Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-19
FEELING GROWS
MORE INTENSE
AT SAWTELLE
ONE GOOD DINNER FAILS TO
RELIEVE SITUATION
CONDITIONS IN HOSPITAL SHOW
BAD MANAGEMENT
Veterans in Hospital Are Organized
and Say They Will Fight to the
Last Ditch for Reform
at Home
tContinued from Page One,

take IN W1lIlDS. Oul pe'PCA
shown itself such friend to the old
soldier and Justice that with your per-
mission | write. Affairs at the Sol
diers' home are now in such condition
that it behooves every patriot ana
friend Of the soldier to act. we are
in a state of revolution on magazine
which needs but a match to set II OIL
The governor has kept nagglng US on
until forbearance has ceased to be
virtue The home is run like a close
corporation. Our appeals to higher au-
thorities, the board at New York, are
unanswered and unheard. we nave
now no redress. A short while ago
the inspector was here. Governor
Cochrane wined and dined him. making
him and his wife his guests while heree
Not long ago he lectured us, saying
that we were under the rules and regu-
lations of the war directory. Just think
forty-odd years ago we were soldiers
giving our all, ourselves II necessary,
for the country and flag we love so
well. Some little time ago Captain
Bucks, of Company F, daughter was
visiting him. The next day Governor
Cochrane in the presence of several
members of the company, spoke very
harshly to Captain Buck, saying: Slr'
l saw a woman on the porch of your
barracks yesterday" Captain Buck
replied: Eyes, governor, that was my
daughter" The governor said: mat
makes no difference you must not let
it occur again.
Not long since lady was entering
Barracks A. Governor Cochrane saw
her. He Immediately called to the
commander, Captain Smith, and said;
"Order that woman out; no woman
goes in there with a good purpose
This lady, who was visiting sick
husband, heard it and, bursting into
tears, left. He has issued stringent
order in regard to women visiting
their friends, thereby insulting every
female and every old soldier. There
is talk of hanging the governor in
effigy. We are open for mutiny and
our patriotism, our love of country, is
what has kept us in check, but we
think of our daily insults, privations
and trials; we murmur, HOW long, v
Lord, how long!"
This letter is quoted at length to IL
lustrate the intensity of feeling which
prevails among the old soldiers.
Veterans Are Organized
More to the point, perhaps is the ac-
ton of a committee of sixty old SOL
diers representing eleven barracks and
the hospital which was mentioned in
The Herald yesterday morning. The
Herald has a copy of the minutes OF
that meeting and the address issued,
which is directed to United states SEN
ators and representatives in the lower
house. Two questions are asked, as
follows:
First-Were the national homes for
disabled volunteer soldiers organized
and instituted for the welfare and good
of the veterans of the three wars
viz: Mexican war, war of the rebel
lion and the Spanish-American war,
and was it intended that men unable
To earn their support should be eenti-
tied to enter the home where they
might spend their last days in peace
and content?
lished on the above basis were the
rules then promulgated for the guild
ance of officers and members based on
the above facts, that the homes We're
to be a place where the old men un-
able to earn their living could live in
peace and contentment?
Want Investigation
Tt is set forth that the conditions
are such at the Sawtelle home as to
call for an investigation and an an
swer to these questions; that there IS
dissatisfaction and discomfort. Com
plaining of certain officer the me-
mortal to congress states that he
.rules the home with an iron rod; he
is. the governors advisor in all things
and to the extent that his word IS
law" And in their complaint they as
sert that "he is domineering, insult
ine. and offensive to the members of
this home, caring nothing for their
interests or comforts, strutting around
like peacock with his cigarette stuck
I'm in his face, always on the lookout
for some poor old man he can abuse
To show his authority. Woe be unto
the member who offends or ruffies his
feathers" 1t is asserted that this Off
Ger was naturalzed less than two
wears ago, although he has been on
the pay roll of the home for a much
longer period. and that he speaks
with an accent
fire of the old fighters to its pristine
strength was when they were instruct
ed that they could not wear the Grand
Army buttons. The facts of this order
are set forth in the memorial. In spite
of it. nearly every man wears the but
ION and, as they express it, they
"swear by their boards to continue TO
The same organized force, which is
determined to have the homes man
agement investigated, have addressed
a communication to President Iait'
Iaving the facts before him and ask
inc that an investigation be made. The
old soldiers agree to make affidavit to
all of their charges and to leave the
matter of continuing the present man
apement to q fair vote OF the menu
hers of the home if it is possible for
them to vote their convictions without
fear of punishment Some of the rea-
sons given why an investigation should
he made would make sensational read
ing matter but generally stated it Is
announcement and hardships heaped
unon the members of the home.
Another evidence of how deeply in
earnest the old men are is found in the
fact that they are organized, have a
fund on hand which they propose to
use i'm fghting for their rights, and
that they have issued 1000 cards bear
inc these words: eff we must be ruled
bv a civilian, then give US free born
American and not a foreigner Each
congressman and United States SEN
ator will receive one OF these cards
along with a copy of the memorial.
Hospital Mismanaged
The mismanagement of the hospital
connected with the home was brought
~ the attention of The Herald yester-
dav Most of the difficulties of the hos
oital are declared to be due to the fact
that the force of doctors at the insti-
tntion Is cut in half. Ordinarily there
are four doctors connected with the
hospital Now there are but two. The
cantain doctor is so i'll himself that ne
redi1ires medical attention and Is un-
able to give any material assistance;
one of the physicians recently left OF
~ ~ own accord because he became dis
gnsted with affairs as they are con-
5ucted at the home, and the two re-