Evening star., 1949-04-28
No:
Mo- say its opponents.
T'hA arm pho eie ~ the

No.
No! say its opponents.
The emphasis Of the Truman
program, they say, is In the wrone
place.
Government could solve q large
part Of the medical-economic pro-
gram, If it would carry out . gen.
orally agreed upon responsibility
for the care OF low income groups
A large portion Of this care shoulc
be provided by-iocsl governments
with aid from Federal funds. q.
provided In other bills now before
Congress.
Voluntary health Insurance.
plans have not yet provided com.
plete protection for the middle ant
low Income groups. But they are
giving good protection against the
greatest expense-large hospital
bills-to. more than 10000 .00t
In their expansion lies
the answer for the vast majority
of the middle Income public. Peo-
pie are being educated to the point
where they cannot afford to pass
up such insurance.
Would Develop Resources.
But primary emphasis should be
placed on developing better medi-
cal care. enough doctors to pro-
vide 1t and enough hospitals for
them to work in.
A prominent Washington ply
sician who is a member OF the
American Medical Association s
House of Delegates. listed expan-
sion of basic public health pro-
grams as the single most impor-
tant health need.
BY these basic programs. which
are taken for granted in many
urban centers. he meant sewage
adequate water and milk
child and maternal
care and down -to-earth case find
ing programs to combat COM
diseases. About 40
900, 900 people. he pointed out
live in areas that lack the basic
protection of public health pro-
grams. And only about 10 per
cent Of the present programs ap-
proach reasonable standards OF
adequacy.
Diagpostie Centers Urged.
In a plan he recently proposed
DR.. Paul B. Magnuson, Veterans
Administration medical director
hit on another health funda-
in calling for = network
of diagnostic centers. the basis
Of preventive medicine. These
he said. could be oper-
ated in every community with
local control.
Until it recently brought out
a 12-point program the American
Medical Association confined itself
chiefly to a war Of words. which
many OF its own
against national health
insurance. But most doctors and
medical associations oppose the
plan. f.
Doctors point rightfully to the
job medicine has done on q free
basis. One of the best example.
of medical progress IS the grow.
ing importance Of heart ailments
cancer and diseases of the aeet
as causes Of death. Many dis.
eases have been nearly elimin.
ated as death causes. People. ir
fact. now are living to die from
ailments ofs the aged.
But If people are educated te
know what good health is. they
will have less need for medical
care. A compulsory plan that
would invite trips to the doctor
at no cost would not be an in
to good health habits.
There is no way Of knowing
how many people stay away from
doctors because they can't afford
to see them. For most people
doctors fees are not calamitous
burdens. A Brookings Institution
study last year placed the aver
age cost Of medical care at be-
tween I and 5 per cent Of family
incomes.
In response to Mr.. Ewing.
that 325. .0c0 people die
every year whom could be saved
DIR. Paul r. Hawley. former Vet
erans' Administration medical di-
rector and one Of the most force
full figures In American medicine
answered, 1T is not true this Is
due to . want Of medical care. =
Opposes Radical System.
DR.. Hawley said he recognized
elements of weakness in medical
care which should be corrected
without delay. But he said he
strongly opposed their correction
by radical. socialistic methods
which would demoralize the pres
ent organization OF medical care
to the point Of producing COM
plete chaos"
DR.. Hawley. who directed Army
medicine in Europe during thu
war. said the "old myth" Of ths
100000 draft reflections "ha.
been completely exploded lonl
since"
This was not due to any lacl
Of medical care but to condition.
which modern medicine cannol
yet prevent. and to an inordi-
nately severe set Of physica
standards insisted upon by oul
own armed forces" he said.
Fears Lever Quality.
II am not in sympathy with tn.
position Of the ANA" he declaree
recently in q letter to Senator
Lodge, Republican Of Massachu.
sets. 81 feel that their resistance
to all suggestions has only mud.
died the waters. and has weakened
the position taken by those Of u
who are thinkins only Of the Eoot
Of the people.
i But am firmly convinced tina,