Montana labor news., 1945-04-12
VIVISECTION BAN
is URGED
In CONGRESS

WASEINGTON-An appeal that Con-
gress move for the sake of the dignity
of the human race" to restrain the prac-
tice of %vivsection was written recently
by Representative William Lemke. North
Dakota Republican, to Representative
Dan r. McGehee, Mississippi Democrat,
chairman Of the judiciary subcommittee
of the House District of Columbia COM
mittee.
Representative Lemke asked for public
hearings at once by the subcommittee on
his bill to prohibit the practice of vivi-
section on dogs in the national capital.
First Public Story
The hearings would be the first con-
%gressional study ever made to determine,
on the basis of humane |sensibihties and
scientific evidence, whether viyisection
should be practieed.
Representative Lemke and the strong
antivivisection forces Of Washington and
adjoining Maryland We're jubilant over
the passage by the Senate of the New
York legislature of a measure to prohibit
vivisection of dogs in New York state.
The measure went to the House.
TOe-HOld Claimed
I'VE have never had a toe-hold against
the automatic resistance of organized
medical men to any legislation interfer-
ing with their established practices" -
Lemke said. Now we have one
we have it in New York, and we are
getting another in the District of Co.
lumbia. With the testimony we have to
offer, it would be a very summary act
indeed for the McGehee subcommittee
to refuse us a hearing.
we propose to produce from medical
men of the highest standing that vivi-
section is no longer necessary, if it ever
was"
Exposures by Hearst
Lemke's move for quick public hear
ings or his measure is attuned to a truly
tremendous flow of mail from anti-yivi-
s%ectionists to members of the House Dis
trict of Columbia committee, resulting
from exposures in the Hearst newspapers
of the needlessness of the utter cruelty
of vivisection.
Letters asking the committee to make
a start toward elimination of the reac-
tionary habit Of vivisection by a segment
Of the medical profession have reached
not only members of the committee in
an impressive volume, Lemke said. but
have been covering the desks Of virtu-
ally every member of Congress.
From All States
The mail represents all states of the
the nation, Lemke said.
Naturally, the appeal is largely emo
tional from humane laymen whose SEN
sibilities shudder at the awful fortunes
inflicted on animals, and who wonder
keenly whether medical science, which
has accomplished so many seeming
miracles, cannot find a way of study
more in keeping with the dignity of civil
lization," the congressman went on.
This emotional appeal is a powerful
1t affects many congressman, and 4
those who are inclined to listen to ,
the arguments of the r%eactionary medi-
defenders of vivisection must give it !,
attention from the viewpoint Of votes.
But the truly decisive factor, when we \
get the bill before a committee. will be
large amount of scientific testimony
have accumulated to show that vivi-
section long ago served any purpose it
may have had, and that its continuance {
S entirely needless. 5
Testimony a
We have five medical men Of IN {
Questioned authority and prestige who !
Will testify in favor Of anti-vivsection. a
We expect additions to this list. Pend
ng their appearance, they have asked il
hat their names not be published. f
In addition, a large number of adj r
'anced physicians and surgeons have it
unlimited written statements Of the Il
anne kind. We also shall have testi- p
.ony from leading biologists that the p
construction and physical reaction Of G.
humans and animals are so different ii
hat the demonstrations Of vivisection f
re worthless
Representative Lemke said the medical q
men supporting his bill state that every b
onceivable vivisection operation or ex- t.
'eriment has been photographed. and s.
hat the Photographic record in entirety n
available to the medical profession. If n
Ioctors sincerely feel there is ANYTHING I,
o be gained from it. h.
Largely, however, vivisection seems to
re an expression OF mere curiosity -
iemke remarked. e