The Wanganui Chronicle THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 1939. THE MEDICAL PROFESSION AND SOCIAL SECURITY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 97, 27 April 1939, Page 6

The Wanganui Chronicle THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 1939. THE MEDICAL PROFESSION AND SOCIAL SECURITY

that fine characteristic of the Labour Party toward those with whom it disagrees, the Standard heads an editorial: “B.M.A. Declares a Strike.” The 8.M.A.. of course, lias not declared a strike, but its members have failed 1o accept, the dictatorship of the Government in respect to the terms and conditions under which they shall serve in the Social Security Scheme. A strike is not a refusal to undertake a new bargain, but a withdrawal of services to the detriment of the community in the hope that such withdrawal of services will so inconvenience the community that the demands made by the strikers will be met. 'I he medical profession is charged with Hunting ‘'the will of the people." This is hardly a tenable argument, seeing that the, public has no knowledge of the terms and conditions under which the Government proposed that the members of the B.M.A. should work. The people, can hardly be said to have expressed I their wills when they know nothing about the business. Had the medical profession withdrawn its services from the public, as do the watersiders and the miners with such frequency, then there could have been a strike. But the medical profession is carrying on its duties to the public in the same old way, charging people whego to the, surgeries of the practitioners and working without any reward whatsoever when they attend the public hospitals. With remarkable effrontery the Standard declares: "The I members of the medical profession must remember that they render a public service, and that they arc not entitled to withhold that service.” Excellent advice if true, and equally applicable to all who render a publie service. It is to be hoped that it will be preached by the Standard when next there is a “go-slow” on the Wellington waterfront. The advice, however, misses the mark', because it is based on that which is untrue, the medical profession is not withholding- its service. The Standard has produced a first-class piece of muddled thinking- or a lowclass piece of political propaganda. It can make its own choice.