1938-08-29 — Page 22

TOO MANY DOCTORS

Difficultios of Making

Ends Meet

By The Scottish Branch Secretary of the Medical

THE

Practitioners' Union

nnnouncement that the British Medical Association gave the question of allowing allen doctors to set up practice in this country prominent place in the proceedings at its annual meeting, and that: the Medical Practitioners' Union is prepared to organise a strike of the profession if the Government per- sists in its proposals to admit re- fugee Austrian medical inen coming here for that purpose, has created a great deal of public curiosity as to what is behind the exeltement which has been stirred up in the medical comp.

The man in the street cannot un- derstand why the Iden of a Lew Continental doctors trying to make living for themselves in "The Re- Refugees' Paradise" should have got the medient men of this coun- try on the raw, and be rousing them to contemplate measures of so dros- tie a kind.

Let it be stated clearly and em- phatically that neither race, nation- ality, nor religion comes Into the matter at all. The profession has no quarrel with its Continental col- leagues who have been, and are be- ing, hounded out of their own land. On the contrary, it has the deepest- sympathy with them. The position taken up by the doctors of Great Britain is one that is forced upon them purely by economic conditions, the existing over-crowded stale of the profession, and the dimcuity

which medical men in this country. are finding in making their budgets balance.

Wrong Ideas

The public has always had very inflated ideas regarding the financial medical advisers; prosperity of its Because, in the old days, a doctor went his rounds in a carriage-and- pair, or, keeping up with the times. now drives his own car, it is and always has been taken for granted that he is well blessed with worldly means. Hints to the effect that he is not so well off as people imagine

with a smile are received

and envious. "I'd give a good bit for a page of your bank-book!"

an

If the attitude of the medien! pro- fession towards the Austrian inva sion is to be understood, a few cherished inlazonceptions about doc- tors' bank balances will have to go by the board,

During the first two decades of the present century the number of additional names on the Medical Re- gister at the end of ench year averaged about 400. This Hous

not mean that only 100 men had

graduated during. the preceding

twelve months. In course of the year many of the older practitioners had died. The vacuncles on the re- gister created by these deaths had to be filled by names of new gradu- ates, in order to bring the numbers on the register up to those at the end of the previous year, before any of the additional 400 names began to be counted.

The 400 average does not merely mean that at the end of each year there were 400 new names on the register, but that there were now on it 400 names over and above the number at the date of the previous count.

Dwindling Practice

Throughout the next decade the yearly addition averaged 1000 names more than were on the register on the previous December 31. Though, iately, the numbers are down, they are still more than double the pre- War figure..

But, while the number of doctors has increased since the War, the opportunities of work for each, both old and new, have steadily been be- coming less and less.

When State Insurance came into force panel practitioners, though they might be receiving only seven shillingsd

year for attention to the

of the house, insured

were drawing a further seven shillings, or twenty-one shillings, and often more, for attending to the medical requirements of that insured per- son's wife and the junior members of his family.

THE HONGKONG.

Erich

TELEGRAPH, MONDAY, AUGUST

Maria

Remarque's

29,

1938.

THREE COMRADES

Cherricht 2008 by Loew's Toa, -

Chapter One

jshe proffered her name of Patricia Hollmann, and explained, bor half- |Bagllah, half-German origin.

Thoy worn nii siiting at the little garden table by then, the party had grown more affable. including Breuer, who, with liquor,

Erich glanced at the others as the car apod down the highway. There was a similarity in the faces of; Koster and Lous that he had never said, turning to Erich. She smiled "We're war babies then," Pat noticed before. Ila groped for the word. Pride, that was it. The pridenberly. "We're neither living zor

doad." of men who forcely believe in prace and the future of a civilised

world.

Wonderingly, he stroked his own

chin and wondered if he too, had that look. Back there in the city, there was guting, the 1020 brand, different from the kid he and his

two comrades had known in 1917,

Then, it had been watcold, cruel,

well-defined.

Ona nation against

the other. And now?

You and Erich you're both liv Ing. You're young. Hemember that."

Koster cut in. "Don't say that.

Brouer was complacently cracking nut and digging at them with a harp pick, rather as if he warn cleaning his fingernails. "You fel- lows ought to join our organization. fake men out of you. Marching

what together?"

Lear rose furiously. "Marching what together?"

