Montana labor news., 1944-03-30
ADlJra'''',, '"TUES
THREAT OF 81. JOWN
STRIKES BY DOCTORS

DETROIT -(FP)-The threat of a
sitdown strike by doctors if the Wagner
Murray-Dinge1 social security bill with
its health insurance feature is passed
was held up to scon at a symposium on
/ the measure sponsored by the United
Auto Workers (CIO) in the Book -Cadil-
lac hotel March TO-
The room could hold only 1900 people
and 600 were turned away. Symposium
speakers included Sec Treas. George F.
Adde's of the union, Sen. James E. Mur-
ray of Montana, Director Henry E. 6iger-
list Of the Johns Hopkins University IN
stitute of the History Of Medicine. and
Past Pres. Gustave L. Mcclellan Of the
Wayne County CDetroiD Medical Society.
Pres. r. j. Thomas of the union pre-
sided.
Adde's revealed the strike threat by the
doctors in the form of an unsolicited
letter to him from Dr. Norman c. Ham
ilton Of a Detroit suburb. who had
written
What are you going to use for ply
sicians if the Murray y-Dingell
bill becomes law? Also, do you know
that the reputable men of medicine, not
only in Wayne county but in all coun-
ties Of the USA will cease praeticing
medicine and go into some other lines
.of endeavor2'
Other doctors and at least one county
medical society have already publicly
taken the same position. Adde's declared
as he replied to Dr. Hamilton and his
kind:
DR. Hamilton and others like him now
threaten to use the weapon Of medical
monopoly against us if we are success
ful in extending the old-age insurance
law. if we federalize our unemployment
compensation system. if we provide bene-
fits for disability arising out Of illness
or injury, if we adopt health insurance
program
your threats will not deter us in the
slightest from pursuing the course We
have set for ourselves. Suffering and
death are not unknown to us. nor to
those who are fighting and dying in this
war of liberation. Freedom from want
and freedom from fear are within the
reach of our generation. and too many
have sacrificed too much for us to hest
tate in the face of your threats to
achieve the fruits of our struggle
And there is one other point for all
the Dr. Hamiltons: I don't believe that
your threats will find an echo in the
hearts of the overwhelming majority Of
the doctors. I refuse to believe that
they, like you, have so far forgotten the
oath they took when they entered their
profession or that they have become so
isolated from the people Of this country
that they would follow your leadership"
DR.. Mcclellan, the only speaker to op-
pose the bill, resorted to flagwaving but
made little impression on the audience.
He said the bill was a foreign idea and
added that Dr.. Sigerist, one of its fore
most advocates. was also a foreigner,
having been born in Switzerland and
only recently
Sigerist and Murray traced the his
tory of health insurance and explained
the provisions Of the bill
IN the Packard Local union paper
Pres. Norman Matthews traced much Of
the opposition to the bill to the patent
medicine fakers the big insurance rack
cts and to the daily press and magazines
and radio chains which got a lot Of adj
vertising from these sources
Behind the doctors, writes Matthews,
stand these three very powerful profit
eering institutions