Evening star., 1945-02-08
Council SET Up
By Nurses Back!
Draft Proposal
Red Cross Takes No
Stand, Following
Traditional Policy
By CARTER BROOKE JONES.

"oA OCA AF1SCo, oCt up Ny eAlC Aul oCs
themselves, favors drafting nurses
for the armed forces, the House
Military Affairs Committee was told
today by DR.. Paul Barton, execu-
tive officer of the War ManpoweI
Commissions Procurement and As
signment Service.
DR.. Barton pointed out that his
services position had been that il
was for a draft if there was nc
other way to obtain the nurses re-
quired by the Army and Navy. He
added:
But when the National Nursing
Council for War Services informs
us it cannot meet the needs without
Q draft what are we to think?"
DR.. Barton said if draft were
suggested and then nothing further
done about it I'VE are worse of
than ever"
Red Cross Takes no Stand.
Several committee members indi-
Gated in their questioning that they
favored keeping the recruiting o1
nurses on voluntary basis if pos
sible, but they realized the wounded
must be cared for adequately what
ever it was necessary for Congress
to do.
The American Red Cross takes nc
stand on pending legislation to draft
nurses for the armed forces, Miss
Virginia Dunbar, representing the
organization, told the COMMITTEES
earlier in submitting the results
of its efforts throughout the war
to recruit volunteer nurses.
Acting Chairman Th homa ason
pressed Miss Dunbar to express an
opinion on the need for a draft, but
she said only that some orderly
process of drawing nurses for the
military is essential"
Asked later whether she thought
it would be impossible to obtain
enough nurses to relieve the Armys
critical shortage by voluntary
means, Miss Dunbar said: II don't
believe that can be predicted"
Traditional Policy.
In a formal statement she read
to the committee, Miss Dunbar said
that because of its quasi-govern-
mental status and especially since
in its membership and organization
it represents all shades of opinion
the American Red Cross has tradi-
tionally followed the policy o1
neither urging nor opposing legisla-
ton not directly affecting the or
ganization ITSELF"
The Red Cross certified 28,2Oe
nurses to the Army and Navy dur
ing 1943 and 1887 in 1914, she re-
ported. By certifying, she explained
she did not mean all these nurses
were accepted, because the Red Cross
did only prliminary screening, and
the armed forces themselves made
the final physical and educational
tests.
= Between January 6. when Presi-
dent Roosevelt asked Congress to
draft nurses, and January 27 ap-
proximately 10000 applications were
filled out by nurses, she said, but
only 1858 of these applicants ac-
tually were certified to the armed
forces.
IAN application" she pointed out,
docs not commit the nurse to ac-
cept assignment. She may withdraw
or may delay her reply at any point,
such as when she is called for
physical examination"
OF those who apply, she told the
committee, approximately 20 per
ent prove physically disqualified
nd per cent more fail to meet pro-
>ssional qualifications.
45,415 Listed as Available.
About as, AIS registered nurses are
classified today by the War Man
power Commission as available for
military service, the committee was
advised in a statement placed in
the record.
The Army seeks $4,000 additional
nurses at once.
The statement was compiled by
DR.. Harvey B. Stone, vice chairman
of the directing board of the VINO
Procurement and Assignment Serv-
ice. Those listed were classified
from a total of 234,949 nurses re-
ported by local committees all over
the country.
, DR.. Stone pointed out that those
described as available for military
duty could be released from their
present positions without impair
ment of civilian service" About
21,805 of the number were unmar-
ried.
! Procurement committees are con-
tinually adding to the list of nurses
bot occupied in essential work, he
explained.
Opposes Army Order.
| Discussing the recent order of the
War Department to accept any nurse
volunteering who otherwise met
physical and educational require
rnents, regardless of her VINO
classification, DR.. Stone told the
committee:
"If essential nurses are taken out
of civilian practice for service with
IllS dIulcu lOTCGS dS a result OF ClllS
directive, the procurement and as
signment service is not in a position
to take responsibility for the effects
on civilian health and safety. It
expects to continue, however, every
effort to maintain as much protec-
ton as possible for public health
and welfare.
IF there is to be a draft, some
service should be charged with the
civilian responsibility, and that
should be one which is familiar with
the nursing profession and the rela-
tive Importance Of positions in that
field. It's function would be similar
to that of procurement and assign
nent service in the voluntary en-
listment of physicians, dentists
veterinarians and sanitary en-
4neers."
IQuizzed by Police, |
Is Boys Lay Down
lLemon Pie Borroge
i BY the Associated prese