Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-28
MAY REORGANIZE
SOLDIERS HOMES
WAR DEPARTMENT PR0BABLl y
WILL TAKE CHARGE
VETERANS RECEIVE OFFERS OF
ASSISTANCE
Members of Sawtelle Institution Con-
tinue to Complain of Food and of
Treatment Suffered from
Officers

Expressions of sympathy and offers
of assistance have been received at
the soldiers home during the last week
from nine of the national soldiers
homes and from twenty-seven of the
state organizations. The movement to
institute a thorough investigation OF
the Sawtelle home has become of ma
tional significance, and it is considered
not unlikely that the sweeping lnVes-
tigation of the management of all the
national institutions will be begun, re-
sulting eventually in the taking of the
management of the soldiers homes out
of the control of the New York COM
mission and placing it directly under
the war department.
Leaders of Grand Army posts from
ocean to ocean have taken up the af-
fair and are crystallizIng their efforts
in an appeal to the war department,
which must be needed.
If the numerous letters received by
The Herald daily are any criterion, the
old soldiers are aroused to the pitch of
battle and will wage war on the sys-
| tenn which apparently they have found
wanting in many respects.
| 1t is almost impossible to give even
a synopsis of the many letters that
have been sent The Herald on the sub
ject of the administration of the home
near Sawtelle.
One writer quotes the act of con-
gress of April IL, 1892, section 1928,
which names the officers of each
home and provides that they shall
be appointed from honorably dis
charged soldiers"
Calls Home Disgrace
Another veteran writes as follows.
Mr.. Editor-Dear Sir: l want to
say there is not a member of the
Sawtelle home Officials not included
who does not owe your paper his
thanks. For once, I can notice a diff
ferent atmosphere in this camp, but the
half has not been told. To the dis
credit of this home, it has not been run
| for the comfort of the old men. The
government had much better pay the
men a pension they can live on and
abolish the homes, for they are dis
graces. The old man who is so un-
| fortunate as to be driven to one of
| these homes to live must sacrifice his
liberty and be branded TO the eyes
of the world as a pauper Oh, the
pity of it! Shame to the nation!"
Still another grizzled veteran VINO
defended the flag when defenders were
sorely needed writes as follows over his
own name, which, however, he asks
be withheld;
Soldiers Home, Pacific Branch
Mr.. Editor: When the homes were es-
tablished there We're no determinations
made in the matter of food. All shared
alike. Commanders of companies had
separate table, but no difference was
made in the food or service, for all
members enter the home with the same
rights and privileges. After a time in
the Pacific branch there was estab-
lished what is termed nickel plate
mess for the favored ones, such as
commanders of companies, sergeants.
clerks, etc, for the payment of nom
inal sum per month. OF course, this
makes it easier to deprive the great
majority of what is due them, for
those having the most influence are
well fed.
Complains of Food
"There are none here who would not
like the same privilege, and they can
not understand wherein the law that
established the homes permits this dis
elimination. Again, we are allowed
by the government butter three times
day. but get only an insufficient
amount of oleomargarine twice a day,
and often only once. The so-called tea
is a mystery. No family, however
poor, could be induced to use it, for it
has none of the aroma or taste of tea.
1t is probably a tea that has once
been ran in hotels or restaurants then
dried and some kind of a chemical
added which produces an extract that
looks like logwood dye, which is dis
guised by the addition of milk
"About twice a week we have mush
and milk for supper. The milk given
us is at least half water. 1t seems
the pure food law does not apply to ,
soldiers homes. Ice is served every |
where in the morning excepting the |
company quarters. If these homes
were established for the soldier, where
in comes this discrimination"
1t is possible for The Herald to fill |
many columns with communications |
bearing directly on the situation at |
the soldiers home.
That there will be a sweeping inves- |
tigation there is not a doubt, and none
will welcome it more than the mem |
bers of the home near Sawtelle.