Evening star., 1949-08-23
AMAAideLinks
u. 5. Agents 10
Terror Drive
Justice Department
Accused by Groups
Publicity Director
By George Beveridee

by SeoI9e DeVeTio9s
The Justice Department has
been linked by a spokesman for
the American Medical Association
with alleged attempts to terror
ize" into inactivity doctors who
oppose President Truman's COM
pulsory health insurance program.
The "terrorization" charges
were made by Clem Whitaker. di-
rector of the AMA's public educa-
ton campaign, at a news confer
ence held in the Hotel Statler
yesterday by ANA leaders. Mr..
Whitaker and his wife, Leone
Baxter. who is also a partner in
his public relations firm.
The conference was called to
outline the AMA's stand on ma
tional health problems.
Discussing the ANA program.
Mr.. Whitaker said that. IF ever
an attempt was made to terrorize
by people in power. it has been
made against the medical profess
sion"
Says Agents at Offices.
Then. he said that, shortly after
his firm took the ANA job, he
was told Justice Department
agents appeared at the office Of
the Chicago Medical Society and
demanded to look over records.
His firms headquarters is now in
that city.
Asked If he meant to say the
Justice Department made an at
tempt to terrorize the ANA, Mr..
Whitaker told reporters they
would have to draw your own
conclusions.
1.-The Justice Department called
on the Chicago Medical Society
and went over its records within
a few days after we were called
in," he added.
After the conference, he said
he did not know what reasons the
agents had given for the call or
how much of an examination was
carried out.
A Justice Department spokes-
man here said today that a
Statement of that character tMr.
Whitaker's) is too ridiculous to
talk about" He added, however,
that department authorities in
Chicago have been asked about
the charge. He also recalled that
when the department filed an
antitrust suit against the Oregon
State Medical Society last Octo-
Der. 1t was said that other socie-
ties would be investigated. None
was singled out by name, how
ever. &Ts ID FL
Reports of Reprisals.'
"We heard immediate reports
that there would be reprisals"
when the firm took over the job,
Mr.. Whitaker declared. He
charged that there have been
many attempts" to carry out "a
smear campaign to terrorize the
doctors into inactivity"
Mr.. Whitaker said the ANA has
no "high-powered lobby in Wash
ington, but we have a damn fine
grass roots lobby, and we're proud
of it," He said he would "wel-
come" any congressional investi-
CATION of lobbying activities.
Meanwhile, DR.. Elmer L. Hen
derson, ANA president-elect, an
nounced that the ANA will re-
lease, within the next year. the
first of "a series of continuing re-
ports to the American people" on
the state of the Nations health.
The reports will be the ANA an
swer to President TruEian's 10
year health plan. keynote of which
is national health insurance.
Misrepresentation Seen.
Referring obviously to that re-
port. prepared by Federal Security
Administrator Ewing, Mr.. Hen
dersDn said the ANA is so con-
cerned with recent misrepresen-
tation of the Nations health by
those who seek political power and
favor that it feels the time has
come for an authoritative ap-
praisal by the people best quail
fled to make such report"
DR.. George F. Lull, ANA gen.
eral manager, said plans also are
under way for a national confer
ence to discuss health proposals.
The ANA leaders stressed their
feeling. however. that not enough
is known about actual health
needs to determine what Federal
assistance is needed.
Mr.. Whitaker at another point,
denied recent charges that doc
tors in Minnesota had attempted
to bribe newspapers by authoriz-
ing medical advertisements in the
press. The charge was made last
week by the Committee for the
Nations Health, private group
supporting the Presidents pro-
gram.
DR.. Lull said small, personal
advertisements often are placed
in newspapers in areas through
out the country, and that the
ANA leaves authorization of such
practices to local medical societies.
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