THE CHURCH AND THE DOCTORS

Southland Times, Issue 24547, 23 September 1941, Page 7

THE CHURCH AND THE DOCTORS

Sir,—Archdeacon Bullock and Dean Fancourt, speaking from the pulpit and therefore in the name of the Christian Church, have lent their aid to the British Medical Association in its opposition to the State medical scheme. It is never easy to determine when the church is right in commenting on political matters, and I could understand the position of a churchman who felt it his duty to keep silent on tire present question. But 1 certainly cannot understand a churchman who feels :t his duty to give his positive support to the British Medical Association. Undoubtedly the church is always bound to be concerned for the maintenance of liberty. But in the past few years there have been many more flagrant instances of the restriction of liberty about which the church has not complained; and the doctors, as represented by the British Medical As- ; sociation, have given singularly little evidence that they can be trusted with the liberty which these two clergymen demand for them. A State medical service would certainly result in overwork for many of them, but they have always opposed the obvious remedy for this—enlargement of their numbers, either by the establishment of a new medical school or by the importation of qualified foreigners. There could hardly be a clearer case of men fighting for the retention, not merely of liberty, but of a position of social and financial privilege. As a Christian, I am ashamed to see the church soiling its hands by taking up such a cause. I can only take comfort from the fact that the Minister of Health is himself a Christian and a former clergyman. STUDENT.