Evening star., 1948-12-23
AkA's$25levy
On D. +. Doctors
Draws Protests
Strong Hostility to
Educational Fund
Voiced at Meeting
By GEORGE Beveridqe

for an "educatlonal fund
This became apparent at a meet
ing of the District Medical Societ
last night. Several hundred doctor
and visitors nearly filled the societ
auditorium to hear DR.. George F
Lull, ANA secretary and genera
manager, discuss the ANA plan.
chiefly in opposition to Presiden
Truman's compulsory health insur
snce drive.
The meeting failed. however. t
bring out two key points-the rea
strength of opposition here to assess
ment of the 10000 ANA member
and the number of District doctor
who may balk on paying the 81
assessments.
Adjourn without Vote.
One reason for the failure Wa
that the meeting adjourned, despit'
proposals for votes to show senti
ment of the group toward compul
sorry insurance and the intention II
pay the assessments. Another wa
that the group, while large, repre-
senred only a portion of the mem
bership
Reporters, who had been barred
during a closed business session
were asked to leave at the start Of
the meeting while members de-
cided how to handle questions tt
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 thu
assessment is to raise ''slusf
fund" pointing to financial Difficult
ties of the ANA. Only 10000 O.
the AMA's 10000 members pa,
dues and the high cost of its pro
grams resulted in a $4,000 loss las
year, he asserted.
The $25 assessments. which tht
official said have been under con
sideration for four or five years,
will be used to build "an educationa
fund to tell the grass roots-tht
common people-what American
medicine has done and what it viii
do in the future A national public
relations firm, he said. has beer
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
ment 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 COL
lected, he said the District Medical
Society will be expected to carry
the ball in the collection of s25 from
each of its 1,600 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 a 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 callec
for expansion of voluntary prepay
ment insurance plans, broadeneo
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 or
the health insurance issue.
Cites Journal Explanation.
DR.. Mattingly charged that, if DR.
Lull contends the assessment Is
simply for educational purposes, "it
is apparent he has not read the
journal of the American Medical
Association The ANA oficiaI
publication, he said, stated the
funds purpose was to combat
president Truman's health insur-
ance program"
Stressing that he favors opposi-
ton 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 sale
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 oul
democracy as the first step towarc
q Socialist State While every
advocate Of the Federally controlled
insurance is by no means a Com.
munist, he added. every Com
munist Is an advocate
Letter to Detail Purpose.
The ANA secretary said ever!
member of the organization viii
receive a letter in the near futur
with more detailed plans abou
uses of the assessments.
During the business session
meanwhile, the District society ap
proved a recommendation from
Health Of1icer George C. Ruhlan'
that cancer be made "reportable
disease to the Health Department
This action, which must be au
thorized by the Commissioners
officials pointed out, would aid tn
Health Department in its drive II
establish a cancer control registry t.
gather data on all cases of tn
disease here.
You Can Still Give
Add to your
CT