Summary of Remarks in Opposition to Short-Doyle Legislation and the Mental Health Movement

1. Short-Doyle legislation now provides 75 percent Federal and State support for mental health clinics and hospitals. This is obviously socialized medicine. Originally it was lauded as voluntary–now it provides for compulsory treatment. In accordance with the logical statement by former Supreme Court Justice Jackson that “It is scarcely lack of due process for the government to control that which it subsidizes,” local control is a myth. Once aid has been accepted, local government agencies must accept the edicts of “Big Brother,” or pay the consequences. Short-Doyle visualizes a “Mental Health” clinic or hospital for every 50,000 people. In addition, a massive program of counseling in every area, as well as propaganda to convince citizens of the necessity for such interferences in their lives is envisaged. Mental healthers such as Dr. Daniel T. Blain believe this to be not only desirable, but essential, for mental health. In order to reduce the trauma associated with hospitalization on charges of being “mentally ill” (whatever that means) our civil rights are being violated. Anyone can be arrested and taken to a mental hospital on the signed complaint of even one individual and one physician.

Until a hearing is held, any form of treatment may be used. This is like administering punishment to an alleged criminal before he has even been tried or sentenced. This could be a most effective tool of totalitarianism. It was so used by the Nazis and was–and still is–employed by the Communists.

A prominent Los Angeles attorney has said that “Short-Doyle transposed mental illness from the Judicial Code to the Welfare and Institutions Code where there is no codified law–in other words, a vague jungle with no rules.”

2. Subversive aspects of the Mental Health Movement are serious and documented. Certain leaders such as G. Brock Chisholm, M. D. are confirmed supporters of atheistic socialism. Dr. Chisholm believes that psychiatrists have a mission to change and save the world. His plan would destroy the United States and make it part of a world-wide socialist state. Moreover, Chisholm is convinced that concepts of morality and religion as taught by old people (parents) are responsible for neuroses–which in turn account for recurrent wars. Therefore, the principles on which our great Country was founded must be ridiculed as outmoded. We must all become “one world” citizens where all is peace, and imposed brotherhood reigns supreme. In other words, we should become unthinking and unprotesting robots laboring uncomplainingly in the vineyard of one international master race.

There is indisputable evidence that men such as Karl Meninger, Mark Zborowski, Dr. Robert Soblen, Margaret Mead, Major Julius Schreiber, Hyman Forstenzer, H. A. Overstreet, Wayne Mcmillen and others–associated with various aspects of the Mental Health Movement–if not suspect from the standpoint of disloyalty to the United States, at least believe International Socialism to be the way of the future. Documentation may be found in Bats In the Belfry by Ellen McClary as well as in reports of the California Committee on UnAmerican Activities, federal reports of the same type, and other publications.

3. Subversive teaching–leading to the indoctrination of our children according to the beliefs of “one world” advocates has been carried on for at least 30 years. Roosevelt “recognized” Communist Russia in 1933. Two years later some of our leading educators were invited to Moscow to take part in a summer session. Among Americans of the Anglo-American section was George S. Counts, John Dewey, Stephen Duggan, Robert S. Hutchins, John A. Kingsbury, Edward R. Murrow, William F. Russell and others. On the curriculum were experimental psychology, the philosophy of dialectical materialism and many other subjects including “Medicine as a reflexology and conditioning.” Students were.to receive credits and even salary increases for attendance. This probably helps to explain the introduction of “progressive” education into our school systems. The results have been chaos. “Social studies” have neglected American History. Our children can neither read nor write unless they expend extra time and study towards these ends. Mathematics is probably the most recent casualty. Education for mediocrity and conformity seems to be the object.

UNESCO agreed in black and white not to interfere in American education. This was like so many treaties and agreements made by the Communists–made only to be broken.

UNESCO in cooperation with our tax free foundations and the National Education Association has been doing a most effective job in confusing our children and leading them into the wilderness of “one worldism.” And much of our press, radio and television have cooperated.

4. The need for mental health care has been exaggerated and statistical support is lacking. About all we have is the urgent words of such men as Chisholm, Menninger and others who have stampeded most medical organizations and most political figures–such as State Governors–into the belief that we face a national emergency. This is an effective technique and has placed untold millions of dollars at the disposal of such men–who are either misguided idealists or hucksters, or both.

Are the psychiatrists, who would rule the world, different from past despots such as Coligny, Caesar, Hannibal, Napoleon, Robespierre, Hitler, Lenin, Stalin and present dictators of Communist countries? They are not only respected members of our society but they believe in their own infallibility. Who is to judge the “mental health,” the “sanity” or “insanity” of all? Who else but the psychiatrists? And who knows that they are capable of such judgment? All men are fallible. Just suppose that these judges (the self appointed psychiatrists) are out of touch with reality: What a monstrous responsibility, and how dangerous for those who unthinkingly submit to such authority? Nevertheless, we are being led to believe, that in the name of mental health, there must be a psychiatrist, psychologist or trained layman advising all schools, businesses and naturally lawmakers. I am not opposed to all counseling, but believe it must be kept out of the hands of liberals and extreme left-wingers.

5. Under the primary law of self protection, should we not keep control of all movements that, in the name of humanity, would bring in centralized government to direct our lives? By accepting federal funds we not only pay a percentage of our taxes to a bureaucracy in order to receive part of them as largess; but in the end we give up our freedom. We become serfs, incapable of supporting ourselves Or of controlling our local units, for we have sacrificed the right of self determination to an all-powerful state.

In the prophetic words of the late Aldous Huxley–speaking on the advances of totalitarianism before a meeting of psychiatrists and other physicians in San Francisco, January, 1958:

“We are being pushed along in the same direction, amidst all the trappings of freedom, and the end will be our robotization. Our dictators will instill in us an enormous euphoria so that it will be physically impossible to dream of revolution. It is happening now; there isn’t much time; and it is terribly important for people who understand this area to be aware of the need for resistance.”

I sincerely hope that those in authority in this area will have the wisdom to make the right decision.