Walter P. Bowers, M. D., former president of the Massachusetts Medical Society, now secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Regulation in Medicine. D. Emmett Welsh, president Michigan State Medical Society, 1912. A. W. Hornbogen, president of the Michigan State Medical Society, 1916. Victor C. Vaughan, dean of University of Michigan Medical School, lieutenant M. R. C.; formerly major and division surgeon, U. S. V.; president American Medical Association, 1914-15; president Association American Physicians, 1909; president Michigan State Medical Society, 1897. Harper M. Workman, president Minnesota State Medical Association. Haldor Sneve, M. D., former president Minnesota State Medical Association. Abram W. Mitchell, M. D., former president New Hampshire State Medical Society; physician to Peck County Institute for Observation and Correction. William J. Chandler, president Medical Society of New Jersey. Philip Marvel, president New Jersey State Medical Society. Daniel Strock, M. D., former president of the Medical Society of New Jersey, 1913. C. S. Losey, president New Mexico Medical Society. R. L. Bradley, former president of New Mexico Medical Association. Martin B. Tinker, president New York State Medical Society. Wendell C. Phillips, M. D., ex-president Medical Society of the State of New York; ex-president Medical Society of the County of New York; ex-president American L. R. & O. Society. W. Stanton Gleason, ex-president Medical Society of the State of New York. Charles O. H. Laughinghouse, president of Medical Society of the State of North Carolina. V. H. Stickney, president North Dakota State Medical Association, for 1916, and for 10 years previous State delegate to the house of delegates of the American Medical Association. E. O. Smith, M. D., past president Ohio Valley Medical Association; presidentelect Ohio State Medical Association. William E. Lower, M. D., ex-president Ohio State Medical Society. H. B. Gibbon, M. D., president Ohio State Medical Association. Louis G. Brose, M. D., Ph. D., ex-president Ohio Valley Medical Association; expresident Vanderburgh County Medical Society. J. M. Byrum, M. D., ex-president Oklahoma State Medical Association. A. L. Blesh, M. D., F. Á. C. S., former president Oklahoma Medical Association; former president Medical Association of the Southwest. Frank L. Day, ex-president Rhode Island Medical Society. J. W. Jervey, former president South Carolina Medical Association. G. A. Neuffer, former president, South Carolina Medical Association. J. B. Vaughan, M. D., former president of South Dakota State Medical Association. F. M. Crain, president South Dakota Medical Association. Frederick A. Spafford, M. D., ex-president South Dakota Medical Society. E. C. Ellett, former president Tennessee State Medical Association. James M. Inge, president of the State Medical Association of Texas. Samuel Lile, M. D., ex-president Medical Society of Virginia. George A. Stover, president Medical Society of Virginia. Hugh M. Taylor, M. D., Albemarle (Va.), Military Institute; ex president Medical Society of Virginia; ex-president Medical Examining Board of Virginia; professor clinical surgery Medical College of Virginia. C. O. Henry, M. D., ex-president West Virginia State Medical Association. Chanler Stuart Sheldon, M. D., former president American Academy of Medicine; former president State Medical Society of Wisconsin. CHAIRMEN OF SECTIONS OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (10). G. Hudson Makuen, M. D., formerly president of the American Academy of Medicine, American Laryngological Association, American L. R. & O. Association, etc. Theodore Diller, former chairman of section on mental and nervous diseases of the American Medical Association. M. Allen Starr, M. D., LL. D., L. C. D., professor of neurology, Columbia University New York; former president American Neurological Society; former president of section on neurology, American Medical Association; former president of New York Neurological Society. W. A. Jones, M. D., former chairman of section on mental and nurvous diseases, American Medical Association; former president Minnesota State Medical Association; former president academy of Medicine, Minnesota; former president Hennepin County Medical Society; president Minnesota State Board of Health. Frank C. Todd, former chairman section on opthalmology, American Medical Association; former vice president American Medical Association; former president Minnesota Academy of Medicine; former president Minnesota Academy of Opthalmology and Oto-Laryngology; former president Hennepin County Medical Society. Lawrence Litchfield. Robert O. Hatcher, chairman section on pharmacology and therapeutics, American Medical Association, 1914-16. Charles H. Peck, M. D., former chairman of section on surgery, general and abdominal, of the American Medical Association. Walter R. Parker, M. D., ex-chairman opthalmic section, American Medical Association; professor of opthalmology University of Michigan. A. F. Jones, formerly chairman of section on surgery of the American Medical Association. PRESIDENTS OF NATIONAL SOCIETIES (19). Dr. Joel E. Goldthwaite, 372 Marlborough Street, Boston, Mass., chairman of the American Orthopedic Association. Charles F. Painter, ex-president American Orthopedic