Traditionally conservative members of the American Medical Association were startled a week ago by what must have seemed revolutionary praise for socialized medicine from their new president, Roger I. Lee '02, Fellow of Harvard College, and member of the Harvard Corporation.

Elected December 2 to replace Morris Fishbein, he came out five days later in PM, the New York daily, not only in favor of socialized medicine, but also for universal medical care through government agencies.

Lee regards "socialized medicine" as a meaningless, if inflammatory, generality, "If he means state medicine," he declared, "we've got that already. What else can you consider federal, state, and local public health authorities and clinics. . .?"

The social medicine provisions in the Wagner-Murray-Dingell Full Employment Bill, however, do not meet with his unqualified approval. "I am for change in the medical profession through evolution, not revolution," he was reported as saying.