NATIONAL WEALTH BILL

Cardinal's Statement is Attacked
by Communist 66 Daily Worker" " It is clearly more in keeping with British tradition if voluntary hospitals are allowed to continue," says Cardinal Griffin in a statement on the National Health Service Bill, issued on Wednesday last, in which he suggests three amendments to the present Bill. The text of the Cardinal's statement is given below.
Cardinal Griffin's statement was published in full or in part in the more serious papers on Wednesday, but it was left to the Daily Worker to feature it as a top story. The Communist paper treated it as an example of "Cardinal Griffin " attempts " to mobilise British Catholics in support of his reactionary politics." Commenting on the substance of the statement, the paper said, " most of the voluntary hospitals could not last a day without Government support ; it is unlikely that Mr. Bevan will be frightened."
We are all agreed that the best possible hospital service should be available to every citizen. But in order to safeguard not only the rights and freedom of the individual but also voluntary effort in this country, we consider that certain amendments should be made in the National Health Service Bill. Voluntary hospitals have deserved well of this country. They were founded and have been continued in accordance with the noblest and best in British tradition and in a spirit of public service, generosity and initiative. In accordance, however, with the terms of the Bill, the Minister will be empowered to take over the buildings (Jr a voluntary hospital without any compensation (and we must remember that " hospital " includes convalescent homes, maternity homes and mental homes). Ile will be empowered to acquire the trust funds of the hospital and the existing management committee will cease to function the day on which the hospital is taken over.
We cannot see that this is either necessary or desirable. It is clearly more in keeping with British tradition if voluntary hospitals are allowed to continue, under the direction of a regional committee, and—as the teaching hospitals are guaranteed under the Bill—to retain their Management Committee, to appoint their own staff, to receive gifts and trust money for the hospital, and to manage their own finances.
Many of the voluntary hospitals in this country have been founded for a specific purpose, that is, to enable patients using the hospitals to observe the customs and principles of their own faith. This is a vital issue in the treatment of disease and sickness where medical practice may sometimes conflict with the moral principles of the patients. To secure these rights it is essential that appointments to the hospital should safeguard the principles of the patients for whose benefit the hospital has been endowed.
This is particularly retain'', in the case of Catholic hospitals where nurses are often members of a religious community, trained according to definite ethical principles and frequently specially trained for missionary work in the Empire. We are convinced that the Minister would no! wish to terminate the good work of these institutions which have for so many years deserved well of the British public.
THE CARDINAL'S SUGGESTIONS
In conclusion, we suggest that amendments should be made in the present Bill by which: (a) A voluntary hospital should retain its own management cornmittee with absolute freedom to appoint its medical and nursing staff from persons properly qualified, and tb) Absolute ficedom to apply its funds, whether received from the Government or endowment or subscription, for the general purpose of the hospital; (c) In the event of the Minister being unable or unwilling to accept these proposals, voluntary hospitals should have the right to contract out of the scheme.