The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1910-05-19
HEADQUARTERS IS BLAVED
Institutions Filled With Friends and
Relatives Of Officials -Rations
Bad as In The Prisons

Bad as In The Prisons
Washington, May 14-One OF the
strongest arraignments ever made in
any department of the government
service was that by Representative
Cox, of Dayton, Ohio, in his speech in
the house today when, under the sun
dry civil bill he discuss the manage
ment Of, the National Soldiers Home.
While serious charges were made
against the administration of these
homes, Mr.. Cox confined them largely
to matters of records. 1t was appar-
ent that an unusually exhaustive study
had been made Of the whole subject,
going back through several reports
made by the inspector generals de-
partment of the war office, the annual
reports of the board of managers and
the proceedings of that board
1t was the first time in many years
that this subject has been so thorough
ly ventilated in congress, and in the
colloquy which ensued between the
Ohio member aid several of his col
leagues they expressed their surprise
at conditions disclosed, and Represen-
tative Crumpqcker, republican, of In
diana, suggested that an investigation
be made into the operations of the
homes.
Also at LeayenWOrth Home.
Representative Anthony, of Kansas,
stated that many OF the conditions
which the Ohio member described in
connection with the home mt Dayton
existed also at the Leavenworth
branch
Mr.. Cox charged, among other
things, waste and extravaganza in the
use of public funds and the Irregular
expenditures from what is known as
Z The post fund, and inadequate provis-
ion for The men, particularly in food;
dispotic rule, which in many in
stances was inhuman; an excess in
authority which confiicted with feder-
al statutes, and a policy OF deceit and
concealment in the boards relations
with congress.
He showed by the records that the
expense of maintaing the homes had
doubled between the years 1908 and
1908, with an increase in the member
ship of only per cent. He charged
an utter lack of business administra-
ton in the establishment Of the john
son City home, and showed that while
it had only one third as many mem
bers as the Dayton home, and was on
ly I years old, whereas the Dayton
branch was 43 years old, that more
money had been expended at the
johnson City branch fer buildings
and pubic Improvements than at
Dayton.
Have TO Keep II Filled,
He showed also that the govern
ment was appropriating each year an
excessive sum for transportation pur-
poses in an unsuccessful effort to keep
the johnson City branch filled up.
The report of Inspector Brewster, OF
the war department, was submitted
showing that the per capita cost oi
rations in The homes was only 1s cents
per day, while i'll the army ii is more
than 20 cents.
In this connection attention was
called to the allowance of meat ano
bread, and by comparison it was
shown that two soldiers in the army
procure as much bread per day as five
veterans in the home, while in meal
three soldiers in the army get as much
as five veterans in the home. In one
of the branches the ration cost had rur
us low as IL cents, the same as in tbs
Atlanta federal penitentiary. 49,
Comparison For Week.
Comparison for week was made o
the menu at the Dayton Soldiers
Home and the Dayton County Jail
The charge was made that the mat
tresses in some of the homes had beer
used for 25 years. A copy of the Cor
oner's verdict at Hampton Roads, Va
Nfsread, in which it was shown tha