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 viii Fight to the
Last Ditch for Reform
at Home

| m HAT Grand Army men are aroused
over the situation at the Soldiers
II home at Sawtelle was evidenced
last night by the outpouring of griz-
zled old warriors to attend the regular
meeting of Stanton post on Spring
street.
The post meeting did not adjourn
until nearly IL o'clock and, as the meet
| ings are secret, the result of the pro-
ceedings is known only to members.
The meeting was attended by large
number of veterans from the Soldiers
home. The whole matter of the COM
plants and charges made by the in
mates of the home was discussed, but
what action was taken can only be
conjectured. A Herald representative
waited in front of the hall last night
and listened to the comments of the
old soldiers as they came out. Many
of them gestured vehemently ar :.
punctuated their utterances with fore
! ible terms.
From statements made by the vet
Grams, as they came out, it was gath
! cred that the post had not passed a
resolution, but had adopted the other
mode of procedure, namely, an investi-
cation by a committee. The commit
tee plan apparently did not appeal 10
those who wanted immediate results,
harsh judgment on it.
Some of them were in favor of COM
| ing out "open and above board" and
presenting the case. From what could
be gathered, the meeting was stormy
and full of fire. One old veteran was
heard to say, with a clinched fist raised
and in a most emphatic and belligerent
attitude: I'VE are prepared to prove
everything we say" The meeting, how
ever, ended with no decisive step
taken.
Despite denials and counter-state-
ments in reply to the charges
made by old soldiers in the Saw
telle home, there was an intense
state of feeling among the veter-
| ans yesterday. The statement made by
Governor Cochrane in a morning pa
per, after sumptuous dinner had been
served failed to relieve the situation,
and the old warriors reiterated and re-
asserted every statement that has em-
anated from them and stand ready 10
back them up with affidavits.
When a Herald reporter called upon
Colonel Cochrane and asked him for
statement Colonel fCochrane was visibly
incensed against The Herald for having
given ear to the voices of the ag-
grieyed old soldiers. He at first de-
clined with dlgnified emphasis ringing
in every word to make any statement
to The Herald. Being assured that The
Heralds only desire was to be fair
with him and the management of the
home and it's only concern was the well
fare of the more than 1000 enfeebled
veterans who call that place home, the
governor said that he had explained
the whole situation in a statement
given to a morning paper.
BIames Congress
"If you want to jump on somebody,
jump on congress-" he said. I'VE asked
for an appropriation sufficient for the
care and keep of all of the inmates of
the home. Congress cut us down $1,000.
But for this reduction we would not
have been face to face with a deficit.
Meat is the least essential of all foods
| in the summer months, and if anything
was to be eliminated we decided that
| the old men required meat less than
any other food. But they have been
getting meat. although not in such
quantities as heretofore. 1t is not our
| fault. We are given so much money
| and then 1t is up to us to spend it to
| the best advantage. If congress is not
to blame. jump on the board Of tom
troll, of which the president of the
United States and the secretary of war
are members"
Eve had a fine dinner yesterday"
said one bearded old soldier to a Herald
reporter. But we knew that we had
a guest or that some extraordinary oc-
casion was at hand, such as the visit
of an inspector. For the first time In
several years L saw old soldiers leave
meat on their plates. Oh, I'll tell you,
| we had plenty of meat and other
| things, too, but it was because there
was n reporter there to write it up
| and tell the world how we'll we are fed.
| If the reporter had stayed there for
supper he would have had mush and
milk, with a little tea"
Forecasts Evening Meal
81 know" said another exactly
what We'll have tonight 1t will be
prunes or apple sauce, tea and bread,
costing about cents The grim old
fighters stood around in groups ard
discussed the matter in controversy.
While the subject of their supper.
which was near at hand, was upper
most in their minds, one of them, hear
ing prunes mentioned, grimaced and
referred to an old comrade who was
sick.
Tell you what I saw with my own
eyes, boys" he said, with deep ex->
preston of earnestness. II saw three
prunes, a piece of toast and some tea
served to a man who was more hungry
than sick"
"And the tea is more like the settlin's
from Browns dam than the real thing"
said aonther graybeard.
The veterans are afraid to allow
their names to be used in connection
with any criticism of the management
of the home because they stand in fear
of being dishonorably discharged. The
Herald has received numerous letters
from inmates of the home approving
its course in bringing the conditions
complained of to the attention of the
authorities In every instance the
writer has sent his name with the re-
quest that nom de plume be used.
One of the many received yesterday
reads as follows:
Soldiers Home, June Is, 1909.
Editor Herald: Pardon the liberty
(Continued on Page rhree) u