The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-12-17
AMERICAN LEGION ASKS CONGRESS ID GIVE EX-SERV|CE
 MEN FULL JUSTICE
Warning Against Policy of False Economy With Re spect to Disabled Sol diers Given in State
 ment By D'Olier
sy Associated Press

1. Washington, December Is. The American Legion, through Franklin D'Olier, it's grand commander, tonight called on Congress for immediate enact ment of legislation giving for mer service men "the consid- eration they deserve at the hands of their government.
 MT D'olier in formal statement. warned that no policy of false economy should be pursued now with respect to the disabled service men if serious diff culties" are to be avoided later by the government.
 Principles upon which the present gov ernment insurance laws were founded were described by Mir. boiler as being
 entirely sound" but the existing legis- lation "entirely inadequate"
 He added that as a result of informal conferences today between members of Congress and delegates to the conyen- tion it was evident that Congress Is not yet alive to the necessities of the sit~ uaton.''
 &Glth aA1iO4N rIJC<AkA
 Tt is plainly evident to the conference cf American Legion representativess the legion commanders statement said. "t at
 if the disabled service men and their families and alls ex-service persons in the | nited States are to receive just and lih- eral consideration at the hands of the government, which the people of this country intended they should receive. im~ mediate action on the part of Congress ic la.n1 ak faf Q mander presented today to the senators and congressman from his state specific legislation embodied in amendments to the Sweet and Watson bills, which, if enacted. will secure to the veterans or the great war adequate and liberal serv-
 ice from the bureau of war risk insur- ance. the federal board for vocational education and the public health service
 CONCERNS WHOLE PEOPLE
 ''It is of vital Importance not only to ex-serviee persons. especially the disabled and their families. but also to the people of the whole country that this legisla- ton be enacted without delay Ex-service men and women are not satisfied with existing legislation and regulations af- fecting their walfare
 sOnly through such measures as are lnow recommended Rx--.Ae AmsrfvHsn ise- kgsou a1t af afpFcvsa 5 by fEe respahSsi5iA government offieialx af the asaeAsss f5sis 3cerned can the disabled men and wonen obtain adequate treatment and efficient 1 service.
 Greetings were extended the dele l gates today by President Wilson in T letter to R. c. ChoImley- -Jones direc- tor of the bureau of war risk insur- ] ance, at whose invitation the confer ] ence was called.
 1 May l ask the President wrote. 1 ''that you be kind enough to convey my warm greetings to all who may attend this conference and express my regret that I must deny myself the pleasure of receiving them in person..
 PERSHING SENDS MESSAGE A message was received also from 1 General Pershing who said he favored l d liberal attitude toward disabled sol 1 tiiers and that he felt sure Congress would enact the Legislation necessary
 to provide for them properly.
 Tn addition to the permanently dis- | abled" the general added there are many former soldiers who are tenn ] porarily disabled and whose needs are just as pressing asthose who are per 1 manently incapaciated.
 There were a number of details of the insurance act which the expedi- tlonary commander thought were capa ble of improvement, particularly the II sfContinued on Page Two)