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Report from the Washington Office
Report from the Washington Office
e m p l o y i n g i t i n s t e a d i n a w ay t h a t c o u ld d r i p sa rc a s m o r b e s to w b l e s s i n g s a s th e o c c a s io n dem anded. He a c te d th e p a r t b y d is p la y in g t h a t m a s te ry o f th e l e g i s l a t i v e p ro c e s s t h a t i s an e s s e n t i a l com ponent o f th e S o u th e rn D e m o c ra t h e r i t a g e . D e n ta l I n t e r e s t s H is d e e p i n t e r e s t i n d e n t a l m a t t e r s w as a c o n s t a n t c h a r a c t e r i s t i c th ro u g h o u t h is C o n g re s s io n a l c a r e e r . I t w a s b a r e l y tw o y e a r s a f t e r e n t e r i n g
L . M endel R iv e rs
F o r f i v e d a y s s h o r t o f 30 y e a r s , L . M e n d e l R i v e r s w as t h e m em ber o f t h e H o u se o f R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s fro m t h e 1 s t D i s t r i c t o f S o u th C a r o l i n a . H is d e a th a t th e ag e o f 6 5 , so o n a f t e r h e a r t s u r g e r y , n o t o n ly r o b s t h e Con g r e s s o f one o f th e m o st p o w e rfu l and c o l o r f u l m e m b e rs e v e r t o w a l k - i t s h a l l s b u t a ls o s t i l l s th e v o ic e o f as v i g o r o u s a C o n g r e s s i o n a l c h a m p io n a s d e n t i s t r y — m i l i t a r y d e n t i s t r y in p a r tic u la r— has ever had. S o u th e r n D e m o c ra t M e n d e l R i v e r s w a s a S o u t h e r n Demo c r a t in th e c la s s i c t r a d i t i o n . He lo o k e d t h e p a r t w ith p a t r i c i a n f e a t u r e s , a ra m ro d p o s tu r e and a lo n g , s m o o th m a n e o f sn o w y h a i r . He s o u n d ed th e p a r t w ith a v o ic e o f g r a in e d v e lv e t th a t h e r a r e ly needed to r a is e ,
. . .b e in g in te r v ie w e d a t t h e 1 9 6 2 ADA a n n u a l s e s s i o n i n M ia m i B e a c h d u r i n g t h e C u b a n m is s ile c r i s i s .
. . . a t t h e 1 97 0 C o u n c il on L e g i s l a t i o n m e e t i n g w i t h A D A 's H al C h ris te n s e n . t h e H o u s e , w h e n , e a r l y i n W o r ld W ar I I , h e h e lp e d a c h ie v e l e g i s l a t i o n m a k in g i t m a n d a t o r y t h a t d e n t i s t s b e t a k e n i n t o t h e arm e d f o r c e s a t t h e o f f i c e r le v e l and a s s ig n e d d u tie s ap p r o p r ia te to t h e i r p r o f e s s io n a l t r a i n in g . F u r t h e r im p ro v e m e n ts i n t h e b a s i c la w s t h a t h a v e com e s u b s e q u e n t l y h a v e a l l re c e iv e d h i s u n e q u iv o c a l b a c k in g . M i l i t a r y D e n ta l C o rp s I t w as, a s w e l l , h i s l e g i s l a t i v e le a d e r s h ip th a t le d to r e o r g a n iz a tio n o f t h e N a v y a n d A rm y d e n t a l c o r p s , g u a ra n te e in g tw o - s ta r ra n k f o r each c h ie f d e n ta l o f f i c e r and g iv in g th e N a v y c o r p s a s t a t u t o r y a u to n o m y . He n e v e r g a v e up on e f f o r t s t o a c h ie v e
. . . a t fa r le ft, a d d r e s s i n g t h e ADA H ouse o f D e le g a te s in L as V egas in 1965.
