Evening star., 1950-08-28
Dentists Urge
Draft Be Under
ResourcesB Board
Defense Estimates
Military Will Need
5,034 More Doctors

0,VS4 more D0Cf0rS
A move to draft physicians and
dentists into the armed services
ran into complications today when
spokesmen for the American Den
tai Association indicated at a
House committee hearing that
they would urge that final author
ity in such draft be vested in
the National Security Resources
Board.
AS hearings on a draft measure
opened before the House Armed
Services Committee. there was no
evidence of opposition to the gen.
eral idea of drafting medical men
to supply military needs that
might not be otherwise cared for
by voluntary enlistments or re-
Servists.
But there was everyy sign that
the hearings which had been ex-
pected to be brief, if not per-
functory, might continue for
several days because of a long list
of scheduled witnesses.
1876 Are Needed.
The Defense Department, &C
cording to it's director of medical
services, DR.. Richard Melting, esti-
mated that 5.034 physicians and
2.642 dentists might have to be
drafted by next July if the total
strength of the armed forces
reaches 2,500,000 by that time.
DR.. Melting told the committee
that those estimates included
many factors that could be
changed by voluntary enlistments
or the rate of development of
specific military forces. The esti-
mate. he explained, was on the
basis of a ratio of doctors and
dentists to troop strengths i'm
mediately before the start of the
Korean fighting.
Asked by Committee Chairman
Vinson to estimate needs on the
basis of a 2,500,000 strength, DR..
Melting reported that all three
branches now have 6,226 M.D.'s
and would need a total of 1880,
thus necessitating addition of
5,034. The services, he added,
now have 1858 dentists, and would
need about 5000, thus necessi-
tating an additional 2,642, or a
combined total of 1876 doctors
and dentists.
He also informed the commit
tee that, in his opinion, a call for
that number of M.D.s and den-
lists would not put an unduly
severe strain on the civilian popu-
lation.
DIR. Adams to Testify.
DIR. Philip E. Adams of Boston,
president of the American Dental
Association, was to testify later
today or tomorrow. He disclosed,
however. that his association ia
vors the doctor dentist draft bill
as proposed by Chairman Vinson.
The association believes, how
ever, that the National Security
Resources Board rather than the
Army. Navy or Air Force should
be given final authority over any
special draft of dentists, physi-
clans and other specialized per-
sonnel.
The measure prepared by Mr..
Vlnson would make three changes
in the program originally re-
quested by Secretary of Defense
Johnson. He said at today's hear
ing that the original bill was too
broad in including professional
and technical men that his bill
would limit the proposed draft to
doctors and dentists. His bill
also would provide for a national
advisory commission on such a
draft and would provide that a
medical doctor or dentist who was
drafted would not get the $10O
extra pay allowance that would
go to such professional men who
volunteer.
When some committee mem
bers raised a question whether
veterinarians, osteopaths, chiro-
practors and others should be in
Guided in the bill, Chairman Vim
son said, "all right. put them all
in but most of them won't be
drafted anyway"
When he inquired about the
need for veterinarians when we
Only have tanks in the Army" he
was told that veterinarians now are
principally responsible for food
inspections in the service.
On the Senate side of the Cap
itol companion bill is under
consideration by a Senate Armed
Services Subcommittee.
The Senate bill would draft
physicians through IS years of
age and dentists through As years.
The House version, however, sets
IS as the top age.
n