The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1916-10-28
NAKED TRUTH ABOUT EXTRAVAGANCE
and FILTH IN THE SOLDIERS HOME

ill the year 1905. During the Ares
years from that date 10 The begin
ming Of the present govsrnoTs sd-
ministration the total sIpenditara
for civilian employees was e1e,-
490.46, or an average Of eT,496.s2
per year. During the Eve years Of
the present governors sdministra-
ton covered BY published Official re-
ports the expenditures for civilian
employees amounted 20 Ss0,3s1.35
being an average Of si6,076.27 per
year, an increase Of ia per cent.
Meanwhile the number Of inmates
in the home had increased less than
8 per cent.
The average number OF civilian
employees in the home Immediately
prior to the beginning Of the present
administration was Ice. The aver
age number Of said employees dur
ing the Eve years Of the present ad-
ministration covered by published
reports was a2s, being an increase
Of 1913 per cant, while the number
OF inmates increased less than 8 per
cent The number Of members Of
the home employed therein increased
from 1910 10 1918 but slightly over
per can't while the number Of
civilian employees increased mors
than 20 per cent
Increased Cost Of Administrations
The cost Of administration dur
ing the three years Immediately pre-
ceeding the present administration
was si5,o22.75, being an average Of
Sl5,0o75s per year. The cost Of
administration during the FIVE years
under the present governor covered
by published reports was s1e7e
26s.55, being an average Of SQ5.
45S.7l per year. II thus appears
that the annual cost Of administra.
ton has increased 60 per cent under
the present administration while the
number Of inmates has increased
less tnan per cent.
The average number Of patients
in the hospital Of the home during
the five years Of the present admin.
istration is greater by 40 than the
average number during like period
Immediately previous to this admin
istration, being an increase Of $3.50
per cent, while the cost Of main
tanning the hospital service has in
creased at the same time SO per cent.
What becomes Of the economy al
legged by the National Tribune in
turning the hospital over to the
nuns who are now in charger
Nuns, Dirt and Vermin In Hospital
1t is admitted also that an inn
mense new building is in process of
erection at the home to provide the
nuns with more commodious quar-
ters. Manifestly there is no econ
omy in the employment OF these
nuns even il their services can be
had for slightly lower wages than
other nurses would require, in view
Of the fact that their presence neces-
states the expenditure Of many
thousands Of dollars for the erection
of this new building.
The employment Of these Roman
Catholic nuns is radically different
in principle from the employment
OF other women. II other women
were employed their employment
would be due 10 ascertained ehicien-
cy without regard to their religious
affliation. Some Of them doubtless
would be members Of one church
and some Of another. But these
nuns are employed because they are
Roman Catholic nuns. All of them
are Roman Catholics garbed in their
peculiar sacerdotal robes. Such
nuns are never employed to work
with other women. Where they are
employed at all they require ex-
elusive possession and control. This
hospital was delivered over to them
doubtless BY an express agreement
with the Roman Catholic authori-
ties. They were employed because
they are nuns and for no other rea-
son.
The public has been widely de-
} ceived into the belief that the man
, agemsnt and services Of Roman
Catholic nuns in hospitals and other
, institutions is exceptionally salutarv
, and efficient. In spite Of this wide
spread impression, many Of the beds
in the hospital of the Soldiers
Home have been and are so infested
with bed bugs and other noIious
vermin that the patients in these
beds have suffered great inconveni-
ence and distress thereby. The
wards, halls and stairways have
been much Of the time covered with
, filth and hung with dirty cobwebA