The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-10
FAILS IN PLEDGE
Disabled Men Not Cared for
by Government.
Col. F. w. Galbraith Tells of
After War Conditions.
He HEADS AMERICAN LEGION
Wounded Soldiers Lost Track
of, Commander Says.
They Receive Inadequate and
Shameful Treatment.
HE HEADS AMERICAN LEGION

The government has utterly failed to
carry out its solemn pledge to look
after the men who were disa bIed in its
service during the war, or to look after
the dependents of men disabled or
killed, Col. +. w. Galbraith, national
commander of the American Legion
said when he addressed the Chamber
OF Commerce at luncheon today.
colonel Galbraith cited instance
aIter instance of the treatment which
Is oelng accorded to thousands of ex-
service men who are quartered in pri-
Vate hospitals thruout the country
many of them lost track of by the gov
ernment itself. and receiving made
quate and shameful treatment. diving
from neglect, while their dependents
are making their own livings, are OBJ
Jects OF charity or are Starving.
Confers With Committee.
The head of the legion was in con-
ference with the executive committee
OF the Kansas department of the le-
slon Thursday, and addressed meet
ing of the members of Capitol Post
No. 1 and the Women's Auxiliary. at
the post hall Thursday night
The governments has accommodated
very small percentage of the dis
ableld men in hospitals which it direct
ly controls. Colonel Galbraith said.
The rest of the disabled men who are
receiving medical attention at all are
harmed out" on a contract system
thru private hospitals thru the coun-
try and the government itself does not
know where all of them are.
Told of Investigations.
Colonel Galbraith told of inyestiga-
tions which had been started by the
American Legion after reports of bru-
tality and neglect had come from
hospital in Illinois, and of the demand
OF the legion that Pennsylvania hos
nil fn1 l. szI.
care of tubercular patients, and where
the conditions and the location were
such as to almost assure death to a
man suffering from tuberculosis, sent
there.
1t takes three months to get an ap-
pHcation for compensation dealt with
by the bureau of war risk insurance
at Washington, Colonel Galbraith
charged, and in these three months
men have died, aiting vainly for the
government for which they fought to
redeem its promise to them.
To Demand Capitalization.
The legion is going to demand the
Capitalization of the control of the
rehabilitation and the care of ex-serv-
ice men, taking it out of the hands
of the three bureaus which now man
age it, and putting it under one head.
The legion is going to demand that the
program of disqualification for the
SdA z VI NlSctOlSu HELL CdiIlc DS-
fore the last session of congress, be
enacted as was planned, and appropri-
ations for it be passed.
Cannot Be Cared For.
'"The situation as regards the physi-
cal ability Of the United States to care
for these men as they should be cared
for in hospitals, is impossible" Colonel
Galbraith- said. 1.-The United States
has not enough government hospitals.
The legion will demand that enough
hospitals be built to accommodate the
men.
THE hospitals where the men are
now being held are not all bad, but
the percentage of rottenness and in
efficiency is so high that you would
not permit your people to be taken
there" the American Legion head de-
clared.
No Compensation.
Colonel Galbraith gave several In
stances of men in st. Margaret's hos
uita1 at Kansas City who are not re-
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