Evening star., 1945-02-23
House Group Declare,
Voluntary Plan Fails
In Nurse Shortage
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.

The House Military Affairs Com
mittee told the House today, in a
report recommending passage of the
nurse draft bill, that voluntary re-
cruiting cannot be relied on to make
good the critical shortage of nurses
in time"
The report, drafted by Chairman
May, author Of the bill, added that
experiences Of the past year afford
a clear indication that something
more than purely voluntary methods
are required"
Mr.. May, who planned to ask the
Rules Committee to place the leg
islation before the House next week
said in the report that on April %,
1914, there were 10000 nurses in the
Army Nurse Corps.
"At that time," he pointed out, "a
program was commenced by the
Army to secure an additional 10000
nurses by the end of the year. In
the course of the program some
27,000 letters were mailed over the
signature of the superintendent of
Army nurses to prospective nurse
appointees who were classified by
the Procurement and Assignment
Service Of the War Manpower Com
mission as available for military
service"
Representative May added: only
ITO replies were received from these
letters, and of this ITO approx
200 applications were made
which resulted in appointments to
the Army Nurse Corps"
The Recruiting and Assignment
Bureau of the Adjutant Generals
Office, he reported, has had many
national agencies working on the
procurement program" These in
cluded the American Legion, the
Girl Scouts, the $50 American Red
Cross recruitment committees and
several private advertising and pub
licity agencies.
Some 218 radio stations have
been carrying prescriptions on
Army nurse recruitment" Mr.. May
explained. I'm addition, news
papers, periodicals and visual aids
have been utilized.
This procurement program has
been successful insofar as it has
made the mass of our people aware
of the nurse shortage in the armed
forces, but it has failed to bring
forth sufflcient volunteers for the
Army Nurse Corps"
The net increase in the corps up
to January l.. 1945, was slightly over
a. 900 about 20 per cent of the num-
ber sought. The total of needed
nurses, meanwhile, has been. raised
to $1,000.
Following the Presidents appeal
of January 6 and the introduction
of nurse drafts bills, Mr.. May re-
called, there was a temporary in
crease in applications, but already
the number is falling off.
The Army, he reported, has
gained 1000 nurses since January of
this year, giving it total of about
$4,000 nurses, but even at this in
creased rate of recruitment it would
take nine months to overcome the
shortage and to make good the
normal attrition.'
The chairman added: "The
wounded and the sick cannot wait
that long,
In the committees opinion,
Selection Of nurses for induction
through the selective service
viii assure an equalization
throughout the country in the drain
upon the nursing population, and
thus insure adequate personnel for
essential civilian nursing service on
the home; front"
Concedfng that the constitution
ality of a nurse draft has been
questioned; with the contention
that it would be class legislation" !"
He cited Section of the Consti-
tuition, giving Congress the power
TO raise and support armies :,
to provide and maintain 9 navy"
The Supreme Court, he added, has
held that execution Of these war
powers Is the duty and obligation Of
the national Government and s'its
control over the subject y plenary
and exclusive. /"