Evening star., 1949-05-31
DR.. HawIey Cautions
u. 5. 10 Go Slowly on
Truman Health Plan
BY George Bsverides

-o,i By George Bsveridss
ali DR.. Paul r. Hawley today eau
toned the Nation to 90 slowly In
taking "a long leap into the well
fare state" through President
Truman's proposed compulsory
.health insurance program.
s@hDr. Hawley. chief medical direc-
: Tor Of the Veterans Administra-
don before taking leadership of
voluntary. non-profit medical and
hospital prepayment plans. made
the plea in q prepared statement
'as Senate Labor and Public
Welfare subcommittee resumed
hearings on the controversial
health legislation.
sr.o.At the same time. q group Of
House and Senate Republicans
planned to offer today q new
progressive" alternative to the
compulsory insurance plan.
..:;,s Geared TO Earned Income.
8. At Federal cost Of about $780,
900. 900 a year, the measure would
.gear payments to voluntary pre-
payment health insurance plans
on the basis of earned income-a
-new approach to the question Of
ability to pay for health insur-
ance.
DR.. Hawley, who at times has
: been sharply critical of organized
medicines approach to the high
costs of hospital and medical care,
.said each citizen must decide for
himself whether to leap into the
welfare state"
II can conceive Of no greater
folly" he declared. than either
Ito accept at this time the neces-
sfty for such a radical step as
compulsory health insurance or
TO reject it for all time"
a. - He was critical, however, Of
h"glib statements" he said were
offered in support of compulsory
insurance. Whether the program
lis "socialized medicine can be
argued indefinitely" he said. "but
,one thing past all argument" is
that the bill is Specialization Of
medical care"
Whether this be good or evil
IL another matter; but it is fact
which should be clearly recog-
nfzed." he told the subcommittee.
AFL Backs Program.
The first witness at today's
hearing. Neelson H. Cruikshank,
AFL director Of social insurance
activities, put the unions 5000 900
members on record in favor of the
compulsory insurance program as
the only means Of providing ade-
quate medical care for all the
people.
=, Mr.. Cruikshank engaged in q
sharp debate with Senator Taft,
Republican, of Ohio over the mer-
its of a plan the Senator is spon-
soring which would give States
Federal aid to work out their own
health plans.
Mr.. Cruikshank said such plans
rely on voluntary insurance.
which do not cover the risks Of
illness and pay only about one |
third of the medical costs. :. tre7
r, Senator Taft said States. al |
ready provide medical care for |
about 80 percent or the people
who cannot afford it. and that
his bill, at d cost of about $780,
00,0o0, would fll IN those gaps
without throwing away olr pres
eit system" 80. -..o.,t,,,. =,
1.-THE Government is so over
grown. 50 hopelessly confused,
that anything that will keep from
adding to that growth I'm for"
the Senator said.
Contribution Plan Backed.
The AFL official said unions
support the contribution principle
because they are quite aware
that you don't get anything for
nothing in social insurance" He
added that difficulties in bargain
ing stand in the way Of really ef-
fective labor-management health
plans for all workers.
Or. Hawley urged appointment
of q fact-finding commission to
study the country's health facili-
ties and needs and report on them
Id Congress and the people.
! Democratic leaders do not plan
for q vote on the health insur-
tnce proposal during this session.
.Dr. Hawley scoffed at the argu-
A1ent that the vast majority" Of
people cannot afford the cost Of
ferious illness. Referring obvious
n to existing voluntary plans. he
laid the charge for protection
tgainst the cost of serious acute
illness for an entire family. re-
eardless Of size, is not more than |
The cost of one package Of ciga-
rettes per day"
The group announcing it would
Introduce the new measure today
included Senators Flanders of Ver-
mont and Ives of New York and
Representatives Javits of New
York. Case of New Jersey, Fulton
Of Pennsylvania. Hale of Maine,
Herter of Massachusetts,. Nixon