Association, 1915-16. J. Whitridge Williams, president Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland, etc. A. R. Shands, president (1912-13) American Orthopedic Association. Edward H. Brush, former president (1915-16) American Medico-Psychological Association, editor American Journal of Insanity. H. R. Stedman, medical director Bournewood Hospital, former president American Neurological Association, former president Boston Society Psychiatry and Neurology, former president New England Society of Psychiatry and Neurology. Hugh T. Patrick, ex-president American Neurological Association. William N. Bullard, M. D., former president of the American Neurological Asso ciation. Frank R. Fry, formerly president of the American Neurological Association. Chester Stuart Sheldon, president American Academy of Medicine. Thomas Hubbard, president American Laryngological Association, 1913-14. Robert Levy, former president American L. R. & O. Society; former chairman section of L. R. & O., American Medical Association. George F. Suker, former president American Academy of Ophthalmology and OtoLaryngology, 1912. Edward B. Heckel, former president Pittsburgh Academy of Medicine, 1898; former president Allegheny County Medical Society, 1905; former chairman section on specialties of Medical Society of the State of Pennsylvania, 1908; former president Medical Society State of Pennsylvania, 1913-1915; president Pittsburgh Ophthalmological Society, 1912. J. D. Griffith, president Association of Military Surgeons, United States Army, 1898-99. J. N. Hurty, ex-president (1912) American Public Health Association. Henry C. Aldrich, former president American Institute of Homeopathy, 1915-16. Dr. Peter A. Callan, president of American Ophthalmological Society. Dr. Randolph Winslow, 1900 Mount Royal Terrace, Raltimore, Md., ex-president of Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland. Dr. HowE. I may say in connection with medical associations that there is not only this large central association, but each State has its own medical association, and then many of the States have also their separate societies in different counties. Senator BRADY. This letter that gives the approval of universal military training that you have placed in the record, is approved by all these medical associations that you have mentioned? Dr. Howe. Of the total number of letters received, of the 117 replies, 112 gave unqualified personal approval of the bill as regards two features in it, namely, the examination of all boys of a given age and also to the advantage of military training. Four were doubtful, not having seen the entire bill, and one apparently was opposed to everything of a military character. I am not going to take up your time in calling your attention to the prominence of these men, but there are one or two here that in justice to those whom I represent should be mentioned. Dr. Vaughan, of Ann Arbor, is exceedingly well known. The two Mayos are presidents also. Perhaps in the western part of the country there is no one of more prominence. Senator BRADY. Who was the second? Dr. Howe. Both of the Mayos. Senator BRADY. Would it not be well to read that letter from the Mayos at this time? Dr. Howe. Yes, sir. They say: Dr. LUCIEN HOWE, 520 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, N. Y. DECEMBER 30, 1916.. DEAR DR. HOWE: We are strongly in favor of universal military training in educational institutions, both public and private, for purposes of peace as well as defense. Three years ago there was organized in our local high school a cadet corps; it has marvelously improved the scholarship and behavior of the students, and the disciplinary value is of very great importance. Yours, sincerely, W. J. MAYO, Former President American Medical Association. C. H. MAYO, President of American Medical Association. That, as you will observe, was written by both of them. Each one of them has been president of the American Medical Association. Dr. Jacobi is one of the oldest practitioners in the country, and has been president of about every organization there is. I will read one sentence from him. He says: I am with you, and you may use my name and age and former work and positions. You know them all, and luck to you, and luck to us all. APPROVAL DOUBTFUL OR WITHHELD. (Approval withheld principally because these physicians have not seen the full text of the Chamberlain bill.) (Approval withheld, author apparently opposed to everything military.) WRITERS OF DUPLICATE LETTERS, APPROVING IN TERMS STRONGER THAN THOSE OF THE PRINTED FORM. E. G. Brackett, Boston, Mass. I am not going into the details of that. I merely call attention to it in order that you may know what they represent. The CHAIRMAN. Will you leave those letters with us? Dr. HowE. Certainly. We want to present these letters and we want to call attention to the fact that we are not talking about the military part of the bill, but the medical part; first, as to the advantages of the proposed examination, and secondly, of the training itself. Now the different gentlemen present, after the general principle is discussed, will each take up the question from his own standpoint. Dr. Young knows them well, and I shall be very glad to have him conduct the remainder of this presentation. The CHAIRMAN. Doctor, you are willing to allow us to take that correspondence and collaborate it here? Dr. HowE. Certainly. The CHAIRMAN. And put all of it in the record possibly? Dr. Howe. Yes, sir. Those are letters to you. They are not our own. (Some of the typical letters of prominent physicians and surgeons are here inserted in the record, as follows:) Dr. LUCIEN HOWE, Buffalo, N. Y. THE AMERICAN ORTHOPEDIC ASSOCIATION, DEAR DR. HOWE: Replying to your letter of the 26th ultimo, relative to universal military training, I wish to say that I am personally heartily in favor of some such bill as that under consideration. I favor universal training for several reasons: 1. I believe it to be the only adequate method for national defense. 