Evening star., 1948-04-03
Service Doctors Handicaps


To the Editor of The Star:
AS Congress ponders special legislation to
draft doctors, 1t should profit by errors of the
past Modern warfare eliminates past dis
tinctions between civilian and military need
for doctors, nurses and disqualification. This
should mean an end to past policies which en-
couraged wasteful control and ALLEGATIONS in
the healing arts. No longer should the military
be allowed a surfet of idle doctors and un-
saturated disqualification while there is danger
Gus unmet need for them on the production
front. Congress should legislate on the realistic
theory that modern warfare makes joint civilian
and military operation Of the total resources of
the healing arts prerequisite of survival
Critical shortages of essential doctors neces-
state waiver Of traditional immunities and
exemptions applicable to most other man.
power groupings This means many doctors
must be called into military service despite
valid constitutional objections they legally
could plead for deferment The compulsions
Of national survival make such discrimination
unavoidable. Yet it is within the power Of
Congress to make voluntary cooperation with
this discriminatory policy less Objectionable to
doctors who must participate.
Deferment of Students.
First, protect the future of the healing arts
by deferment of all bona fide medical students.
Give civilian professional leadership plenary
authority to certify the exemption and defer
ment of those they regard as promising and
qualified eligibles
Second, cease making rank, seniority and
~nonprofessional administration the principal
determinants Of the service doctors economic
security Economic injustices and professional
dislocations resulting from the rigid service
caste system arouse justified fears and resent
ments. The armed services may plead that
our whole military system Is predicated on
absolute obedience and subordination to
symbols of superior rank. But when mere
rank arbitrarily dictates professional assign
ments or responsibility, plus obedience to
nonprofessional authority, the rebellion and
anxiety of the drafted doctor is understandable
In the Army dependable doctor of exceptional
practical ability and experience would be frozen
at the rank and pay of captain for the duration
An inferno whom he may have helped to train
might go into the Air Corps and become full
colonel on less actual military service An
enlisted man could enter the Medical Admin
istrative Corps and In several years become
the superior officer of doctor who had
practiced his highly specialized profession for
20 Frequently the doctor is outranked by the
nurse. True this does not mean that the
nurse Is the doctors professional superior But
1t does mean that she unfairly enjoys an equal
or even more advantageous economic security
and reward with far less professional qualifica-
ton. Then, too, nothing is more harmful to
doctors morale than to be the helpless puppet
of the stupid caprice of medical brass. There
were visiting firemen of the Medical Corps who
imposed more handicaps and hardships upon
combat doctors with stupid inept administra-
ton than did the jungle or enemy aggression.
This time medical brass with outmoded adj
ministrative procedures should be prevented
from crippling the all-out war efforts of less
military-minded doctors subject to their abso-
lutte authority.
Finally, Congress should not be guilty OF
the injustice of drafting the doctor and exempt
ing other essential workers from the same
compulsions OF total sacrifice and discipline
II Congress can send reluctant doctor to
the battlefield. why should it not compel every
worker faithfully to perform his essential task?
THOMAS E. MATTINGLY, NJ D.