Evening star., 1945-01-26
Draft Of Nurses
Asked0nIyAfter
Thorough Tests
Volunteer System
FoiIed to Get ENOUGH,
Says Army Officer

NuSo " SSt IllOuS Suy
Says Army Officer
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.
Congress was asked to authorize
the drafting Of nurses for the armed
forces only after a thorough test
of the volunteer system had failed
to muster enough to avert critical
shortage, it was emphasized today
at the Army surgeon generals office.
Every effort was made through
national appeals and community Or
ganizations to recruit adequate num-
bers, an officer explained, but the
Army faces the most crucial period
of the war, a time of heavy and
growing casualties, with only a frac-
ton of the number needed to pro-
vide adequate care in the war
theaters and in military hospitals
at home.
Nurses Breaking Down.
Thus far Americas sick and
wounded have received splendid
treatment, but this has been at the
cost of overworking nurses until
many Of them broke down under
the strain. The Army Medical Corps
can't go on in that way, the spokes-
man said-it must have $4,000 to
10000 more nurses within a short
time.
Full credit is given the American
Red Cross, the official recruiting
agency, and the other organizations
and medical and nursing leaders
who worked so hard to recruit vol
unteers. But in this total war you
can't take chance on anything
War Department officials repeated.
Nurse-draft legislation before the
House Military Affairs Committee
will be taken up as soon as the COM
pulsory manpower bill is out of the
way, Chairman May said. He hopes
to resume hearings on the nurse
bills next week. This probably will
await disposition of the work -or- go
to-jail bill in the House.
care Is Assured.
Some members feel that the legis-
lation to induct nurses depends
largely on what happens to the work
bill. Others predict that Congress
will see that our wounded are pro-
vided for regardless of whether q
national service bill is passed or not
A senior cadet nurse at a loca,
hospital pointed out, in a letter tc
The Star, situation which may be
one of many lags which have
hindered the present program. This
girl must wait six months after
graduation before she can become
"a registered nurse and be eligible
for Army or Navy duty. This is
because she will lack six months
of being 81.
Il want to go into the Army as
soon as graduate" she writes.
She added that there are quite
"a few girls in her class in the same
boat.
Strictly Enforced.
At the District Nurses Examining
Board it was pointed out that, while
a senior nurse may take her exami-
nation six months before her 21st
birthday, she cannot receive hei
registration certificate until she has
reached that anniversary. This is
true of nearly all the States.
The Army and Navy will not COM
mission nurses until they are regis
tered
Under the Army and, Navy cadet
system established since the war
students may take 80 months in q
general hospital and the final six
months in an Army, Navy or Vet
erans' Administration hospital. Blu,
registration and a commission ir
the armed forces must await the
2lst birthday.
How the average civilian and his
family can help in the critical nurs-
ing problem will be discussed Mon.
day at meeting of the Nationa.
Council on Red Cross Nursing Needs
at headquarters of the American
Red Cross here.
Urgency Is Stressed.
The council is composed of repre-
sentatives of Government, health
and nursing organizations.
Red Cross area assistants will
outline plans for enlisting 5000 ,0O(
men, women, girls and boys in home.
aid classes.
Basil O'Connor, chairman of tn,
American Red Cross, stressed toda,
the urgency of the home nursing
program. In the face of the wors
nursing crisis in American history
hospitals will have to cut their pro
fessional nursing stats to the bone
he pointed out, and must depend
largely on volunteer assistants VIII,
can perform simple duties and re-
lease graduate nurses for more vita
services.
| Mr.. O'Connor urged that at leas
one person in every household learr
enough about home nursing to hel,
out effectively when there Is sicknes
that does not require disqualification