SOCIAL SECURITY MEDICAL PRACTITIONER SCHEME.

Evening Star, Issue 23950, 30 July 1941, Page 12

SOCIAL SECURITY MEDICAL PRACTITIONER SCHEME.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir.—The official statement which you quote concerning medical benefits certainly puts its finger on the weak -spot, the “ voluntary ” basis, which has held tip delivery of the goods. Why the Government should have put more faith in tho goodwill of tho medical profession than that of, say, the egg producers, is hard to understand, especially as the profession in general is no friend of Labour. The fact remains that they wore ‘‘ invited ’’ to carry out the law’s requirements and declined —because they did not like tho way, like spoiled children who will not play unless they choose the game. Jso claim of hardship or injustice, just sheer refusal to play, and the law as at present does not make provision for dealing with this. Tlie preceding statement, that the Government had sold tho people something it did not possess, is not correct. The Government possesses the right to make laws. It was given power to make certain laws in accordance with previously-stated intention. It made tho laws and the people paid, all in good faith. Soft-hearted reliance on similar good faith from the medical fraternity, rather than extension of law, was a mistake, hut does not alter the fact that the goods are there. The statement yon quoted, however, has no bearing on” your contention that wo pay 01 dy for what we receive. Wo pay a social security tax, covering medical benefits, and, as I said before, it would seem that patients would be quite within their rights in refusing to pay a second time. —I am, etc., July 29. Card Signer.