8:F4—Does Sir Ernest Graham-Little imagine that by giving full credit
to the Socialist Medical Association for the-influence it has had on
the health policy of the Labour Party, and therefore on the present coalition Government, that he will frighten the readers of The Spectator ? Or did he intend, by drawing attention to the fact that it has not yet achieved anything like the membership of the British Medical Associa- tion, to imply that no one should be concerned with the policy it so clearly enunciates?
Whichever point was in his mind, let me assure your readers that they need not be afraid of this particular socialist bogey but that its membership merits much greater attention and has much greater weight
than Sir El Graham-Little would imagine. After all, the Labour Party is a partner in this Government, and its views must have their plate so long as coalition Government. persists. The S.M.A. is very proud to have been the spearhead of the attack on the ill-health of the nation, which has led to the enunciation of the Government's White Paper. The S.M.A. makes no pretence to having an enormous membership. It has, however, one thing of which the B.M.A. would like very much to boast—unanimity. The medical profession contains members whose
views range from those which have been publicly exposed as fascist, to
those who believe that an immediate socialised health service is neces- sary to the people of this country. The B.M.A. can, therefore, never reach anything like agreement even within the ranks of its own mem-
bership. The S.M.A., on the other hand, speaks with one voice, a voice which is stronger than that of any other organisation concerned
• :‘111 the medical services because it contains not only doctors but the representatives of every type of health-worker, and through its associate membership, of that very often forgotten factor in the health of this country, the patient.
We believe that the ultimate development of medicine necessitates a ahole-time salaried service, available to every citizen in this country; and
e believe that we shall one day have such a service in spite of all the orpositiOn which Sir E. Graham-Little, and those who would prefer to wain private practice offer. A healthy nation cannot be achieved by tic metlxods that have failed in the past, and the White Paper offers, a■ least, a chance to try new methods.—Yours, &c, D. STARK MURRAY.
Vice-President, Socialist Medical Association. 176 Ken) Road, Richmond, Surrey.
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