Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-06-18
Asks Investigation of
Management
LETTER TO BE SENT TO HEAD
OF GRAND ARMY
SECRET
National Movement Will Be Begun to
Have Homes Placed Under Direct
Control of War Depart
ment

II telle surrender to present condl-
~ tions of which they have bit
terly complained the White House at
Washington will hear their voices and
protests, which they will present in
the same vigorous manner that they
met the issues at Gettysburg and
Shiloh.
The publication in The Herald yes
terday of an account of the discomfort
which prevails among the severH
thousand patriots who are dom1clled
at the Soldiers home at Sawtelle mas
put the old warriors on keen edge
end they are now ready for any fray,
There is no denial on the part OF the
management of the home of the asser-
tions that the veterans are suffering
for lack of sufficient food, and the only
defense that is made is the reiteratlon
of the statement that there is lack
of funds. There was no further mint,
however, that because men in war
time lived through periods of frighttul
starvation, when they became old and
enfeebled should be able to survive
another period of hunger and priVatlon
without complaint
Veterans Hold Meeting
A committee of sixty, representing
the eleven barracks and the hospital.
met quietly yesterday and passed
strong resolutions addressed TO the
United States senate and members OF
congress. In these resolutions they Sc
verely arraigned the management or
the home. They also criticise the
method of administration of all the
veterans homes In the United states.
That President Taft also will hear
of the conditions at Sawtelle, where
one of the National Soldiers MONIES Is
located, is inevitable. Not only the
president and congress will hear this
plaint, but it will go to the command
er-in-chief of the Grand Army of the
Republic and to other dignitarles or
the government.
AS pointed out some weeks ago IN
The Herald, the hope of the old soldiers
is to have the management of the SOL
diers, homes transferred from the spe-
cial commission which now has control
of them to the war department Ihey
we're under orders from the secretary
of war between 1861 and 1865 and they
feel that they should still look to that
department of the government for or
ders instead of to a commission with
headquarters in New York.
Look to Washington
There is. no doubt, a bit of sentiment
about this plan to have the manage
ment of homes for old soldiers placed
under the control of the secretary of
war. but nevertheless it is thing
which many of them desire, as they
looked to Washington and not New
York for instructions during the try
ing times. 1t is only natural that
they should now look to Washington,
In nations capital which they val
iantIy defended, for orders as they did
when mere boys taking part in the
terrible war drama.
AT least that is how they feel about
it. and if the sentiment started here
in California srystallizes there is some
likelihood of the government of the
homes for old soldiers being placed with
the secretary of war.
Civil war veterans all over Southern
California discussed The Herad's eX-
pose of conditions at the Sawtelle home
Yesterday and the opinion was freely
expressed that a rigid investigation
should be made. This sentiment is so
strong that it will very likely be de-
manded by the Grand Army posts in
Los Angeles.
stanton post will meet tonight and
there will be presented to the members
of that post a statement dealing with
the Sawtelle home. Stanton post is
understood to be as fair toward the
management of the Soldiers home as
any post in the city, or in Southern
4, California, and any action taken by
this post will be regarded as being
impartial and unbiased.
Uncle Sam Post Alert
Uncle Sam post and the Women's
Relief corps of that post became in
volved in a controversy with the man
agement of the home prior to Me-
mortal day as to whether or not the
graves of the dead soldiers should be
decorated with flowers. and conse-
quently any action taken by this post
would be traced back to that point. But
members of this post are alert and
closely watching developments. STAN
ton post, however. held aloof in the
former controversy, which related to
the decoration of graves. and there
fore whatever action is taken by that
post tonight will be regarded as re-
fecting the impartial view of the mat
ter of the management of the homes
being transferred from commission to
the war departent.
"This is not a local question by any
means" said a veteran who will attend
the Stanton post meeting tonight.
1--WE have realized for several years
that the management of the soldiers
homes should be under the secretary
of war if anything like efficient service
is given. 1t is absolutely necessary
THESE men are wards of the goVern-
ment and deserve the best of every
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