Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-05
WAITING FOR
u. s. MANAGERS
VETERANS AT SAWTELLE HOPE
FOR FAIR PLAY
NATIONAL BOARD is DUE HERE
TODAY
Old Soldier Outlines Charges Made
by Old Men Who Fought for
Flag During the Civil
War

As the result of the utter disregard
of the complaints of the veterans at the
soldiers home near SaWtelle, which
were forwarded to the officials at the
recent national G. A. r. encampment
in Salt Lake City, the outcome of the
visit of the national board of managers
of the soldiers homes is awaited with
interest.
This board, in charge of the presi-
dent, Major James M. Wadsworth, is
expected to arrive in Los Angeles to-
day, and the official investigation OF
the conditions at the home will begin
at o'clock Tuesday afternoon.
Although soldiers and civilians alike
are requested to appear before the
board and give testimony of their
knowledge of the present conditions at
the home, it is not expected that many
of the old veterans will embrace the
opportunity.
If guaranteed immunity from perse-
cution and assured that they would not
get the gate" it is said that the ma
jority of the inmates of the home glad
ly would tell of the hardships endured
and. of mismanagement at the home
under the regime of Governor Cochrane
and his board of officers.
Veterans of Country Interested
The G. A. r. veterans not only in
Los Angeles but in every section of the
country are awaiting the result of the
investigation eagerly and the hope OF
those who hold the welfare 0f the
veterans at heart is that a real investi-
cation be held, and not a WhiteWash
such as was conducted at Salt Lake
City.
lit is hoped" said one prominent G.
A. r, veteran yesterday, that the
first move will be to insure the veter-
fyaf1 ThhN
tell the real facts and from what l
know, if such rule is made, there Will
be enough volunteer witnesses to keep
the national board busy for weeks.
Furthermore, if the truth is brought
out, Governor Cochrane and Treasurer
Moore doubtless will be looking for
other snaps, for the only result of an
impartial investigation will be the re-
tirement to civil life of those who have
made the lives of the old veterans mis-
erable, when they should be enjoying
all the gratuities that Uncle Sam so
amply provides"
Old Soldier Talks
The following communication has
been received, showing the risks that
an inmate of the home undergoes IL
he gives offense to the higher officers:
"In the National Tribune's report of
recent C. A. r. encampment. at Salt
Lake City I find the following;
Commander Daubenspeck of cali
fornia said that he had appointed a
committee of good comrades, which had
been thoroughly investigating the
question. They had found that no one
in the home was willing to support
the charges which had been made, and
that these had been confined to one
paper-"a yellow journal'-while the
six other papers of higher character
in Los Angeles had refused to nave
anything to do with it,
Commander w. S. Daubenspeck is a
citizen of Los Angeles and contrac-
tor and builder by profession. lie is
likewise commander of the department
of California and Nevada, G. A. r.
From the National Tribune | learn
that some sort of a committee was IN
Sawtelle July 90 it's object being to
hear complaints regarding this home.
An instance of recent occurrence per-
haps will explain, in part, why none OF
our members were anxious to appear
before Commander Daubenspeck's com
mittee,
"a member of Home company r,
who is a conscientious Adventist, de-
sired to be excused from work of any
kind on Saturday, saying that he was
ready to perform any and all duties
assigned to him on the other days OF
the week. Being unable to get a sat
isfactory answer here he wrote 10
President Roosevelt,
Final Warning Given
1.-THE president of the United. States
is in reality the head of the board OF
managers for soldiers homes. just
prior to the expiration of his admin
istration, President Roosevelt replied
that, if the man was conscientious in
his belief, he saw no reason why his
religious scruples should not be re-
spected There being no doubts on this
score, our home authorities had to. bow
10 the will of the president with as
good a grace as possible. But this is
not the final. A day or two after
ward a messenger from headquarters
gave the above party, as well as a
number OF others who were called to