Editorial June 6, 1908 Issue

"THE DOCTOR IN POLITICS."

Archibald McLellan

During the past five or six years the American public has had an opportunity to learn a great deal about the extent to which the desire of the few to obtain special privileges over the many has been gratified, through paternalistic legislation, unlawful combinations of capital or labor, and other means for subordinating public good to the selfish interests of some particular class. It would seem that enough has already been said and written on this subject to make any person of even ordinary perception hesitate about proposing to take away any further rights of the people, but this does not appear to be the case with our friends the doctors. We copy the following from the Boston Transcript's report of the meeting of the American Medical Association now being held in Chicago: —

Physicians must break into politics. This was the keynote of an address on "Civic Duties of the Medical Profession" delivered last night at the annual banquet of the American Medical Editors' Association by Dr. Charles A. L. Reed, former president of the American Medical Association. A seat in the President's Cabinet, with a secretaryship of the proposed department of public health, is conceded to be the end sought by the proposed political campaign. According to Dr. Reed, it is only by representation in Congress, which he described as being "waterlogged with lawyers," that the medical profession can secure or prevent legislation.

There is not the slightest objection to a physician going to Congress as an individual, just as there is no objection to any reputable person of any other profession or occupation holding a seat in that body, but we do not understand that Dr. Reed would be satisfied with such a tame proposition as this. What he seems to advocate is that the doctor shall go to Congress as the representative of a class which desires special legislation in its own interest; I. e.. "it is only by representation . . . that the medical profession can secure or prevent legislation."

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"HIS HANDIWORK."
June 6, 1908
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