Montana labor news., 1944-11-02
CANDIDATES OF LABOR Winning
DEBUNKING THE
OPPOSITION TO
INITIATIVE NO. 48

VI Il JAZZ AOkt Il
INITIATIVE NO. 48
Montana osteopathic sources state that
the passing of Initiative AZ will make
available the highest type of osteopathic
service. No law in any state regulating
any system of medical practice provides
for longer courses of study. High school
course, two years Of college and four
years professional course, and state eX-
animation. Then above all that, if he
would do general surgery, he must take
two more years in special surgical train
ing and pass an examination before a
committee Of licensed surgeons who have
been practicing general or major sur
gerry for at least five years.
Last week, ads in every paper in Mon
tana, sponsored by the so-called Health
League, urged the people to vote against
NO. As so that health standards would
not revert back" In bold type these
ads stated that Under Sec. 5 and 6 Of
AZ an osteopath is not required even to
be a high school graduate The fact is
the proposed law provides for a four
year standard high school course or its
educational equivalent,
Only ignorance of educational con-
sideration, or the assumption that the
public is ignorant and can be easily
fooled, could account for any such in
depreciation. Anyone with any famili-
arity with educational matters knows
that there are actually hundreds of mill
tary academies, youth institutes private
schools, church schools for boys and girls
and now some army school work whose
courses are the educational equivalent
of high schools and so recognized in
standard educational listings. You'll
find them at the University of Montana.
Laws generally consider them. Having
no real reason for opposing initiative No.
4s, this type of thing is resorted to in
the hope Of confusing and raising doubt
in the voters mind. We think that the
voters will show more intelligence than
these ads give them credit for.
The passage of this bill would seem
important. It should not only maintain
but improve Montana health standards.
Thousands Of Montana citizens have
been cured of ills and had their health
improved through the services of osteo-
pathic physicians.
In a few years unless the situation
which Initiative No. 48 is intended to
correct is corrected, this service will not
be available to Montana citizens who
desire it. Young %osteopathic physicians
will locate in other states instead OF
Montana. In states where they are not
handicapped in rendering their services,
threatened, and made the victim OF
petty legal complaints brought by stool
pigeons paid by their professional com
p~etitors.
No law in the Union regulating any
system of medical practice has written
into it requirements for longer courses of
study. It will be administered by those
who have Just as high ideals as the ad-
ministrators of the law for M. DIS. The
measure is carefully drawn. Jokers were
not contemplated and iokers are not in
it. The %osteopaths are making theT
appeal direct to the people, having con-
fidence in their judgment and fairness.
The BuncOAnbe About
Unlimited Surgery
It is surprising competitors have no
better argument. 48 gives right OF major
and minor surgery only.
Don't be deceived by these statements
distributed by an organization which
some refer to as a Health League, as to
osteopaths generally seeking unlimited
surgery. Not one osteopath licensed IN
Montana would be licensed as a general
surgeon by its passing. Every M. D. IN
Montana has a license which places no
limits on his surgery. He gets it upon
3. requirement Of one year above his four
wears professional course. The osteo-
pathic physician under Initiative NO. 80
would have to put in two years above his
four years professional course n then
pass an examination before licensed sur
geons.
Perhaps the most unfair and mislead-
ing statement made by the antagonists
is that no Osteopathic doctor has been
commissioned in the armed forces OF our
Country. These same people have failed
TO tell the people of Montana that Con-
gress has three times passed laws and
provided money for the commissioning
O-steopathic doctors and that the in
fluence of medical administrators has
been sufficient in government to prevent
the giving of a single commission to any
%Osteopathic doctor. Il
We are informed that there are hun
dreds of ~osteopathic doctors in the armed
forces. but they are serving as line Off
GERS or as lackeys of the M. DIS.
The immediate need FOR the passage
of Initiative NO. 48 would seem to arise
out of a recent Supreme Court decision
which ruled that rights of practice which
~osteopathic physicians were assumed to
have lawfully had for forty years were
not properly conveyed and they are now
handicapped in rendering their services
Medical competitors take advantage oil
this situation and there are legal threats
and petty legal complaints. Young oste-
opathic graduates are deferred from 10
eating in Montana, and others leave a
situation which if continued will soon
deprive those citizens desiring such oil
the opportunity for osteopathic service
You might have a place for the fol-
lowing for yourself or some Of your
friends defending you, when the needles