Senator DONNELL. How long did you stay with that company? Mr. NELSON. I was with that company until about 1940, when I went on full time for the machinists.

Senator DONNELL. And during the time that you were with the company you were engaged on the production line after you served your apprenticeship; is that right?

Mr. NELSON. That is correct.

Senator DONNELL. And by the production line you mean the production of what? What was it you were producing?

Mr. NELSON. We were making all-metal doors, trims, window frames, cowl shields for automobiles. We also started making radar equipment for the Navy and battleship interior equipment for the United States Navy.

Senator DONNELL. Then from 1940 up to the present time you have been with the international machinists in their research department? Mr. NELSON. No; I was a fieldman at first. I was a business agent. Senator DONNELL, Business agent for about how long?

Mr. NELSON. I was business agent for 6 years. I was an organizer prior to that.

Senator DONNELL. An organizer of the subsidiary unions of the international machinists; is that right?

Mr. NELSON. Yes.

Senator DONNELL. From 1940 until about when?

Mr. NELSON. I was an organizer before 1940.

Senator DONNELL. While you were still at Jamestown?

Mr. NELSON. That is right.

Senator DONNELL. And then you continued to act as organizer, did you, after you came with the machinists international organization?

Mr. NELSON. No; after I left as a business agent there, I came right down here to the research department.

Senator DONNELL. What I want to get at: You have been with the research department since what year, 1940?

Mr. NELSON. No; I have been in the research department here for 3 years. It will be 3 years September 1.

Senator DONNELL. And you were then organizer and business agent, and you succeeded from business agent over into the research department, is that right?

Mr. NELSON. That is right.

Senator DONNELL. Have you ever specialized along the study of health insurance plans of other countries, or anywhere? I mean to say have you ever studied the operation of compulsory health insurance in other countries?

Mr. NELSON. No. I have read some about it, about the British plan and the Swedish plan, and some of the other plans.

Senator DONNELL. I see. Do you mind telling us whether you have read any books on that subject or just have read newspaper and magazine articles?

Mr. NELSON. Mostly magazine articles, like the Journal of the American Health Association.

Senator DONNELL. Which Dr. Leavell was quoting here today? Mr. NELSON. Which he was quoting, and things like that. Senator DONNELL. Have you read any books at all on the subject of compulsory health insurance?

Mr. NELSON. I cannot say I have read any specific books on it— generally, in looking them over. I have not made a study of it.

Senator DONNELL. I see. Thank you very much, Mr. Nelson. Now, Mr. Brown, there are only one or two other matters I wanted to ask you about.

You say over on page 11 of your

statement:

Administration of the program also recognizes our true democratic system by placing major responsibility in the hands of the people in localities where the services are rendered and received.

I assume that you are referring to provisions in the bill with respect to local administrative officers and local professional committees and similar provisions, is that right?

Mr. BROWN. Page 11, you say?

Senator DONNELL. Page 11, about the middle of the page. Of course, I understand this was composed by Mr. Nelson and his associates.

Mr. BROWN. Yes.

Senator DONNELL. Did you compose this all yourself, Mr. Nelson, or you and your associates?

Mr. NELSON. I have had the assistance of the research director, Mr. Huhndorf, and other members, our economist and statistician, in developing the facts.

Senator DONNELL. Now, returning to Mr. Brown.

This language: Administration of the program also recognizes our true democratic system by placing major responsibility in the hands of the people in localities where the services are rendered and received.

Do you know what provisions of the bill are referred to in that sentence?

Mr. BROWN. At the moment, no. I do not know those details, Senator Donnell. While I read all those bills, I did not study them very carefully, and my personal interest was in the principle and the purpose, and the absolute need for this kind of service.

Senator DONNELL. I just wondered if in connection with that sentence as you now read it-though I understand you did not compose it and are not responsible for having it in here—if you had also read in the bill this language at page 129:

In exercising their functions and discharging their responsibilities under this title local administrative officers and communities, local advisory committees, and local professional committees shall observe the provisions of this title, and of regulations prescribed thereunder, and of any regulations, standards, and procedures prescribed by the State agency.

And whether you would also observe on page 138 that the Board, that is to say the National Health Insurance Board, shall

make all regulations and standards specifically authorized to be made in this title and such other regulations not inconsistent with this title as may be necessary.

Do you recall having seen those provisions in the bill S. 1679?
Mr. BROWN. I recall reading that; yes.

Senator DONNELL. Those that I read?

Mr. BROWN. Yes, sir.

Senator DONNELL. No, over on the last page of your statement prepared by your research department reference is made to the poll conducted by the Washington Post in January 1946. I presume you do not

know what the questions were that were asked of the persons who answered the questions in that poll, do you, Mr. Brown?

Mr. BROWN. No; not the specific question.

Senator DONNELL. So you would not be able to say.

Mr. BROWN. Excepting I assume the question was whether they favor a Federal insurance program.

Senator DONNELL. That is your assumption, but I wanted to know if you knew precisely what the questions were.

Mr. BROWN. No, Senator; I do not know.

Senator DONNELL. I observe with interest the fact that the poll to which reference is here made was in the District of Columbia, and that a majority of 70 percent of the people in the District of Columbia, it says, favored enactment of Federal insurance program. Of course, I take it, we would agree that a very large proportion in the District of Columbia are already governmental employees or the family of such. We agree to that, do we not?

Mr. BROWN. I think that is correct.

Senator DONNELL. I think that is all, Mr. Brown. I hope you have a pleasant evening.

Mr. BROWN. Thank you.

Senator MURRAY. Thank you, Mr. Brown. I wish you much success and happiness in your future.

Senator DONNELL. I join in that too, Mr. Brown.

Mr. BROWN. Thank you, gentlemen.

Senator MURRAY. That concludes the hearings for today and we will recess until Monday at 10 o'clock.

(Whereupon, at 3: 45 p. m., the subcommittee adjourned, to reconvene at 10 a. m., Monday, June 6, 1949.)

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