Evening star., 1945-08-13
Miller Denies Saying
Alcohol influences
Congress Members

Dr. Michael M. Miller, IS, psychia-
trist of the District Mental Health
Clinic and associate medical officer
at st. Elizabeth's Hospital, denied
today published statement attrib-
uted to him that there are alco-
holics in Congress" and alcohol is
a major factor in Congress and ex-
ercises most damaging effect on
legislation"
I was asked to describe the ef-
fects of alcoholism on the person.
ality, and the general statement
was applied to congressman alone"
he said.
In the office of DR.. Winfred Over
holSer, st. Elizabeth's superintend-
ent, where he was called to explain
the statement, DR.. Miller said re-
porter apparently had turned into
assertions certain remarks he had
made off the record as questions. 4"
Didn't Speak for Hospital.
AS members of Congress began
branding the charges untrue" :"
both Dr.. Miller and DR.. Overholser
emphasized any statement made by
DR.. Miller was his own and was in
no way connected with st. Eliza
beth's Hospital, a Federal mental
institution.
What l said off the record was
that since congressman are sub
jected to high tension, there may
be some drinking there, too, in Ger
tain circles, but that the reporter
would have to see the congressman
themselves to determine how much
of factor drinking was in legisla-
tion," DR.. Miller asserted.
Il also said there was little doubt
that in the past alcohol has been
used as political medium, for in
stance at Tammany Hall where IL
quor has flown freely for years." he
added.
DR.. Miller said he made no specific
assertions or claims as to the extent
of drinking in Government circles.
Not Referring to Congress.
He denied his diagnosis of "repeti-
tive verbalization and rationaliza-
ton: vulgarity, rudeness and bellig-
erency; aggression directed to. own
special interests and impaired judg-
ment," was meant to apply to drink
ing members of Congress.
Neither did he remark that the
State Department and Diplomatic
Corps was "stuffy with drunks," DR.
Miller said.
Il merely pointed out it was in
teresting to note that the State De-
partment recently had asked for ad-
ditional appropriations to stock en-
tertainment reserves ostenSibly for
diplomatic purposes.
DR.. Miller said the majority of
members of the House and Senate
are opposed to excessive drinking
and were in favor of nationwide
clinics for the treatment of the "un-
fortunate victims of this social dis
ease"
Clinics for Veterans.
Many also agreed with him that
such clinics should be established
for such returning veterans as may
be suffering from alcoholism, DR.
Miller added.
Members of Congress available for
comment sharply rebuked the asser-
tions earlier attributed to DR.. Miller.
Representative Sparkman, Demo-
crat, of Alabame retorted that so
per cent of Congress members are
teetotalers and that as a group of
men, there is no higher degree of So
briefly in the United States.
Others who came to the defense
of Congress were Senator Downey,
Democrat, of California, who said
physicians advise the use of a cock
tail or two to relieve strain; Sena-
tor Capper, Republican, of Kansas,
who doubted whether what drinking
was done interfered with business,
and Senator McCarran, Democrat,
of Nevada, who had seen no signs
Of overindulgence.
Volunteered His Services.
DR.. Miller said he had volun-
teered his services at the new alco-
holic clinic set up in the Mental
Hygiene Clinic recently when DR..
John F. Owen resigned for lack of
facilities to carry on.
Il became interested in alcoholic
clinics while in private practice in
Cleveland" he said. II found that
in Cuyhoga County alone many
homes were being wrecked by a re-
ported 10000 arrests a year for
drinking"
DR.. Miller is graduate of the
Ohio State University and University
Of Vienna Medical Schools and be-
fore joining the st. Elizabeth's staff
as temporary employe a year
ago was with the Public Health
Service at Ellis Island.
He saw no harm in moderate
drinking, DR.: Miller said, adding
that he takes an occasional drink
himself.