t o t a l l y p a r a l l e l s t a t u s f o r t h e A rm y and A ir F o rc e d e n ta l c o rp s and anyone f a m ilia r w ith th e h is t o r y o f th e c o rp s know s how o f t e n an d h e l p f u l l y h e a l s o in te r v e n e d on t h e i r b e h a lf in l e s s fo rm a l w ay s. H e a lth o f th e P e o p le T h e re w as in M endel R iv e r s a s w e ll a n o t h e r a s p e c t o f t h e S o u t h e r n Demo c r a t h e r ita g e , a P o p u lis t s t r a i n th a t can a ls o b e fo u n d in th e c a r e e r s o f s u c h o t h e r g r e a t m e m b e rs o f C o n g r e s s fro m t h e S o u th a s L i s t e r H i l l o f A la bam a. He h a d a l i v e l y c o n c e rn f o r t h e h e a lth and w e lfa re o f th e p e o p le , cou p le d w ith a c o n v ic tio n th a t th e f e d e r a l g o v e rn m e n t h a d an a p p r o p r ia te r o l e to p l a y in im p ro v in g i t . H is g e n e r a l v o t i n g r e c o r d m a rk s h im a s a s t a u n c h s u p p o r te r o f th e e f f o r t s on b e h a l f o f d e n ta l c a r e , r e s e a r c h , and e d u c a tio n l e d b y s u c h m en a s L i s t e r H i l l a n d t h e l a t e Jo h n E. F o g a rty . D e p e n d e n t 's D e n t a l C a r e W ith in h i s s p e c i f i c s p h e re o f in t e r e s t , h e w o rk e d d o g g e d ly t o p e r s u a d e s u c c e s s iv e S e c r e ta r ie s o f D e fe n se to b rin g d e n ta l c a re b e n e f its to m ilita r y d e p e n d e n ts . T hat b a ttle is , as y e t, u n f in is h e d , b u t i t s e v e n tu a l e s t a b l i s h m e n t w o u ld b e a p a r t i c u l a r l y a p p r o p r i
a t e m e m o r i a l t o t h e e x t r a o r d i n a r y m an w ho s o w a r m ly b e f r i e n d e d d e n t i s t r y f o r s o m any y e a r s . T h e New C h a ir m a n M r. R i v e r s ' a l l b u t c e r t a i n s u c c e s s o r a s C h a ir m a n o f t h e H o u s e A rm e d S e r v i c e s C o m m itte e i s , l i k e h i m , a S o u th e r n D e m o c ra t. F. E d w a rd H e b e r t b e g a n h i s H o u s e s e r v i c e t h e sam e day as M endel R iv e rs — Ja n 3, 1941— and h a s e v e r s in c e re p re s e n te d th e 1 s t D i s t r i c t o f L o u is ia n a . B o r n i n New O rle a n s on O ct 1 2 , 1901, t h e v e t e r a n H o u s e m e m b er i s a g r a d u a t e o f T u la n e U n i v e r s i t y an d r e f l e c t s th e h is to r y o f h is n a tiv e s ta te by p re f e r r in g th e F re n c h p ro n u n c ia tio n o f h i s n am e ( s o u n d s l i k e " A - B e a r " ) . He cam e t o C o n g r e s s a f t e r n e a r l y a q u a r te r - c e n tu r y c a r e e r in jo u rn a lis m , d u r i n g w h ic h h e g a i n e d s u b s t a n t i a l re n o w n fo r h is in v e s tig a tiv e re p o rtin g . Long a n i n f l u e n t i a l m e m b e r o f t h e A rm e d S e r v i c e s C o m m itte e a n d c h a i r m a n o f m an y o f i t s m o s t i m p o r t a n t s u b c o m m it t e e s , R ep. H e b e rt i s e x p e c te d to b r in g t o h i s p o s t m uch t h e sa m e g e n e r a l p h ilo s o p h y a s w as h e ld b y h i s l a t e p re d e c e sso r.
