Evening star., 1942-11-18
Protests Taxing of Doctors
Now in National Service.

To the Editor of The Star
request to remit two dollars to the Dis
trict of Columbia Commission on Licen-
sure as the new annual registration fee
of person licensed to practice the
healing arts in the District of Columbia.
Ordinarily to protest such an insignifi-
cant tax or assessment would mark a
man as miserly and parsimonious, but
this particular instance involves a grave
issue of principle, very significant to us
serving our country in the military serv-
Ice. Even If some as yet unrevealed
provision has been made to exempt those
in military service, a formal protest
should be made for the record. Within
the limitations of an admittedly faulty
memory, the facts are these.
Quite few months ago at one of the
business meetings Of the medical So
ciety DR.. Joseph Wall presented a rec
ommendation from his committee that
our medical society approve a pending
bill to make such an assessment against
each person licensed to practice the
healing arts in the District of Columbia.
1t was argued at the time that such an
annual registration assessment would
provide fund which would permit the
Commission on Licensure to investigate
and prosecute irregular practitioners
operating with impunity because the
District of Columbia had no available
appropriation to enforce the law When
an extract of the proposed bill was read,
we learned that its punitive clause gave
those charged with its enforcement the
power to deprive a delinquent of the
right to practice if his default extended
beyond short period of grace
I debated the propriety of the commit
tees recommendation, first because it
unfairly would tax the medical profess
sion to enforce statute that was prop
erly the burden of State police regula-
ton; second, in event of an unintended
failure to comply with the provisions of
the law, it placed in the hands of those
charged with enforcing it, a punitive
power that easily could be perverted to
tyrannical ends. The recommendation
of the committee was disapproved, and
the committee instructed to oppose the
bill.
In our absence the bill is passed and
If there is a provision exempting the
absent doctor cheerfully accepting bank
ruptcy to serve his country, notice of such
exemption was not forwarded with the
notice of assessment. This writer was
fortunate in receiving the notice in time
to protect his interests, but what about
those who have already gone overseas
and cannot? All, it will be argued. those
charged with enforcing the law will use
the rule Of reason. Our answer Is: We
want the justice in the provisions of the
statute and not in the caprice and char
ity OF those who may construe it in our
favor. THOMAS E. MATTINGLY,
Captain, M. c., A. U. S.
Third Field Hospital, Freda. Calf.
Objects to Poll Tax Repeal
As Danger to North and South Alike.
To the Editor of The Star:
can imagine nothing more unfair
than criticism of Senator Bilbo's opposi-
ton to consideration of the poll tax bill.
Senator Bilbo did not force this issue
upon the country in the time of its dis
tress. 1t was brought to the front by
the people who hate the South and are
determined to ruin 1t, to pick up where
Thaddeus Stevens left of and crush
everything which the South holds dear
in its social organization. Communists.
racial fanatics. unassimilated Europeans
who have an academic dislike for the
South-which they are utterly incapable
Of understandinR-all are attempting to