NATIONAL HEALTH ASSEMBLY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Oscar R. Ewing, Chairman The Rev. John W. Barrett Edward L. Bortz, M.D. The Rev. Beverley M. Boyd Mrs. J. L. Blair Buck Earl Bunting Elisabeth Christman John W. DargaveI Graham L. Davis Katherine Densford Louis I. Dublin Robert P. Fischelis Jerome N. Frank Vlado A. Getting, M.D. Albert S. Goss William Grem The Most Rev. Francis J. Haas Paul R. Hawley. M.D. Frieda Hennock Harold Hillenbrand. D.D.S. Mrs. L. W. Hughes William Hading Jackson Eric Johnston Mrs. Albert Lasker Mrs. David Levy George F. Lull, M.D. Mrs. Eugene Meyer James L. Morrill Philip Murray James G. Patton Mrs. Anna M. Rosenberg R. L. Sensenich, M.D. Earl 0. Shreve Frank Stanton M. W. Thatcher Jerry Voorhis Walter White Charles I?. Wilinsky, M.D. Abd Wolman Cornelius A. Wood. Jr. Executive Secretary - Executive 6300, ext. 4445 WASHINGTON 25, D. C. January 6, 1949 Dear Fxs. Lasker: When I was in New York just before Christnas to conclude the contract negotiations with Harper and Brothers, I tried to call you to let you know the latest developments in negotiations between the Assembly and the National Health Council. the following com.ents will have to serve in place of person-to- person conversation o Since you are out of tm, The Council's Ey-law Revision Committee is expected to recomr?end to the annual meeting of the Couqcil that civic organizations with established health program be included as Associate li4embers. The civic organizations would, therefore, be in the same membership category as GovernKent units which participate in the Council. (Active kenbers, in the proposal professional, voluntary health organizations . have three votes; Associate lumbers each have one vote. ) as I understand it, are limited to Active A embers each Nhile this is obviously not as all-embracing a devel-opment as might ideally be wished, I believe it will be a significant step forward if the annual meeting recognizes the principle of organic Council membership for lay institutions. which elect to joi? the Council would then be in a position, once the principle is accepted, of expanding their role within the Council. The lay organizations Incidentally, Dr. Thomas Dublin says that the revised phrase- ology would definitely be meant to include, among others, such groups as the Parent Teachers Association, National Federation of Women's Clubs and the labor organizations. Dublin leads me to feel that he has a very real desire to see the Council expand; and that he is anxious to press for a program which, unlike much of past history, will be relevant to the Nation's health needs, both lay and professional. pressure from the AsseKblJr as a dey-ice whi.ch has strengthened his ah to revitalize the Council. educational meetings which are beginning to include lay representation. If the lay groups which actually join the Council -- assuming the by-law revision is approved -- give serious and genuine support to an intelligent program of health education under the auspices of the Council, it seems to me that a good deal of constructive long-range enlightenment throughout the nation ca.n ultimately be achieved. My observation of young I3r. I thi-nk that he has welcomed the Already he has held a rlwnber of regional -2- Considering the manbership of our Assembly's Executive Comri5ttee, 1 do not believe that it would be either wise or feasible to attempt to use this organization as a nucleus for a short-range, high-pressure "education" group similar to the lobby which the AI?& is evidently setting up on health insurance. undertaken by a new, separate organizatio:) o A further consideration, of course, is that the Assembly under its incorporation is not allowed to engage in propaganda activities. Such a counter-offensive had best be Those who are closely connected with the thought of local camrrunities all over the country, rural and urban, feel that America's people have not yet been awakened to the needs in health to anywhere nearly the extent that has occurred on the subject of the needs of education. It seems to me, therefore, that a two-pronged attack on the nation's ignorance of the facts of its health could well be under- taken: a long-range program of joint professional-lay cooperation in health education activities, end a shorter-range pressure group. It may be that a revitalized and augmented National Health Council of the type envisaged earlier in this letter can carry the ball on the long-range side. At least there would be no harm in trying it; for, if the Council's activities subsequently prove unsatisfactory, this Assenibly, or a new organization inspired by the Assembly's successes and techniques, could a.t any time take over the job. With every warm wish, Sincerely, Cornelius A. Wood, Jr. Efxecutive Secretary Mrs. Albert E. Usker President The Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation Chrysler Building Mew York, N. Y.