Evening star., 1948-12-23
|AMA's$25Lev
On D. {. Doctors
Draws Protests
Strong Hostility to
Educational Fund
y Voiced at Meeting
By George Beveridqe

~ SSoISS oSVSItu9S
Strong hostility was evident today,
among at least a segment Of WASH
ington's doctors, to the American
Medical Associations recently voted
assessment of s25 from each member
for an educational fund"
This became apparent at a meet
ing Of the District Medical Society
last night. Several hundred doctors
and visitors nearly filled the society
to hear DR.. George r.
Lull, ANA secretary and general
manager, discuss the ANA plans,
chiefly in opposition to President
Truman's compulsory health insur-
ance drive.
The meeting failed, however, to
bring out two key points-the real
strength of opposition here to assess
ment Of the 10000 ANA members
and the number of District doctors
who may balk on paying the $25
assessments.
Adjourn without Vote.
One reason for the failure was
that the meeting adjourned, despite
proposals for votes to show senti.
ment Of the group toward compul-
sorry insurance and the intention to
pay the assessments. Another was
that the group, while large, repre-
sented only a portion OF the mem
bership.
Reporters, who had been barred
during closed business session,
were asked to leave at the start Of
the meeting while members de-
cided how to handle questions to
DR.. Lull and a discussion of what
he had to say.
Only one member, DR.. Thomas e.
Mattingly. spoke from the floor. But
dozens of written questions by the
audience were read to DR.. Lull,
without Identification of the ques-
TONERS
"Slush Fund" Denied.
DR.. Lull denied reports that the
assessment is to raise a "slush
fund" pointing to financial difficul-
ties Of the ANA. Only 10000 Of
the AMA's 10000 members pay
dues and the high cost of It's pro-
grams resulted in a $4,000 loss last
year, he asserted.
The $25 assessments, which tbB
official said have been under con-
sideration for four or five years."
will be used to build "an educational
fund to tell the grass roots-the
common people-What American
medicine has done and what it will
do in the future" A national public
relations firm, he said, has been
hired to carry out an extensive pro-
gram to outline accomplishment
and aims of private medicine.
To objections that grass root"
members had no opportunity to ex-
press themselves before the assess
Fment was imposed, DR.. Lull answered
that delegates from each society
unanimously approved the levy at
the recent ANA meeting at st. Louis.
DMS Would Collect.
Asked how the money will be COLI
lected, he said the District Medical
Society will be expected to carry
the ball in the collection Of $25 from
each of its 1900 members here.
In answer to another question, DR..
Lull said there is nothing in the
ANA bylaws at present to drop
from membership those who refuse
to pay the assessment but that there
is provision that the groups judi
cial council may take such "disci-
plinary actions" as it thinks neces-
Sary.
Speaking in opposition to the ad-
ministration supported compulsory
insurance proposals. DR.. Lull called
for expansion of voluntary prepay
ment insurance plans, broadened
public health service and other pro-
grams. He added the ANA finds
fields of agreement" with nearly
every phase of the health program
outlined by Federal Security Admin
istrator Oscar r. Ewing, except on
the health insurance issue.
Cites Journal Explanation.
DR.. Mattingly charged that, If DR..
Lull contends the assessment Is
simply for educational purposes, sit
is apparent he has not read the
Journal of the American Medical
Association" The ANA official
publication, he said, stated the
funds purpose was to combat
President Trumans health insur-
ance program"
Stressing that he favors opposi-
tion to the Federal compulsory plan,
DR. Mattingly declared, however,
that, If we are Intellectually honest,
we must admit that in their present
form, they voluntary prepayment
insurance plans only help the for
tunate and the solvent"
Commenting on what he said
were dangers of the national health
insurance plans, DR.. Lull said he
had "a strong feeling that COM
pulsory sickness insurance is some
thing that could break into our
democracy as the first step toward
a Socialist State" While every
advocate of the Federally controlled
insurance Is by no means Com
munist, he added, every Com
munist is an advocate"
Letter to Detail Purpose.
The ANA secretary said every
member of the organization will
receive a letter in the near future
with more detailed plans about
uses of the assessments.
During the business session,
the District society ap-
proved recommendation from
Health Officer George C. Rutland
that cancer be made a "reportable"
disease to the Health Department.
This action, which must be au-
thorized by the Commissioners.
officials pointed out, would aid the
Health Department in its drive to
establish a cancer control registry to
gather data on all cases Of the
disease here.
4 SHOPPING
0Ay LEFT /
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