Evening star., 1945-03-11
Nurses Association
Seeks Reserve Pool
OF 1900 for Army
By CARTER BROOKE JONES.

not previously available to the armed
forces, but now acceptable to the
Army under new War Department
policy, is an early objective of a
Nation wide recruiting campaign
which the American Nurses Asso-
citation launched yesterday.
While the House-approved nurse
draft bill awaits Senate action, Off
GERS Of the nurses organization, clos
ing a meeting here, returned to their
regional headquarters determined to
make every effort to supply by VOL
untary means the nurses the Army
needs so vitality.
The pool of $4,000 from which they
expect to draw a large number in
cludes 10000 nurses who have served
in the Army, but were discharged
because they married. The Army
now is accepting married nurses.
The Navy, whose need for nurses is
not nearly so urgent, has not relaxed
its regulation against allowing mar
ried nurses to serve.
Eager to Return.
A spokesman for the nurses pre-
dicted that large number of the
married women who were dropped
from the Army Nurse Corps would
be eager to return when they learn
that they are acceptable
There are, besides, 5000 registered
colored nurses, the ANA was advised
and 5000 qualified male nurses. The
War Department has given as
isurance that all colored nurses who
meet the requirements will be
commissioned. The male nurses
are in another category.
The acts setting up the nurse corps
in the Army and Navy provided for
commissioning only women. The
Army has drafted an estimated
$500 male nurses as ordinary SOL
dierS and is using most of them as
medical technicians or aides. A few
won commissions as medical ad-
ministrative officers. The Navy uses
hospital corps men extensively to
help nurses.
The May bill, which passed the
House last week, requires the COM
missioning of male nurses on the
same basis as women. Pending en-
actment of the bill, however, assum-
ing the Senate approves it, there
has been no change in Army policy,
and the surgeon generals Office
doubts there is legal authority for
altering the present system.
Racial Bias Banned.
The draft bill also states that
qualified nurses shall be commits
stoned without racial discrimina-
ton. Army and Navy spokesmen
told the House Military Affairs
Committee there would be no such
discrimination in the future, if
there had been in the past.
| The American Nurses Association
made public yesterday a letter from
Miss Katharine j. Densford, its
president, to Maj. Gen. Norman r
Kirk, Army surgeon general, in
which it was said the nurses would
like very much to have some state
ment from your Office which would
clarity the situation, both in the
minds OF the general public and
for the nurses themselves.
The association asked the Army's
need for nurses - Immediately and
during the months of April and May
"in order that the Army Nurse
Corps may reach the expressed nee
essary strength of $4,000 by June /,
l945." In its last public statement,
the War Department said it needed
about 10000 nurses to make up
this total.
The ANA added: 1--WE should also
like to have some estimate of the
time needed to assign nurses after
they apply for service. If you will
answer these questions definitely
and specifically, it will help us i'm
measurably to assist in the recruit
ment campaign; and the American
Nurses Association, through its
membership of more than l78,O0(
registered professional graduate
nurses will spare no effort to fl
the need within the specified per-
iod."
| COmplaln OF Time Lays.
Many complaints were received BY
the ANA of long lags between ap-
plications for commissions ana as.
signment to duty. One girl said she
! waited seven months.
At the surgeon generals Office
yesterday, it was conceded there hac
been delays, but reported that these
had been largely eliminated. The
average time elapsing between ap-
plication and call for examination
has been reduced to 10 days, it was
said.
/ The ANA will continue to worl
through the American Red Cross
set up an official recruiting agency
for nurses, and the War Man
4 power Commissions Procurement
and Assignment Service, which
Classics nurses and designate.
those engaged in essential civilian
work.