Lenz had mumunod it up just a while before with quiet, bitter scorn turned calmly. "Order. Discipline. "The now Germany," Breuer ro- he had watched the rioting out The common people should breed and aldo. "Hoodluma little kids and work and night for the Fatherland. big kids throwing rocks and burn That's their duty. Treat them well. ing wads of colton. Saving Germind you. They mustn't starve. many. Saving us from men like Dr. Keep them marching." He began Becker and what they stand for to boat on the table with the nut penco, ronson, freedom."

pick. "trrump, hump, bump, bump.

rump, bump, bump, bump" Lenz abrilled, "Stop it! Stop it!". Breuer looked at him with quiet! arrogance. "Oh sit down. You shell- shocked fellows give me a pain with your hysterics."

Koster ad spoken to him sharp- ly. "Be quiet. This don't our figin. We did our work in the war, Now woʻre running an auto repair shop, not a country. Come on, let's drive out to that roadside fan, it's Erich's birthday." Stolidly, he had picked up the six bottles of rum and led the way to the door.

Watching the whizzing landscape, Erion thought back to that day when koolllikten had ceased. Funny, every bottle had always seemed to

and had hauled him up when Kom

Lenz had him by the cost collar

ter intervened. "Easy Lenz. From now on wa drink milk on Erica's birthdaya."

As if they were alone, Pat turned to Erich. "Bo it's your birthday?"

How old?"

"Old enough”.

"One of the nicer agent

which is the nicest?" He felt godlike, He could be anything, even

be the last when the shrapnel was flying. Then, with the armistico there had zoomed to be a million ahend. He had never had any fun is his life. It had been from kinder- garten to front linse. He had made a reckless bonat that he would spili | kho right age, for her, champagne from Hamburg to "Well," her smila was slow and ap Munich and fall in love with every praising, your age, I tank. Just girl he set. Ha was going to live. about your age.".

"You fellows ought to join our organization.

Make men out of you."

That was Peace.

The moon had risen high when Only now, the auto repair shop's they stood outside the actor agala. tiny profita didn't allow for much With the rum dulling their ani- cliampagne and the girls never nically for the time being, Koster, seemed as attractive, close to. Brouar and Lous had linked arms

There was a horn footing Impa- and wore ainging. Elently behind them. Erich glanced Erich watched the moonlight around and paw an expensive sedan, trace a leafy pattern over Pat's la driver surveying thom with con-i faco. Ho noted four, no, Ave tempt. Erich grinned. "He wants to freckles over her impudent nose. play with us, Koster." The latter "Do you think Herr Brauer's able to nodded and pressed on the acceler drive?" he asked anxiously. ator of "Baby, Immediately, the Hoomingly rattletrap car, whose father had been an airplane, leaped forward. Erich caught a bewildered look of astonishment from the other driver and a few moments later as "Baby" stopped at the Inn, Lenz observed, "I thought I heard a noise on the rond. Isn't it beautiful and qulot here?"

"I think so."

"If you're act quite sure," he sug gestod urgently, "one of us could go with you. Gladly.”

The singing was closer. "It's all right. He drives the same, drunk or sober." Brauer was opening this door of the car.

Erich bent down and said in a low voice, "Can I phone you in the morning and soo if you got home all tight?" He hung on her answer. The moment was iko those downs in the trenches when one waited and waited for the word that might blot out the sun forever.

They were removing the battles of rum from the hack seat when the other car drew up. From 1 stepped a man of about forty. He had an aristocratio front but the venoer was thin, the butcherboy just below the surface. Squinting "If you like," aba maid evenly. angrily through his monocle, he "Westend two seven nine six" said, ne if he were announcing a tille, "I am Herr Franz Breuer. What kind of junk is that?"

Amused, Erich Hatened as the boys gravely explained "Baby's" "I wonder," Long said as he neage. But suddenly he tensed climbed into the racing car, "what From the other door of the car she seen in that wine, Wonderful a giri was emerging. Erich looked girl, eh?"

Slowly, Erich approached har. "It's a beautiful night," he said Awkwardly and was conscious of panic for he could triink of nothing alan to say.

