The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21

NC pIdh Is 10 dUOilSn the DOarQ OF man.
ayers, which now has :he exclusive direc-
tion and control of The seven homes To-
Gated throughout the United STATES, and
10 turn the management over TO the War
Department. creating a new bureau, tie
head OF which would be appointed by the
Pre- ident, but would be- directly subordi-
nate 10 he Secretary of War.
Gov rnor Smith has been connected
with the management of the National
Soldiers Homes since 1872. His expert
ence has been long one, and in discuss
ing this proposed change he wished it
understood that he gave his honest opin-
ion based upon quarter of a century of
active connection with institutions given
over to the care of dsa bled veterans. This
Is what GovernorSmi tn old a representa-
tive OF THE CALL to-day:
As it now stands the national homes fer
disabled veterans are managed and officered
by ex-Yolunteer officers of the War of the Re-
bellion. They are the comrades of the men
Wnom They are 10 protect and care for Ii The
proposed change is made, then the manage
ment OF the homes, passes to the War Depart
ment-to the regular army oficers-to men
VINO dld not serve with the lImatsS OF the
homes, who have nothing i'll common with
them and who do not and viii not under
stand them, for the reason that they were
raised and reared in an entirely dlfereut at
mosphere and under changed conditions
A regular army Cfticer kl ows that all he has
TO DO is 10 issue all order. TAcit obedience to
mat order Is expected as a matter OF course.
But in directing soldiers home you cannot
Issue general orders TO apply to every men,
Der In the home the homes now officered
by disabled ex-vOlunleers OF the war OF the
rebellion are under the recton of men who
know the inmates and how TO handle them.
We know that general order would Iail of its
purpose. We must handle each case specifi-
cally.
The extreme age and the mental condition
of most of the comrades in the homes makes
many of them ict ike children. You tell
them that they shall not do thing and ii
causes the thought to arise in their minds TO
disooey, when, i: you had not given them
order, they perhaps never would have had any
idea OF doing that which was forbidden.
No, co not think il would be advisable to
in troduce the strict discipline OF the regular
army into the management of the homes.
Kindness and leniency should be the rule In
conducting the homes, and when harsh dis
cipline is in reduced in its place my opinion
is that mistake would be mad.
When we impose punishment we do not DO
80 TO subject the one man 10 H hardship, but
simply that his comrades may profit " the
lesson. The rules that govern soldiers homes
throughout the country are the same as those
whi ch govern hcu.ehold. II a man desires
to be absent from the home he informs the
captain, and he is gwen iurlough for the
length OF time he desires 10 be AWAY.
If memb Der of well-reguiated household
Men are not al. ow ed 10 bring whisky in bottles
into the home, but they are allowed TO drink
with their comrades ss much as they please as
long as they are orderly and not ffensiye
We do not look upon drunkenness as q
crime. We treat it a disease. II one of the
comrades is addicted to il we look upon him
as q fit su bect, not Tor the gusrdhouse, but for
the hospital. We do not take it tnat he is
vicious, but regard his weakness as q form of
disease.
ne never use the guardhouse for punish
hon mn n fhn nnpn 60C
sive and disturbs his neighbors or becomes
unruly and restless we sometimes put him in
the guardh0use until he gets over his bad
spell. Passes and furloughs we always give
on request.
Now my judgment is that the economical
management OF the homes as mt present con-
Quoted bv the boa rd of managers could not ba
improved upon. The first home was eitab-
lished In 1866, and the cost of maintenance
per capita Tor the year ending June 80, 1867
was 1878 65. The cost per capita for the year
ending June 80, 1897, was Sill 60, so you will
see that The cot OF maintenance of comrades
in thirty years has been reduced over $50 per
cent and they get more now than they did
then.
The per diem cost for maintaining inmates
at the Pacific branch is IS 81 cents for ra-
tions and II 92 cents for clothes. In all the
homes throughout the country we have 26 5I2
comrades, 2182 OF whom are in the Pacific
branch. The total cost of main intaining these
men for the fiscal year 1896 was So, ,749,-
2S9 70.
Now with this brief statistical Information
you will see that the proposition OF managing
the homes is DO light task. The inmates of
the homes are disabled volunteer soldiers.
They came from the people and they are of
the people. AS 1t is now they are under the
direct control of the representatives of the
people, through the Congress of the United
States, which elects the DO ard of managers
At the time the organic act creating the
homes passed Congress there was conslderab e
debate as to whether or not the management
OF the places should go 10 the War Depart.
ment. Finally after lengthy discussion the
plan of having a boari of managers elected
by Congress was devised for the express pur-
pose of keeping the directors OF the insiitu-
tion out of politics, and, furthermore, in or
der that the regular army should not enter
1uto the management, Congress indicated It's
desire. and wishes by prohibiting all but ex-
volunteer soldiers from becoming officers of
the homes
Laler an exception was made in the case of
surgeons. On account of arduous duties at
taching 10 that position permission WAS given
Tor his selection from the ranks of the civil
lans This is Is the only exception.
The ony gentlemen whom / ever heard
mention the proposed change or favor ii was
Brigadier- General Joseph e. Breckinridge in
spector-general of the regular army. General
Breckenridge is my friend and nave not one
word TO say which would be construed as the
slightest reflection upon him upon any
officer OF the regul ar srmy. But in his last re-
port General Breckenridge has this to say of
the managements OF the homes under their
present auspices:
''T officials seemed to be assid uously de-
voted 10 their duties and conseientiously ad-
minis ering them with an eye single TO the
welfare and comfort of those placed by the
and economic adminstra was patent on
every side. The annual cost of Clothing per
c pfta averages SIS 27, which is extremely
low Ior me warm and comfortable garment