Evening star., 1945-02-14
Patterson Calls
For Early Vote
On Nurse Draft
Delay Called GombIe
By Underseeretory
At House Hearing
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.


Military Affairs Committee, urged
prompt passage of a bill drafting
Army nurses, declaring that more
than 100000 soldiers already have
been wounded in this war and that
we cannot gamble with the lives
OF our soldiers"
Above ALL" Mr.. Patterson said
Il urge prompt action. There is nc
time to lose. Some of our people
with an eye on the Russian advance
feel that the end of the war in Eu-
rope may be at hand and that there
Will not be many more casualties
there. But we cannot gamble with
the lives of our soldiers.
End Not in Sight.
The view of those responsible for
military operations is that the END
Of the fighting in Europe is not in
sight and that our forces there face
a great deal of hard fighting. Hard
fighting means more casualties and
more casualties mean more medical
and nursing care. Delay in obtain
ing the additional nurses that are
needed may result IN tragedy to
thousands of wounded soldiers"
Mr.. Patterson added:
"Of the constitutionality of this
measure there is not the slightest
doubt. The Constitution gives Con-
gress the power to raise and support
armies. Army nurses are part of the
Army. There is no unreasonable
discrimination In the fact that all
women are not included in the act,
but only those best qualified for
the service. 1t is to be borne in
mind that the Selective Service Act
does not apply to all men, but only
to those best qualified for the serv-
ice by age and other considerations. /"
Mr.. Patterson said passage of the
bill will be the guarantee of Con-
gress. to the stricken soldiers that
their nursing care will be adequate" "
Minimizes Effect.
AnSyering criticism that the legis-
lation would further disrupt civilian
needs he asserted the measure
would mean filling the Army's needs
with minimum disturbance to
civilian requirements for nursing,
because those who can most readily
be spared will be the nurses in
Quoted"
The Army now has 44,000 nurses,
the Unaersecretary reported, adding
that this leaves a shortage of 10000
to meet the minimum need of 10000
taby the surgeon general.
The Army needs, in addition to the
10000 enough new nurses each
month to replace an average of $50
who are lost monthly for various
reasons he explained.
The figures Mr. Patterson cited on
wounded were for the Army alone.
Volunteers Falling Off.
voluntary recruiting" he told
the committee, cannot be relied on
to make good the shortage in time
We have gained 1000 nurses since
the date of the Presidents appeal
a month ago. but even at that rate
and the applications are now falling
Oft would take nine months to
overcome the shortage and to make
good the expected attrition. The
wounded cannot wait that long"
Director Frank T. Hines said the
Veterans Administration had no de-
sire to interfere with the recruiting
program of the Army and Navy, but
did want priority on the list after
their needs were met. He pointed
to the large number of newly dis
charged disabled veterans who are
received in veterans hospitals for
prolonged treatment.
Asked if the needs of veterans
hospitals could not be met If the
legislation to draft nurses required
selective service to take only nurses
certified by the War Manpower
Commissions Procurement and AS
signment Service, Gen. Hines said:
st am afraid I could not agree
to that. I would prefer to see nurses
of the Veterans Administration GER
titled to the Army only through my
desk. I have had some battles with
Procurement and Assignment, and,
while I am willing to concede their
intentions were the best, the re-
suits were not so good"
Chairman May announced that
the final witnesses would be heard
today and the committee then
would go into executive session to
draft measure. He predicted a
bill would be reported out before
the end of the week.
Two Oppose Move.
Mrs. Alexander Stewart, Chicago,
national co-chairman of the Wom-
ems Committee to Oppose Conscrip-
tion, and Miss Elizabeth A. Smart,
100 Maryland avenue N E. legislative
counselor for the Woman's Christian
Temperance Union, opposed any
conscription of women.
Mrs. Stewart said her committee,
which was organized two years ago,
was interested not only in the draft
ing of nurses, but sin the fact that
this may be used as the opening
wedge in the drafting of all women
throughout the country"
Miss Smart suggested there were
number of ways of obtaining ad-
ditional nurses by voluntary meth
DDS, one raising the age limit of
As years, since many nurses past
that age were able-bodied and COM
petent.
Sister Olivia Gowan, dean of
nursing education at Catholic Uni
versity, appearing for the National
League of Nursing Education, en-
phasized the need of maintaining
schools Of nursing and opportunity
for graduate nurses to take post
graduate courses to fit themselves
for teaching. These measures
should be considered in drafting
legislation, she pointed out, with
view Of assuring an essential
minimum of personnel in schools
of nursing and constant but small
flow of graduate nurses into post
graduate courses.
Mrs. Mabel E. Staupers, executive
secretary of the National Association
of Colored Graduate Nurses, esti-
mated there were 2flof colorad