e m p l o y i n g i t i n s t e a d i n a w ay t h a t c o u ld d r i p sa rc a s m o r b e s to w b l e s s i n g s a s th e o c c a s io n dem anded. He a c te d th e p a r t b y d is p la y in g t h a t m a s te ry o f th e l e g i s l a t i v e p ro c e s s t h a t i s an e s s e n t i a l com ponent o f th e S o u th e rn D e m o c ra t h e r i t a g e . D e n ta l I n t e r e s t s H is d e e p i n t e r e s t i n d e n t a l m a t t e r s w as a c o n s t a n t c h a r a c t e r i s t i c th ro u g h o u t h is C o n g re s s io n a l c a r e e r . I t w a s b a r e l y tw o y e a r s a f t e r e n t e r i n g
L . M endel R iv e rs
F o r f i v e d a y s s h o r t o f 30 y e a r s , L . M e n d e l R i v e r s w as t h e m em ber o f t h e H o u se o f R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s fro m t h e 1 s t D i s t r i c t o f S o u th C a r o l i n a . H is d e a th a t th e ag e o f 6 5 , so o n a f t e r h e a r t s u r g e r y , n o t o n ly r o b s t h e Con g r e s s o f one o f th e m o st p o w e rfu l and c o l o r f u l m e m b e rs e v e r t o w a l k - i t s h a l l s b u t a ls o s t i l l s th e v o ic e o f as v i g o r o u s a C o n g r e s s i o n a l c h a m p io n a s d e n t i s t r y — m i l i t a r y d e n t i s t r y in p a r tic u la r— has ever had. S o u th e r n D e m o c ra t M e n d e l R i v e r s w a s a S o u t h e r n Demo c r a t in th e c la s s i c t r a d i t i o n . He lo o k e d t h e p a r t w ith p a t r i c i a n f e a t u r e s , a ra m ro d p o s tu r e and a lo n g , s m o o th m a n e o f sn o w y h a i r . He s o u n d ed th e p a r t w ith a v o ic e o f g r a in e d v e lv e t th a t h e r a r e ly needed to r a is e ,
. . .b e in g in te r v ie w e d a t t h e 1 9 6 2 ADA a n n u a l s e s s i o n i n M ia m i B e a c h d u r i n g t h e C u b a n m is s ile c r i s i s .
. . . a t t h e 1 97 0 C o u n c il on L e g i s l a t i o n m e e t i n g w i t h A D A 's H al C h ris te n s e n . t h e H o u s e , w h e n , e a r l y i n W o r ld W ar I I , h e h e lp e d a c h ie v e l e g i s l a t i o n m a k in g i t m a n d a t o r y t h a t d e n t i s t s b e t a k e n i n t o t h e arm e d f o r c e s a t t h e o f f i c e r le v e l and a s s ig n e d d u tie s ap p r o p r ia te to t h e i r p r o f e s s io n a l t r a i n in g . F u r t h e r im p ro v e m e n ts i n t h e b a s i c la w s t h a t h a v e com e s u b s e q u e n t l y h a v e a l l re c e iv e d h i s u n e q u iv o c a l b a c k in g . M i l i t a r y D e n ta l C o rp s I t w as, a s w e l l , h i s l e g i s l a t i v e le a d e r s h ip th a t le d to r e o r g a n iz a tio n o f t h e N a v y a n d A rm y d e n t a l c o r p s , g u a ra n te e in g tw o - s ta r ra n k f o r each c h ie f d e n ta l o f f i c e r and g iv in g th e N a v y c o r p s a s t a t u t o r y a u to n o m y . He n e v e r g a v e up on e f f o r t s t o a c h ie v e
. . . a t fa r le ft, a d d r e s s i n g t h e ADA H ouse o f D e le g a te s in L as V egas in 1965.