2. The medical supervision, as outlined in your letter to Senator Chamberlain, will necessarily prove of great benefit. 3. It will teach our young men a greater respect for authority, which, in my opinion, is sadly needed. It was my privilege to appoint the members of a committee on orthopedic preparedness which was created by our association at its annual meeting last May. Dr. Joel E. Goldthwaite, of Boston, is chairman of this committee, and I would suggest that you write him, as I feel this matter very properly comes within the scope of the committee's duties. Dr. William G. Erving, of Washington, is a member of the committee and will be glad to assist you, I am sure, in any way the committee may indicate. Very truly, yours, Dr. LUCIEN HOWE, Buffalo, N. Y. David Silver, President. PHILADELPHIA, December 30, 1916. MY DEAR DR. HOWE: Pardon such a long letter in answer to yours of December 26. I am firmly convinced, after trying for years to prove the opposite to myself, that compulsory military training for every youth is necessary in the United States, not only for the purpose of having an Army to protect the country, but also, and more important, because of the benefit to the mental and physical health of the youth of the country. I was much impressed years ago when a student in Germany (am not only not pro-German in my sympathies, but have a cordial hate for militarism) by seeing the tremendous improvement shown in a few months in the young men called to serve their time. Many of them arrived at the barracks dull-looking, not overclean, slouchy. In a short time they were upstanding men. The American boy has little idea of discipline, obedience, or duty, and almost momently, so rapid is the progress toward degeneration, is becoming more undisciplined, is yielding more to the sway of his emotions, instead of being taught to control them, and has become so saturated with the importance of his getting his rights that he has no thought that he owes a duty to the State, his family, or himself. He has no point of contact with the National Government and does not realize he owes it anything. Unless the American boy is taught obedience, unless he learns he must submit to authority, unless he learns that the highest manhood is to obey, unless he learns that work is a blessing, not a curse, this country is doomed to the same fate that has overtaken every soft, fat, flabby, emotional, and kindhearted but mush-headed race that has preceded us. Universal military training will do much to stiffen up, to make firm-fibered and manly the boys of America. I do not know all the provisions of Senator Chamberlain's bill (S. 1695) and am incompetent to have an opinion on the details of how universal military service should be carried out, but certainly the main object of the bill is wise. So far as my name carries any weight you may use this letter at the meeting of the committee of Congress or for any purpose you desire. Should you think my opinion of the American boy is undeserved may I be personal and state that the character of my calling has given me opportunity to study him closely for more than a few years. He is very bright sometimes, but he is soft, too fond of luxury, and lacks the firm sense of duty the older generation had. The boys of recent foreign lineage are little if any worse than the descendants of the early settlers of the country. Very truly yours, CHARLES W. BURR, Professor of Mental Diseases, University of Pennsylvania. Dr. LUCIEN HOWE, Buffalo, N. Y. COPPER QUEEN CONSOLIDATED MINING Co., MY DEAR DR. HOWE: I am in receipt of your letter requesting my opinion on universal military service. Living near the border as I do, and having seen the pathetic failure of our National Guard during its recent mobilization and duty on the border, I realize that the only scheme for national defense is universal military service. Under our present system of military service, which has absolutely demonstrated its inefficiency, there is in addition an unfair burden which is borne by only a few, and which under our system of government should be borne by all alike. I would therefore most heartily indorse a bill providing for universal military training under the Swiss system. Very truly, yours, FRANCIS E. SHINE, Former President of the Arizona Medical Society; Dr. LUCIEN HOWE, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, DEAR DOCTOR: Replying to your favor of recent date respecting universal military training, will say I am in hearty sympathy the subject and sincerely hope it may be accomplished. Yours, very truly, F. M. CRAIN. |