Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1946-05-10
Political
Action
by
Clayton
Rusch
ClluH HluH
of the
Political Action Committee

llClS NOdld DC SOlAolONl uOlC
discussion and quite a contro-
Versy about what constitutes
the basis of the n a t i o n S
wealth. All must agree, how
ever, that more important to
the welfare of nation than
raw materials, natural re-
sources or gold is the health
of its people.
In the best interests of the
nations welfare every other
consideration is secondary to
the health of the people. On
this point there is little if any
controversy.
When we come to the topic
of how to preserve the ma
tons health the difference of
opinion becomes more obvi-
Gus. There are two b a S i
groups with two separate So
lutions to this problem.
One is the peoples plan
which seeks to improve health
through social legislation to
provide medical care. The
other solution is the big shots
plan to let private practice
and priva e disqualification
plans meet the need as well as
it can and ignore the fact that
many people get no medical
care by this means.
1t is important to outline
and discuss these two plans.
For one or the other will
shortly be chosen by the Con-
gress of the United States.
PEOPLES PLAN
The peoples plan which is
now before Congress is known
as the Wagner -Murray-Ding-
ell bill.
The Wagner -Murray-Ding-
ell bill is designed to extend
social security coverage to in
clude millions not now COW
cred. These groups include
farm labor and the self en-
ployed. The bill would also
increase social security bene-
fits to include medical care
and disqualification.
While passage of the Wag-
ner-Murray-Dinge bill would
leave lot to be desired in the
establishment of complete So
cial security, it is obvious that
the plain people would get
better medical care. There is
no disputing the fact that mil
lions of people neglect their
health by putting off essential
medical treatment because the
expense does not fit into their
budget.
The ordinary family phySi-
clan would be immeasurably
better off financially if his
fees were guaranteed and pa
tients would seek his aid at
the first sign of illness.
ANA OPPOSITION
Strange as it may seem at
first, big business groups in
Guiding the American Medical
Association are vigorously op-
posing passage of the Wagner
Murray-Dingell bill. They at
tack the bill in the papers, on
the radio and in printed pam
phlets. They distort the facts
and actually refer to the bill
as though it provided for So
cialized medicine.
The neighborhood druggists
are being used in this conspir-
acy against the people. When
h neighborhood druggists
distribute pamphlets against
the Wagner Murray Dingell
bill they are actually promul-
eating the propaganda of the
really big shots of the medical
profession.
The plain people and the
ordinary family physician
have nothing to lose by pass
age of the Wagner-Murray-
Dingell bill. AS a matter OF
fact, these groups who cer-
tainly comprise the majority
of the customers of the neigh
borh o d druggists will be
greatly benefited by passage
of the Wagner-Murray -Dingell
bill.
This bill has been under
discussion before congression-
al committees for a long time
While it is far from a perfect
piece of legislation the Wag-
-Murray-D Dingell bill is a
step forward toward more
complete social security.
The reaction of the people
will go long ways to get this
bill on the floor of Congress
Everyone should write (ano
not wait too long) to U. S
Senators r b ert Taft ano
James Hoffman and u. S, Rep.
resentatives Homer r m }
and George Bender.
1t is high time for the plair
people to recognize the fac
that conservative groups are
not bashful about writing tt
Congress. The rest of us mus
accept the responsibility tC
keep Congress posted on wha
we want in the way of legis