, of which Au-
brey Williams is administrator.
Other committee members include
Undersecretary of Agriculture Mil
burn L. Wilson, Assistant Secretary
OF the Interior Oscar L. Chapman
and Assistant Secretary of Labor
Charles v. Mclaughlin.
McNutt Mentioned 1t.
Mr.. McNutt touched on the con-
troverslal subject of "socialized medi-
cine when he spoke recentIv to
members of his own profession of
law here. He suggested the legal
profession should open avenues of
legal aid to the people. In COM
parng "socialized medicine" with
socialized legal aid" Mr.. McNutt
SAID the difficulty in both cases is
one OF the proper distribution of
Inc expenses and the services"
Economists" he continued "are
beginning to recognize that the heart
OF the economic problem of the Ma
ton lies in the matter of ADEQUATE
dlstrlbution of consumer goods. II
is nigh time that professional men
recognize that they face nm analoc-
Gus problem"
The American Medical Assoc,a.
ton in its platform recently adonted
al chicago registered opposition to
compulsory sickness insurance
state medicine and similar tech,
MICS which they contended results
IN "a trend toward Communism ar
totahtarianism and away from de-
mocracy."
Miss Roche Prominent,
Miss Roche, who is a prominent
puslnesswoman and became a na.
tlonal figure as Assistant Secretary
OF the Treasury, came into the lime
nght even more forcibly when she
headed up the movement Of her
committee resulting in the contro-
versial National Health Conference
mere IN July, 1898. 1t was out of
this conference, where the Govern
ment divided sharply on several
medical issues with the forces of
organized medicine, that there grew
the wagner national health bill
still pending in Congress. This
measure was forcibly opposed by or
ganized medicine.
Recently the American Medical