Evening star., 1946-03-26
Mi. Alto Doctors
Mostly Veterans
n ~VAFinds
AgaDcy Orders Custer,
Then Discovers Only
9Are9fEx-Servicemen
b.. Miriom Ottenbero


Without checking to find out how
many were veterans, the Veterans
Administration announced today it
was preparing letter asking for
the mass resignation of the % lead
ing Washington physicians and sur
geons appointed as senior medical
consultants at Mount Alto Hospital.
Purpose of the letter, it was ex-
planned, was to insure that all the
coveted top posts were filled by
veterans.
An hour after Maj. Gen. Paul R..
Hawley, chief VA medical officer,
said the letter was in preparation,
however, a VA public relations
spokesman said VA wasn't so sure
it would send the letter. A check
by The Star had revealed that 19
Of the % doctors whose designations
had been asked were veterans.
Two From Recent War.
DR.. John r. Cavanagh, who was
asked by the newly organized Dis
trict of Columbia Physician Vet
erans of World War II to inquire
into the Mount Alto appointments,
was quick to point out that only
2 of the 10 who were veterans had
served in this war.
He said he believed qualified vet
Grams of World War II should be
given preference in the appoint
ments because they are in a period
of adjustment and are, therefore,
able to devote more of their time
to this needed work"
DR.. Walter Bloedorn, dean of
George Washington Medical School
and chairman of the Deans Com
mittee which recommended the ap-
pointments, told The Star earlier to-
day that he had planned to ask for
the designations of nonveterans
among the % consultants after re-
ceiving instructions from VA that
the senior consultants should be
veterans.
Ends Month-LOng Battle.
The move, it was understood,
climaxed nnonth-long agitation on
the part of geturning doctors for
more representation in the top posts.
A Veterans Administration
spokesman said DR.. Bloedorn had
written VA about three weeks ago
pointing out that the original direc-
tive to the Deans Committee last
November did not specify that the
senior consultants should be vet
Grams and that recently he had
heard protests from veterans that
they were equally well-qualif1ed and
should have share of the appoint
mentS.
DR.. Bloedorr told The Star he re-
ceived instructions from VA March
is informing him that wherever pos
sible the top posts should go to vet
Grams and suggesting that he ask for
the designations of the non-veterans.
The Hawley letter today, a VA
spokesman explained, was to clear
the air and let the Deans Com
mittee start from scratch on the
appointments.
olhy NCtCTdHS hpVOIHCcu.
Both DR.. Bloedorn and VA
pointed out that the Deans Com
mittee had been scrupulous in ap-
pointing only veterans as attend
ing and resident physicians. DR..
Bloedorn said he was glad to fol-
low the VA directives since the
committees objective was "the best
possible professional care for pa
tients and the most efficient edu-
cation system possible for resi-
dents"
The VA action came as the new
ly organized3 physician Veterans
last night adopted resolution in ef-
feet opposing the importation of doc
tors from other areas to serve at
Mount Alto. Specifically, the resolu-
ton asked1he Deans Committee to
recommeIf j appointments from the
ranks offnen who served on the
faculties Washington medical
schools before the war.
Senior VOhsultants, it was reported,
are paid $50 visit and can earn up|
to maximum of $4,000 a year for
services at the veterans hospitals.
DR.. CavaTagh told the doctors at
last nights meeting that he had
talked with the Rev. David V. Nc
Cauley, 8! j., dean of Georgetown
University medical school, who said
he believed there should be more
veterans on the Deans Committee
itself and offered to resign in favor
of veteran.
Raise Three Questions.
According to DR.. Cavanagh, the
Deans Committee, which prescribes
the medical standards and judges
the professional qualifications of the
hospital staff, as we'll as selecting
doctors, has only one World War II
veteran among the seven committee
members.
In addtaSn to the problem of OBJ
tanning more representation for vet
Grams in appointments to Mount
Alto posts, the physician veterans at
their organization meeting in the
District Medical Society Building
raised these questions:
Office space-While only II out of
10 returned doctors questioned had
no place to practice, dozens of others
reported ikhey were packed in with
other doctors on staggered visit
ing-hour system or were using living
and dining rooms of their homes
The doctors were urged to attend an
April meeting of the zoning Com
mission for permission to remodel
homes into Offices permanently in
stead of on temporary permit.
VA Takes Surplus Equipment.
Surplus property The doctors
heard report from DR.. Allen S.
Cross that the Veterans Admins
tration is taking most of the sur
plus medical equipment.
Patients-The doctors complained
there was no way of letting their
patients know they had returned
and where they were now located.
Hospital privileges-Out of 10 re-