t o t a l l y p a r a l l e l s t a t u s f o r t h e A rm y and A ir F o rc e d e n ta l c o rp s and anyone f a m ilia r w ith th e h is t o r y o f th e c o rp s know s how o f t e n an d h e l p f u l l y h e a l s o in te r v e n e d on t h e i r b e h a lf in l e s s fo rm a l w ay s. H e a lth o f th e P e o p le T h e re w as in M endel R iv e r s a s w e ll a n o t h e r a s p e c t o f t h e S o u t h e r n Demo c r a t h e r ita g e , a P o p u lis t s t r a i n th a t can a ls o b e fo u n d in th e c a r e e r s o f s u c h o t h e r g r e a t m e m b e rs o f C o n g r e s s fro m t h e S o u th a s L i s t e r H i l l o f A la bam a. He h a d a l i v e l y c o n c e rn f o r t h e h e a lth and w e lfa re o f th e p e o p le , cou p le d w ith a c o n v ic tio n th a t th e f e d e r a l g o v e rn m e n t h a d an a p p r o p r ia te r o l e to p l a y in im p ro v in g i t . H is g e n e r a l v o t i n g r e c o r d m a rk s h im a s a s t a u n c h s u p p o r te r o f th e e f f o r t s on b e h a l f o f d e n ta l c a r e , r e s e a r c h , and e d u c a tio n l e d b y s u c h m en a s L i s t e r H i l l a n d t h e l a t e Jo h n E. F o g a rty . D e p e n d e n t 's D e n t a l C a r e W ith in h i s s p e c i f i c s p h e re o f in t e r e s t , h e w o rk e d d o g g e d ly t o p e r s u a d e s u c c e s s iv e S e c r e ta r ie s o f D e fe n se to b rin g d e n ta l c a re b e n e f its to m ilita r y d e p e n d e n ts . T hat b a ttle is , as y e t, u n f in is h e d , b u t i t s e v e n tu a l e s t a b l i s h m e n t w o u ld b e a p a r t i c u l a r l y a p p r o p r i
a t e m e m o r i a l t o t h e e x t r a o r d i n a r y m an w ho s o w a r m ly b e f r i e n d e d d e n t i s t r y f o r s o m any y e a r s . T h e New C h a ir m a n M r. R i v e r s ' a l l b u t c e r t a i n s u c c e s s o r a s C h a ir m a n o f t h e H o u s e A rm e d S e r v i c e s C o m m itte e i s , l i k e h i m , a S o u th e r n D e m o c ra t. F. E d w a rd H e b e r t b e g a n h i s H o u s e s e r v i c e t h e sam e day as M endel R iv e rs — Ja n 3, 1941— and h a s e v e r s in c e re p re s e n te d th e 1 s t D i s t r i c t o f L o u is ia n a . B o r n i n New O rle a n s on O ct 1 2 , 1901, t h e v e t e r a n H o u s e m e m b er i s a g r a d u a t e o f T u la n e U n i v e r s i t y an d r e f l e c t s th e h is to r y o f h is n a tiv e s ta te by p re f e r r in g th e F re n c h p ro n u n c ia tio n o f h i s n am e ( s o u n d s l i k e " A - B e a r " ) . He cam e t o C o n g r e s s a f t e r n e a r l y a q u a r te r - c e n tu r y c a r e e r in jo u rn a lis m , d u r i n g w h ic h h e g a i n e d s u b s t a n t i a l re n o w n fo r h is in v e s tig a tiv e re p o rtin g . Long a n i n f l u e n t i a l m e m b e r o f t h e A rm e d S e r v i c e s C o m m itte e a n d c h a i r m a n o f m an y o f i t s m o s t i m p o r t a n t s u b c o m m it t e e s , R ep. H e b e rt i s e x p e c te d to b r in g t o h i s p o s t m uch t h e sa m e g e n e r a l p h ilo s o p h y a s w as h e ld b y h i s l a t e p re d e c e sso r.