Newton D. Baker to Woodrow Wilson

Doctor Franklin Martin, of the Advisory Commission of the Council of National Defense, came to see me to-day to say that he had just returned from a meeting of the American Medical Association in New York, where he found the prevailing sentiment among physicians heartily sympathetic with the Administration, but that a committee had been formed at the instance of what he called “the inner ring” to call on you for the purpose of urging that you require the Secretary of the Navy and me to give unrestricted discretion in all matters of medical and sanitary administration to the respective Surgeon Generals of the Navy and Army. This committee is to be headed by Doctor Billings, and Doctor Mayo is a member of it. I of course know nothing about the subject beyond what Doctor Martin told me. He seemed desirous that you should know the New York facts: First, that the majority sentiment was wholly with the Administration; second, that he (Doctor Martin) felt that the War and Navy Departments are already sufficiently sympathetic with medical and sanitary needs; and third, that the critical attitude likely to be adopted by the Committee is not shared by either the Association generally or the members of Dr. Martin's committee on medical affairs of the Council of National Defense.
I told Doctor Martin that I would communicate this information to you.The President.