Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1949-06-02
Socialistic Medicine

TOE DOAK is typical American
J workman; industrious. capable,
thrifty, a good citizen. His wage
is $50 a week for 40 hours. Out of
that $50 there is taken deductions
for income tax, social security and
unemployment insurance. Joe real
ICES that he not only pays directly
for social security and unemploy-
ment insurance, but, as consumer,
he pays a portion of the tax levied
against the boss. If that were not
true, if the boss did not charge
that tax to his expense of operation,
and add it to the price of his prod
uct, he would soon 60 broke.
Twelve years ago Joe Doak mar
ried. He and his wife, Mary, have
two children; June is 10 years of
age, and Joe Jr., eight. Joe and
Mary are faced with the possible
coming of socialized medicine.
They want to know what it would
mean to them, and they attempted
to analyze it for themselves to de-
termine what it would do for them.
First, there would be the addi-
tional deductions from Joe's pay
envelope, plus the added cost for
what they bought, the indirect pay
ment of the tax on the boss. The
direct and the indirect would mean
a cost of 81 week; 500 and more
each year. Had they paid such a
sum during the IL years of their
married life, it would have
amounted to more than 81 200. Their
total doctor and hospital bills for
that period had not been more than
one-third of such an amount, in
Guiding the expense attending the
birth of the two children.
As they figure 1t, the other
two-thirds of what they would
pay, the $500, would be needed
to pay the army Of bureaucrats
who would operate the scheme,
and to pay for those who did
not work, SO would not pay,
but would be heavy ON what
ever receiving end there might
be.
Mary has had experience with
rationing boards. She knows the
red tape, the delays, the numerous
trips and the difficulties of getting
food for her family. She wants no
more experience with government
bureaucrats of whom there would
be many thousands. Should they
need a doctor, she knows that. be-
fore they could get one, whichever
one of the family was i'll would be
either well again, or be dead. Then,
should anything happen to Jos at
the plant, the company would have
casualty insurance, and his pay
would 60 on while ne was off the
job, and his hospital and medical
bills would be paid.
So far as they can see, this social
lied medicine idea would be just
scheme to do ito them rather
than 'for them" 1t would provide
jobs for whole army of bureau
Gratis; it might do 'for" those who
did not work, and SO pay nothing
in, those who were on the receiving
end of something for nothing"
But the Doak family would stick
by DR.. Jones, whom they could
reach by phone call, and who, when
needed, would be there, but quick.
DR.. Jones had given fair warning
that he would have no part or place
in any socialistic medical scheme,
and they would stick with him
rather than have>some doctor they
had never heard of, and whose
name bureaucrat pulled out of
hat.
Should congress pass such a
law as Is now before the sem
ate, it would mean they would
have to pay twice for such med
ical service as they might need
so long as they were determined
to stick with DIR. Jones. In fact,
they would pay about three
times, because the govern
ment's socialized m edicine
scheme would cost them at
least twice as much as would
their own doctor, and they
would pay their own doctor
besides being forced to pay the
socialistic medical charge.
The Joe Doaks represent about
the average family in America.
They make their own way. They
do not ask for, or want, something
for nothing" They are not on re-
lief, and never have been. They
are good Americans who have
never subscribed to any of the
socialistic schemes that are so
glowingly proposed, but will not
bare a careful analysis. s u
To prevent the would.be do
coolers" at Washington from put,
ting over such a scheme, they
must be told emphatically BY
many, many people who vote that
they do not want such socialstic
ideas forced upon them, ana will
not support any one in public life
who attempts to do so.
When the nation went off the
gold standard, some Is years ago
congress placed in the hands of
President Roosevelt and the then
secretary Of the treasury, Henry
w. Morgentheau. sum Of better
than two billion dollars which they
could use 10 rig the market and
keep the American dollar on an