Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-05-31
VETERANS SONS
ASK INQUIRY AT
SOLDIERS HOME
ROSECRANS CAMP URGES AP-
P0lNTMENT OF COURT
LEADERS IN MOVEMENT CHARGE
MIsMANAGEMENT
Governor Cochrane Declares There Is
Nothing Irregular in His Conduct
of Office and Invites ln-
Vestigation

Members of w. S. Rosecrans camp
Sons of Veterans. of Los Angeles, an
nounce that, beginning tomorrow, they
viii renew their campaign to secure
the appointment of a court of inquiry
to investigate the condition of the Ma
tional Soldiers Home at Sawtelle, and
eventually to have the management OF
the eleven Soldiers Homes taken from
the control of the commission when
now governs them. and placed under
the direct supervision of the war de-
partment.
While the proposed action is the d.
rect outcome of the alleged refusal OF
Governor T. j. Cochrane to allow the
members of Uncle Sans post, w. X. {.
to decorate the soldiers graves, accord
ing to custom. those who are taking the
lead in the agitation declare there are
other matters at the Home DEMANDING
investigation, and they will insist that
a thorough inquiry be instituted.
Governor Cochiane says there is
nothing to criticise in the management
of the home and invites an inVestlga-
tion of its affairs. He denies that ne
refused the members of the W. X. I.
permission to decorate the graves ana
points out that he has invited them TO
do so within the last few weeks. The
instigators of the attack against nm
saw that the invitation was given after
the trouble began. They declare they
have secured affidavits substantiating
their charge, which they will use in
continuing their purpose.
Charges of Mismanagement
In carving on their campaign to
have the control of the Soldiers Homes
taken from the New York commission.
the faction leading the attack is circu-
lating the following. taken from re-
cent issue of an eastern paper:
Evidence accumulates to show that
the management of National Soldiers
Homes needs radical change. In the
very nature of things, the veterans
ought to be under military supervision.
like their juniors now in active service.
The war department is organized and
Differed civilly and in military sense
for such supervision. The present con-
troll is arbitrary. selfish, costly. 1t is
welded for the benefit of comparatively
few nersons and most of these have no
interest in the old soldier except for
his utility as a means of getting money
out of the government.
"a single fact mentioned by Inspec-
tor General w. T. Wood in his recent
report to the war department speaks
volumes on this point. He stated that
while the mattresses purchased by the
government IOT use III llAt belA AehNFN9 -
the regular army cost only $1.S612 each.
those bought by the board of managers
of the military home cost $6.43 Even
at that the latter are of inferior quality.
1t is evident from General Woods re-
port that he looks upon this instance
as typical of graft, which he declares
is practiced at all the branches of the
home and in all kinds of supplies.
Rations Poor and Scant
ut is useless to say now, as has been
said for years past, that expressions
of discomfort come from the least
worthy among the veterans. General
Woods statement is official and he
finds that the rations are poor in quail
ity, meager in quantity. and yet costly
to the government. And the complaints
of former times came from the most
trustworthy among the old soldiers.
They would be perfectly satisfied with
the regular ration Of the army or its
equivalent. But it is openly said by
men scattered all the way from Maine
to California that sometimes there is
not food enough to go around, and that
even this is occasionally UNBEATABLE.
'3There was an excuse for abuses of
this sort a half century ago, because
then the government had almost for
gotten how to feed and care for more
than a few regiments of soldiers, and
contractors were quick to discover the
weakness. But after the lapse of all
these years that the same state of
things should continue wherever the
relics of the old volunteer army are
found seems almost incredible The
government can no longer plead ignor-
ance. 1t can only admit that it has
neglected its business and allows its
appointees to enrich themselves at its
expense. Officials from the highest to
the lowest, not ali but some. have en-
riched themselves at a rate which their
salaries certainly did not warrant.
Open and signed accusations on this
point go unanswered. The fact is that
they cannot be answered truthfully ex-
cept by confession.
Nobody supposes that the war de-
partment is perfect. But its organiza-
ton is as complete as any in the
world and the safeguards are effective.
Its secretaries and clerks as we'll as its
military subordinates know what to do
where soldiers are concerned. 1t may
have some red tape, but certainly no
more than the civilian system under
which the veterans now suffer. The in
fluence of President Roosevelt is all on
the side of a change, and doubtless the
long experience of Mr.. Taft as secre-
tary Of war will cause him to take the
same side
Meanwhile it is said that the pres
ent management is lobbying industri-
ously at Washington against a change.
Some of the arguments used in the
past in behalf of the management have
been demolished by General Woods re-
port. What is more, the perfunctory
prearranged inspections have at last
been replaced by the unexpected visit.
This obvious device has long been
asked for by veterans who felt them
selves to be cheated out of that which
the government promised them. Thus,
even if the board of managers sue
coed in preventing a change they will
not find the future so 'halcyon and vo-
ciferous' as the past has BEEN