New-York tribune., 1919-01-16
Continued from page 1

evening yesterday a representative of
"The Evening Journal arrived. He
started to protest against the exclusion
of Hearst publications. Major Charles
T. Neergaard, Red Cross field director,
told him point blank that for some
time Hearst papers had, to large ex-
tent, been barred from the hospital,
but that from then on the ban would be
absolute.
Hearst agents recently sought,
through Father E. Ashley Gerhard,
hospital chaplain, to break down the
barrier against Hearst newspapers. At
ter Major Neargaard raised this barrier
higher the chaplain yesterday dictated
a letter to "The Evening Journal" in
which ne said his duty was to maintain
loyalty among the hospital patients and
that he could not do his duty and help
get Journals" into the place.
Army officers at the hospital have
been unable to learn on what pretcxt
the solicitor got past the guards at
The entrance. He began work on the
( top floor The first man he approached
was Private Houston Keen, who was
wounded in France while serving in
Company L, llSth infantry. According
TO the statement gwen by Private
Keen to army officers yesterday, this
IS what happened:
The solicitor, siding up to Keen,
tc to bol
buddy. cant you help us circulate q
petition through this hospital to get
Congress to give soldiers six months
pay when they get out of the army?'
Kcer-What is it, sir?
Tho Solicitor-We want to give the
soldiers d good welcome when they
get home; we want to get Congress to
give them six months additional pay
when they're discharged from the
army. Help us out, won't you, and
get some names on this petition?
Keen-Sure, We soldiers will take
all the pay we can get"
Money Offered, Keen Says
At this point, Private Keen's state
ment 10 the army officers discloses. the
solicitor, as an additional inducement,
offered to pay the convalescent wounded
for signatures.
RC
the boys on this floor to sign their
names. Pm going downstairs to start
more petitions. III be back for them
when you've had time to get them
filled. You go ahead and get the sigma
lures and III pay you for your trouble.
Private Keen's statement continues:
The man didn't get t. tell me how
much money he would give me.
wasn't interested. | didn't want any
money for helping with a petition to
get soldiers six months extra pay after
we get out.
Il went into my w~rd and started to
have the boys sign it. I told them it
was to get us the six months pay. I
hadn't read the petition myself. There
was lot of typewriter stuff at the
start Of 1T, and | took it for granite d
that it was what the man said it was--
petition to get soldiers money from
Congress. began getting the boys to
sign it up right OFF.
Sergeant Exposes Rusc
A sergeant gave it to was the lrst
one who read it before signing up.
"You could have laid mo out with q
feather when the sergeant said: This
staff doesn't say anything about gol-
for Hearst. 1t rays that Mayor Hylan
did q good thing when he put Hearst
on the committee to welcome us home,
1t says that Hearst WAS a friend Of the
fellows In France.
"a Red Gross nurse who WAS stand
ing by" added Private Keen, "spoks up
and eaid that Hcarst was ono Of the
worst men In the country.
"As quick as ! could gave tho pe-
tition to the first officer | could lind
and told him just how it had hap
pened."
Following Private Keen's report to
the oficsr. nm alarm was gent through
the building. The solicitor wax found
on lower floor, Army officers atatad
yesterday That ho was surrounded by
group of wounded men. and that ha
was trying TO yet thsm to sigr the
Hearst memorial by telling them II was
petition for extra pay.
Bheet Sent to Tho Tribune
Befoxe tho solicitor was discovered