Evening star., 1946-02-05
Letters to The Star
Advocates an Unselfish Attitude
Toward Medical Coverage

To the Editor Of The Star:
Dependable press surveys and Veterans
Administration releases reliably indicate
that the American taxpayer already is
faced with grave dilemma Of fiscal
policy, the wrong answer to which can
mean national bankruptcy. namely the
rising demand Of demobilized veterans
for complete medical coverage OF con-
ditions neither service-connected nor
ervice-aggravated:
Reference Is made to the fact that
existing VA facilities already are
saturated and have rapidly growing
waiting lists Of ex-service personnel
expecting complete medical coverage
for conditions admittedly not the proper
responsibility Of VA under present
authorizations of Congress. Substan-
TALLY the present policy OF VA is to
permit disqualification Of ex-service
personnel with nonservice connected
handicaps providing there is surplus
of facilities above the needs Of veterans
with service connected disabilities and
the applicants make afddavit purport-
ing to indicate that they are financially
unable to subsidize their own adequate
treatment.
Less than six months after WI day
the punch-drunk taxpayer is faced with
the cynical paradox posed by every war.
The casualty list of those he must
carry on his exhausted shoulders om-
inously grows in algebraic progression
each year after the order to cease
fire" is Given. At present the demands
Of ex-service personnel for preferential
treatment not originally contemplated
by Congress is neither loudly vocal nor
aggressively organized, but the record
suggests that the opportunist and
demagogue will soon take care of that.
The VA admits the present adequacy
Of VA facilities to care for service
connected requirements and by infer
ence admits that the vast expansion
program contemplated is for the most
part anticipation of what the past has
proven to be inevitable, an ever-growing
all-encompassing political paternalism
for those who served in uniform with
out the misfortune Of having been
casualties Of war.
The time to enjoin disease OF inevi-
table nalignacy Is when you have the
good fortune to recognize its incipiency.
1t Is unbeatable that we have a
solemn. inescapable duty to discharge
our full obligation to any or every
veteran with service-connected or
service-aggrayated handicaps and II we
should err. we should err on the side Of
unstinting generosity. 1t Is human ma
ture to reap every advantage obtainable.
whether 1t be tax relief or collecting
gratuitous bonuses in dividends or pref
erential service. II the demobilized vet
eran through political leverage can con-
trive to obtain an all-encompassing
medical coverage for nonservice-con-
nected handicaps he is guilty of no
crime but that of being a normal, aver
age person. Yet wise councils should
prevail upon him to challenge the ulti-
mate implications of the concession he
is demanding and which the political
realist will grant is within his reach as
a member of powerful pressure group.
Whether we served our country in
uniform or overalls, all of us are in
the same economic boat now that
hostilities are ended. All of us are
hard-pressed taxpayers honestly striv-
ing to avoid default of our ominous
debt, prayerfully seeking solvent ways
and means to give adequate social JUS
tice and higher standard Of social
security to all. We may not do this if
those who wore their country's uni
forms demand special privileges or
exemptions denied those who served
equally zealously in civilian garb. 1t
would be an evil, calamitous thing to
divide this Nation into those who must
slave to provide the usury Of unreason-
able veteran demands and those who
short-sightedly made those demands
without the valid title of service-con-
nected handicap.
The truth Is that for all of us, there
is q crying, urgent need for q more
intelngent ana unSelfSh approach to
the whole problem Il national health
security. Our Nation is sick and needs
the healing influence Of tolerance. sem
sible compromise and mutual conces-
sions. Let us try to solve this grave,
pressing problem as one people rather
than selfish. log-rolling pressure groups.
We won the war as one people. Let us
win the peace for all Of US with the
same unselnsh dedication.
THOMAS T. MATITNGLY, MD.
Sees Loan as Gift to Britain