The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1951-11-16

funds. They support Federal aid.
ThirtyIfive of our seventy-nine
medical schools already rely on State
aid and local taxes. The A private,
nonprofit institutions constitute the
chief problem. Some of them enjoy
relatively large endowments. The fact
remains that three-quarters of them
have been running into serious def
cts. Their plight is worsening. Pri-
vate gifts, because of high taxes,
are dwindling. Costs, meanwhile, are
skyrocketing.
1t is generally agreed, moreover,
that the rate at which we have been
producing physicians, dentists, and
nurses is below par. The Nation
faces serious shortages in health per-
sonnet. In some places the shortages
are already acute. The needs of the
armed services and of civil defense
will probably create very severe
vacuums in health facilities. How
soon they will appear no one can
predict.
This dual problem-the financial
undernourishment of present institu-
tions and the need of increased per-
sonnel-should have been tackled
right after the war. 1t got begged
down in the controversy over COM
pulsory health insurance. In the
spring of 1949 the Senate drew up
a special bill to grant $500 per stu
Of no
cost to medical schools to help cover
Operational expenses, a bonus of
$500 per student for enlarged en-
and $5,000,000 a year for
capital expansion. (The bill made
at lower figures per stu
lent, for dental and nursing schools.)
With bipartisan support and the APP
,roval of the health-education pro-
essions - including the American
Medical Association-the bill passed
he Senate without dissenting vote.
Although amended to meet objections,
t raised a storm in the House. On
une 19, 1850, after the ANA had
urned against it, the bill was de-
Gated in committee by one vote.
In February of this year, S. 337
to satisfy the criticisms
f Is professional associations, in
luding those of American medical
nd dental schools, and the Catholic
Iospital ociation-received pre-
minary bipartisan approval in the
enate.
Then, late last month, the Com
ittee on Labor and Public Welfare
ade a radical change. 1t lowered
lie grant per medical student to 5000
nd increased the bonus for increased
lrollments to $4,000 per student.
This Russell-Kerr amendment was
lopted to please southern Senators,
no felt the great need in the South
as for larger enrollments. When
enator Pastore introduced it 2
eeks ago, enough southern Demo-
ats and northern Republicans (still
allegiance to the "prin-
ole' of Federal add raised serious
jections to this and that provision
overwhelm the little band of pro-
nents.
IRE those who can always find some
ason for defeating this bill SER
is about trying to save private
edical, dental, and nursing schools?
emit they the same Senators who
ofess to be alarmed at government
ntrol? Their inaction on S. 337
Ips undermine the one chance pri-
tie health institutions have of sur
ing. State-supported schools will
'vive and grow and multiply be-
Use they already are government
ltrolled. If that is what the Sena-
s want, why don't they say so,
tead of pretending to be so con-
ned about private enterprise in
field of health?
Sen. Robert A. Taft, a sponsor of
bill, reversed his field and voted
inst federal aid to medical col
es (Voice, Oct. 49,. Senator James
Murray, another sponsor, was
ired for" passage. Senator Zales
Ecton voted against federal as
ance to enable medical schools to
n more physicians and surgeons.