Carefully, Erich noted the aum- ber on a match packet. There were good natured farewells, then Breuer's car drove away.

at her dizztly. She was lovely and} Erich yawned elaborately. "Ok, young and there was a kind of puck- all right" No senso in arousing Ish amlie upon her lips. Sho moved } competitive Interest, —and light and muale moved with "MI right?" Long geatured hope- hor.

|inssly at Koster, "You know Erich, sometimes I think you must have had a serious head wound that you novor reported." The engine roared, Erich looked off over the fields and thought, "She's such a tiny thing. Looks like she'd blow away, Ho clutched the cardboard with its magto numbers tightly in his hand. Tomorrow was auch a long way off before he could hear her Volo again. Patriein. He'd never known girl with that name. He'd never known a girl like her.

Her head inclined, a Spring daf- fodil gently nodding. "Unusually mild for Marott."

"Terribly mild." Her eyes were big and a sort of dusty šlus.

"Uh—we didn't know there was anyone anyone like you in the ear. Or wo'd have let you win.”

"But why should you

Koster sighed. "Murt bo nite bo

"It wasn't fair. Wa enn do ninety- | Ing able to, remember your birth, five: You didn't know that, natur- day. When's yours, Lenz?" ally. I think your husband was an noyed."

She shrugged her square, slim' shoulders. "Õno aught to be able to lose sometimes. And,” pho added, her voice liiting, "Herr Breuer fan't my husband. He's just a friend."

- Covering up his exultance, Erich found hd tongue running away. with him. He told hor of ħli youth. of his war record, of the life of the three comrades. In exchange,

He gave it up. Maybe July or Lenx pondered. March, April." August."

earned went into his own pocket.

Is it any wonder that the rank and Ale of the medical profession in this country are up in arms at the idea of alten doctors being allowed to start practice here, and so dilute stli further the Ilie that the British practitioner has left to live on? Since then, however, rato-main-

it has been of- Are you aware tained elinies for Infants, school shrunk to such insignificant propor- of the doctors in this country have practice las ficially stated that ever 50 per cent. children, T.B. casos, mothers-to-be tions that his panel fees are practic overdrafts at the bank, and that they and mothers-that-are, &c. &c., have ally the whole of the average general are compelled to adopt much sprung up in all directions, and

practitioner's professional Income,

taken what were the most remuner-

declining years.

But to-day privatė

ative parts of his private practice Overdrafts at the Bank out of the panel doctor's hands,

"

course

jowing to the Impossibility otherwise

of making ends meet?

Can you blame the British, medi-

* In the latest annual report of the cal man for obfecting, in the strong- In the early days of National Insurance Committee for the burgh cat possible way, to strangers being Health Insurance a doctor was able of Glasgow it is stated that last allowed to come here and set to pay his professional and domestic year the average sum paid to each practice against them; overcrowd- up expenses out of his panel cheque papel produtioner in Glasgowing: still further an already much- His private practice provided him for his 12 months work was £411. overcrowded profession, and making with funds with which to meet his From that eum all his professional It even more dimeurt than it is for other outlays, to have a little bit to expenses had to be deducted before its members to follow Micawber's spend, to lay past mething for his A single pony, of what he had

Adapted For M. G. M. By BEATRICE

FABER

Chapter Two

It was a beautiful morning and the plum tree, blooming in the courtyard of the repair shop, seem- ed to brighten up the whọic dmb world.

As Lenz tinkered at a diamantled limousine, bo anid, refisctively. "You know Erich, something ought to be dona about that girl. What's her name? Pat something or elber? You wrote match packet her address on a Erich a tone was ovnolve, “I threw It away. The matches were all used up."

"Really? You must have the wrong woman,"

itis palms went wet with pariu. "In your ear, I mean.” He relaxed nitto na there came an onwet- ing "Oh-h-h" of recognition. "I just wondered it you got home all right. Did you?"

Who giggled. "I'm quite sure I did.”

"That's fine" What a mutton head he'd been to think she'd bo interoated in him. In utter con- fusion, he said, "Well, goodbye."

"Did you call me up just to say. that?"

Ha gulped. "No, wo--I just wasn't very busy."

Her laugh came again, "Oh, a compliment. Odaty enough, I won't be busy next Tuesday evening."

Erich had now gone completely to plecos. "That is odd. Well, good- bye."

T: Tuesday evening."

Till Tuesday evening," he repeat- ed automatically but na the tale. phone clicked, lin stared at it in a daze. "What?" Then a sudden ex- allation spread over him.

He was going to deo hor. Slie wanted to see him again. It was Elice a miracle.

