Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-26
DIR. RAUB'S REMOVAL
CONSIDERABLE COMMENT IN
GRAND ARMY CIRCLES
Policy Pursued by Former Referee
Was Observation-Disclosures Of
Investigation.

The reduction of DR.. Raub from the posi-
ton Of medical referee OF the pension office
with q salary of 5000 per annum to that
of examiner at 81, 500 and the promotion of
DR.. Sam Houston to take his place was
the subject Of considerable comment in
Grand Army circles today. The general
reasons for this change were told in The
Star several days before 1t was made. as
was the action OF Commissioner Ware yes
terday. DR.. Raub has been persona non
srata to the Grand Army ever since that
organisation began its opposition to Com
missioner Evans. It has been claimed that
DR.. Raub represented q policy OF keeping
the number Of pensions allowed equal to
the reductions In the pension roll from
death. This reduction Is now about $4,000
annually. and it Is declared by Grand Army
men who sought to have DR.. Raub deposed
that he pursued a wen defined policy to
see that the pensions allowed did not ex-
coed that number without regard to the
merits Of the cases. while they claim the
merits would have resulted in greater
number OF allowances had they been con-
sidered without reference to the securing
Of certain desired results.
AS soon as Mr.. Evans retired from the
position Of commissioner a special board of
medical review was appointed to take up
the 1900 cases that were at that time
pending on appeal to the Secretary Of the
interior IN OTOef 10 uolcTInlHe Wnetner any
Of them under more recent rulings or the
law could be allowed This work is still in
progress, but 1t Is said that It's results have
been sufficient to give Commissioner Ware
reason for making change in the position
of medical referee.
New Medical Referee.
DR.. Sam Houston, who has been promoted
to take the place vacated by DR.. Raub, has
been member Of the medical board of the
pension Office for twelve years, and great
confidence Is expressed in his ability and
judgment. He Is from Lancaster, Pa, and
came to this city when a young man and
practiced medicine here. Eighteen years ago
he entered the pension office, and after six
years was assigned to the work on which
he has been engaged for twelve years.
He has not been in the army, but he Is
regarded as thoroughly in sympathy with
the cause of veterans. When young man
his health was so poor as to lead to his re-
lection for army service during the civil
war.
Neither Commissioner Ware nor former
Medical Referee Raub would discuss the
action of the commissioner today. Mr..
Ware said was matter he had not dis
cussed for publication. and he did not wish
to do SO. DR.. Raub said he was a SUBJ
ordinate and did not wish to say anything
about the bureaus action.
Mr.. McElroy's Statement,
Mr.. John McElroy. senior vice commander
in-chief of the Grand Army. said today that
DR.. Raub had been regarded as merely an
instrument in the hands of Commissioner
Evans for securing certain results in the
aggregate Of pensions allowed.
There has been no objection to Dr.
Raub," he said. Except that he has pur-
sued policy that has been extremely I'M
just to veterans. There has been no desire
CY1tc fvrSy, ha ct1
office. but only to secure his removal to
another position.
"Will this action make the pension office
organization acceptable to the Grand
Armyg' Mr.. McElroy was asked.
He hesitated a moment, and then indi-
Gated that he believed it would do so, and
that the fight Of the Grand Army was not
directed to any one else.