The Washington herald., 1920-11-28
LEGION TOPUT
UP new BILL
Fight For disqualification
Plan Meets Preliminary
Success at Conference.

The American Legion. Through its
Ihospitalization committee. tomorrow
win fire the opening gun in a legis-
lative battle. which, II hopes. will
result In partition of three impor-
tant governmental branches as at
present constituted and the regroup-
ing In one bureau of all functions
having to do with treatment. educa-
ton and compensation of former
service men and women. veterans of
teh world war.
The committee won its first VIC
tory yesterday when after three
days of closed conferences at the
Raleigh with officials of the Bureau
of War Risk Insurance, Federal
Board for Vocational Education and
United States Public Health Service,
agreement was secured TO a resoIu-
tion forming the basis of a tentative
bill aimed to bring about such ex-
cision and coordination.
Would End Risk Bureau.
By the terms Of the resolution.
the War Risk Insurance Bureau
would lose its identity, the Public
Health Service would have taken
a. q AeaCN&oA W NnCln lOuT-
flfths of its last annual appropria-
tions were devoted and the Board
for Vocational Education would
turn over a major part Of its activi-
ties to the new governmental branch.
Agreement to the Legion program
was no tsecured without protest,
amendment, and a deal of what Gen.
John H. Sherbourne, of Boston,
oko ~ ~
mittee last night smilingly de-
scribed as moral suasion." Repre-
sentatives of the Public Health
Service, especially. objected to a
plan which threatens tc submerge
the main part of that body's work
in a new bureau. According to H.
H. Reage, member of the hos
pitalizstion committee in Washing
ton, a virtual ultimatum was de-
livered to the service officials to the
smiiingly. they'd come by force"
Previsie.s Of Bill.
The resolutions recommends to
Congress for early action enact
ment of a bill in the nature Of a
basic law to have the functions of
the Bureau of War Risk Insurance.
so much of the functions Of the
Federal Board for Vocational Edu-
cation as rebeates to the rehabilita-
tion and educational training OF all
former service persons Of the world
war, and so much of the functions
of the United States Public Health
Service as relates to the medical
examination, treatment and hospit-
alization Of all ex-service men and
women Of the world war. combined
In a single bureau Of one depart
ment Of the government under a
single administrative head, 20 which
all of the activities above mentioned
shall be transferred with the least
possible delay. and which bureau
shall be charged with the sole re-
sponsibility for the proper care,
treatment. hospitalization, rehsbili-
tation and compensation of ex-serv-
ice men and women OF the world
war, and the business of their war
risk Insurance and all the incidents
thereto"
II is further recommended shat
such bureau establish and maintain
regional offices, at least fourteen In
number. with such legal offices as
may be deemed necessary TO estab-
lish prompt. efficient. personal con-
tact in the field with such former
service persons. with sufficient per-
sonnei and equipment TO AFFORD all
OF the services mentioned to any
applicant entitled thereto"
Final Attendance.
Officials at the final session yes
terday afternoon included Surgeon
Gen. Hugh s. Cummins. Public
Health Service. and Assistant Sur
geons Gen. Warren and Lavendar;
Col. Cholmeley-Jonex. War Risk
director, and Col. r. II. Haliett,
in charge of compensations and
cisims. and Uell Lanpkin. OF the
xeeatieaaa 1AnAnn