The next morning her card came, politely informing him of her ad dress. It reposed in Erich's pocket, crumpled and blurred ns, mounting the steps of a three-story mansion on Tuesday evening, he rang the bell and held his breath. A pompous Lenz jumped up and seized him by major-domo opened the door to the hair. "Throw it away? And after him, escorting him past great fad- Koster and I spent an hour listen-ed reception rooms to the rene of Ing to that Breuer so you could move the houso. in. He turned away in exaspera- Pat herself opened the door of tort, "I should have known you her tiny salon and her amile was wouldn't have the brains to appro- like a brightly burning candle. Plut- clate her." Ho klased his fingers tering her silm fingers she laughed, ecstatically, "Her bands, long and "Oh dear, Ludwig will bring people alendor, lika romaine anlad. Ah to this door." She dropped into a Erich, you should travel. Germans chair. "He loves to think I still own don't understand love. l'an really a the whole house, though now I only Latin. That's what Pat's go, the rent this little bit of it. soul of a South American,"

Erich touched the expensive

Erich grinned. "If you liked Bouth America so much, why did you come back after three months?" He did not wait for a reply however, for there was a call from outside. A customer.

Wiping off his greasy hands, Erich listened incroduously as Herr Schultz and his wife began to dicker for the Ilmousine standing outside. His eyes lighted up. If the limousine word sold there would be untold richos. How splendidly he could then court Pat,

In an inspired voice he began to polat out the beauties of the car. Four-wheel brakes, balloon tires, valves just ground and a now paint Job. Mr. Schultz seemed unimpress- ed. After all, it was a second hand car, What, Erich demanded, should

"Alfons". Bar? That's exactly the place for girl like me.

tapestry of his chair. "I thought you tell me you were poor."

"Dosan't it look as if I am?" He shrugged. Poverty wax az- other one of those things that was relative. The only soft chair in the aban had been the back seat of the limousine and now that was gone. He-noticed that she was staring moodily on the floor and the miser abla conviction that he was boring her already, swapt over him. “It's still wild n't it?" he said toata- tively.

She looked up and laughed. "You don't have to make conversailan with mo when I stars at things.

was just thinking something fool- Ish." Her gaza wont past him. "Thinking how nios it would be if we could pick a time to be born.

a car tave to make it attractive? a plek an age of reason and quiet Wings? It was cheap at soven thou

and marke. Mr. Schultz shook his head.

If there ever was one." Her eyes searahod his. "What would you pick?"

Abruptly, Erich turned to the Erich besitated. She had sounded woman. "The color suits you so for a moment Ilke Lenz Lenz well, Frau Schultz, Cobalt blue with who worked quietly against the blonde is perfect." After all, she growing revolutionary forces, Lenz, wasn't a bad looking woman it you who fearlessly hated everything overlooked the extem poundage. "It that was the enemy of freedom and is easy to see that Frau Schultz toleranco. "Oh, I don't know," Erich has a soul. The soul of of a South mid uncertainly, "Tais minute is American." Plucking a blossom good enough for me." front the plum-tres he pressed it Into her hand.

Frau Schultz beamed and sudden- 1y her husband began to chuckle.

She clasped her hands behind her head. That's a lovely compliment. Or is it just something you thought Of_to_any7′′

For auch shrewd business methods Hor eyes were so direct, as if she he had nothing but admiration. It would plerce through to his brain. was worth at least six thousand He stirred with nervousness. “What marks to him. Ho wrote out a I mean is well, how would I check. "Deliver the car to my home know I'd bo apt to meet you in the tomorrow evening please. Auf age of reason?" There, he'd put hia Wiedersehn, Good luck,"

foot in it with his blunt speech,

Erloh bowed them out, nearly There was a pause na at witled collapsing with excitement. "Baat bim, a sad smlin. Then she rOEC. careful crossing the street," he call- "Shall we go now? I've got to be ed, barely able to articulate. Then, back here by ten. It's a sort of buni- summoning Koster and Long hedioness affair. I'm trying to get a played the windfall "Two thousand job." marks apleco."

More likely, it was. Then the ugly thought was biolled out as he stood baalde her. She was so little and delicately made.

Following her out, he felt a sud- Long thoughts were far away, don resentment weight down his "Two thousand marks worth of heart. A "business appointment. help for Germany," he murmured thinking of what this would mean to his underground group.

