Evening star., 1944-07-09
Inquiry 10 Ask
Army 70 Explain
Huge At Pool
Health Investigation
Will Open Tomorrow
Before Senote Group
BY HAROLD B. ROGERS.

BY HAROLD B. ROGERS,
A congressional inquiry to de.
termine why nearly 5000, 900 young
men have been found UNFIT for mill.
tary service will be launched on
Capitol Hill tomorrow.
Announcing the inquiry. Senator
Pepper. Democrat Of Florida, said
q Senate subcommittee on wartime
health and education will call on
top-ranking health. military and
manpower officials at hearings open.
ing tomorrow.
1t Is a national tragedy that
nearly 100000 of our young men
are unfit for military service at a
time when the manpower needs Of
the Nation are so critical" he de-
clared.
400, 900 in At.
Selective Service figures show that
as OF June l total of 4,20O,0 900 men
were In 4-F. In addition, approx.
mately 100000 men have been dis.
charged from the armed forces, the
majority of them becaues they were
mentally or physically UNFIT for con-
tlnued service. Senator Pepper did
not explain how he had arrived at
the 100000 figure.
NO specific bill is pending before
the committee. The Wagner Muir.
ray-Dlngell bill, whose health pro-
visions have provoked a Nationwide
controversy, is pending before the
Senate Finance Committee, where
IL Is understood no early action Is
expected. 1t is an omnibus bill ex.
panolng the Social Security Act.
senator Peppers committee, max.
ing thorough study" of its own.
Will look into the causes of disabiH.
Ties revealed by Selective Service
examinations, and means for their
correction. 1t will hold another
series OF hearings later on to look
INTO specific phases of the Nations
medlcal and health problems for
civilians, and how they may be met.
IT Is likely that entirely new leeis-
Iatlon may be drafted designed to
meet whatever needs are disclosed
by the investigation.
Military to Appear.
Iop-ranking Army and Nayy ofi.
clals will appear as witnesses to
present testimony on various phases
OF the problems regarding the mill
tary men, including programs de-
veloped by the armed forces for
medical. dental and educational re.
habiltation.
The health needs of returning
war veterans will be discussed :"
senator Pepper announced. in
Guiding those discharged for psv.
choneurotic causes"
The first group of hearings will
be tomorrow, Tuesday and We'd
nesday. Witnesses tomorrow will
include: Maj. Gen. Lewis B Her.
shey, director of selective service:
Col. Leonard Howntree. medical di-
rector OF selective service: Cant
e. Il. Wells, chief of the dental sec
ton, selective service; Vice Admiral
Ross T. McIntire, surgeon general.
United States Navy, and President
Roosevelt's personal physician; Mai.
Gen. George F. Lull, deputy sur
geon general of the Army, and Paul
w. McNutt. chairman of the War
ManpoWer Commission, who is Fed.
eral Security Administrator.
Will Hear Veterans.
Health needs of veterans will hA
the subject Tuesday when the wit.
nesses will be Col. w. c. Menninger.
director of the division of neuropsy.
chlatry OF the Army; Comdr. Francis
.. braceland of the division of
neuropsychiatry of the NAVY: Brig
Gen. Frank T. Hines, administrator
OF the Veterans Administration who
Is director of Unemployment and
retralning, Office of War Mobihza-
tlon. Panel witnesses at this hear
ing Will include representatives Of
tne american Legion, Veterans of
rorelgn Wars, Disabled American
veterans and one disabled veteran
of this war.
Inc committee will take up thu
subject of planning for hosnita,s
and medical centers" Wednesday
When the witnesses will include.
Dr. Thomas Parran, surgeon general
Of the United States Public Health
service: DR.. Vane M. Hoge, chief of
hospital facilities section of PHS.
Or, Claude Munger, chairman of the
council on Government relations of
the American Hospital Association
and DR.. Victor johnson, secretary
o1 tne council on medical education
ana hospitals of the American Medi-
cal Association.
Members of the subcommittee
conducting the hearing in addition
to Chairman Pepper, are: Senator's
tunnel of Delaware: Thomas Of
UIah; LaFollette of Wisconsin and
of Nebraska.
Bethesda Red crnss