Koster spoke slowly. What we should do is to buy taxi. It's an Income in addition to the shop and a source of security for the three of w,"

Erich nodded and finally Lenz sighed. "Well, what are we waiting

Clapping him on the shoulder Koster turned to Erich. "Go tell Baby to move over. She's going to Esve company.”

With cautious glance around bim Erlah proceeded to the tele- phone. Then, with Palju voleo ne tually coming over the wire, he broke into an artificial laugh, "Thin So that man you met the other night. Ons — one of the ones who beat you"

"Where shall we dins?" Pat ask- od. “Whare would you go?"

Erich thought of Alfans' rough and ready bar and looked horrified.. "Oh that's out. A torrible place, Al- fone Bar, Oh, 's absolutely out. No place for a girl like you.

"Alfons Bar?" She looked up at him with dancing ayos. "That' «x- actly the place for a girl like me."

(Erich's romance appears to bo progressing satisfactorily. He has at least won at evening with Pal. But will her "bust- ness" appointment that evening preclude further meetings?. De. gure to read tomorrow's roman Zie installment.)·

COUNT THE

"TELEGRAPHS”

EVERYWHERE

CANADIAN PACIFIC

STEAMSHIPS - HOTELS

- RAILWAYS - EXPRESS

BERTHING PLANS FOR 1939 ARE OPEN' MAKE BOOKINGS EARLY

J

to secure accommodation desires

TO CANADA, UNITED STATES and EUROPE

.7.00 a.m., Fri, Sept. 2.

via Shanghal, Kobe & Tokohama EMPRESS OF RUSSIA. EMPRESS OF JAPAN via Hasolatu, EMPRESS OF ASIA

EMPRESS OF CANADA via Honolulu

Air-conditioned equipment...on C.PR Frequent Canadian Pacižo Allantio

· EMPRESS OF JAPAN

Union

Building

Noon, Fri., Bept. 16.

.6.00 am., Felj Gopl, 20.

.......Noon, Fri, Oct. 14.

Truns-Continental Traina. sailings to European Porta

TO

MANILA

Canadian Pacific

Fri, Sept. 0.

Tolophona 20752

BARBER-WILHELMSEN LINE

Monthly Service to

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via LOS ANGELES & PANAMA CANAL PORTS

also taking cargo on through Bills of Lading for West Indies ports, Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Rio Grande do Sol Buenos Aires, South America.

NEXT SAILING:—

M.V. "TAI YIN"

18th September,

DODWELL & CO., LTD.

Agents.

Hongkong Bank Bldg.

Telophone 28021.

OUR BRITISH

CROSSWORDS

ACROSS

2 This agreement is closely ur-

ranged (7),

Heraldic fur (4),

DOdd place for a lady to get her

hat from (0).

10 Colouring matter (5).

11

Chest

⚫ sounds as if there was a cold on one (5).

12 Important period of time? (0). 13 Dutch old muster (4), 14

A

ball from a ship (4).

10 Biblical king who could impose

allence (4).

17 The sort of colonist who is po- pular with storekeepers (7) 18 Lady known in the Morse code

(4).

21 Bird not found in the Zoo (4). #2 Yield for a Dictator (7).

24 "Stands-land

where It did?"

25acbeth") (4),

weed to cut short (4).

27 45ull to be still to be drest,

as you were going to a feast” (Ben Jonson) (4).

20 Does it mean this' cur is

beaten? (6),

20

The flag to give a writer

(0)

flagging

sound encouragement

,

30 This sort of rubber might wipe

out a big score at the card t bla (5)

31. Not quite to kill, though it sounds like a common corpse.

(0);

32 British soldier (4).

35 Ho suggests a Scandinavian

delty

I No bath would upset him (6),

7. Epithet for an artful" "harbour

master perhaps ̃(0);

3 It is not cruel to tread on this

African (4),

4 A seat across a boat apparent-

Jy (7).

5 They indeed are half tairlos

(10).

6 An army In the beginning of for distant landa (a beastly

clue) (8).

7 Flag to which others conform

15 Glant sound scame a suitable

anagram (10).

10 Fisli (8).

20 Almost ablity (8).

23 This describes a sole effort (7),

AL

25 If this boat loses a letter it is

no longer smart in appearance. (8).

26 This worker is never hot head-

ed (6).

20 A young salmon (4).

SATURDAY'S SOLUTION

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