Deming graphic., 1920-01-13
Base Hospital Large Institution

American veterans OF the world war,
battle Scared, war weary. and Ill, are
being mobllized at the old base hospit-
al at Camp Cody. They are the ad-
vance guard, seventy Of them. Of the
pathetic battalions OF well-nigh hope
less ones that are TO follow-50, 900
within the next three years afflicted
with tuberculosis due to exposure In
the field. gas In the savage attacks,
and many other causes that In cam
paign operate 10 break down the sturd-
lest manhood. According TO present
plans this host IL all TO pass through
the receiving station at the base hos
pital. some 10 life and happiness, some
TO death and forgetfulness, others to-
but who caresl The war Is over.
There will be no martial music, no
battle flags waving in triumph, no
cheering throngs to welcome these very
zeal heroes of the battlefields Of
France and Flanders and the fleets
that kept the high seas free. These
crusaders who gave their health, limbs
or senses that democracy should not
become memory of a golden age that
had passed. A grateful government
which they helped to preserve IL do
ing all that Is possible to heal their
wounds, to cure them, 10 reconstruct
their shattered, painracked bodies, to
the end that they may again enter life
with hope and cheerful possibilities.
God only, knows how lonesome they
are, o. so lonesome, disappointed, dis
illusiOned. among the living. dead.
with the dreary prospect Of inyalidism
stretching down that long, long trail. y
about which they sang so bravely and
Justify when they marched away In the
vigor OF their youth with the light OF
The Great Adventure shining in their
eyes. Now no one thinks much about
them; the Pharisees say that they
were vile; the traitors say That they
were brutal, and the carless say moth
ing at ALL Who Is there to plead their
cause when fair and tender maidens
turn away from their hollow cheeks
and tagging steps? Yet these are the
men who fought the battles Of the re-
public and paid the price no less than
they who now sleep under the rain
sodden mold of France. There will
be great army of them, but quite
different army than the one which
marched away from Camp Cody for
Europe two summers ago. For the
men being sent here the war Is not
over, never will he over. and until the
nntion and the people of this section
do all that there is to be done for them
the war Is not, nor can II ever bl
won.
IL Is quite possible that Deminl
folk have not yet awakened TO The
magnitude and scope Of the institute
. on which Major Korn has initiated
= for the rehabilitation of veterans oi
the great war who are afflicted will
: tuberculosis Everyone knows where
? the base hospital is; most persons
have been there and are aware that II
, consists of a collection of what i
known in military parlance as can
tonments-a rather ornate name fol
rude structures of any materials tina
may be handy made by or for troop
| mhilleted and In need of semi-perma
pent shelter. The hospital here hap
pens to he fabricated from rough ant
/ unpainted pine boards, set In drearl
, waste Of sand sparcely covered by mes
, quite. sage and yucca. dry deser
, growth of dusty grey. The sand
> laden winds from the bare hills fine
: the base hospital the only obstruction
= In its clear sweep Of the mid-valle!
> plain. This Is the remains of CAM
that was built TO shelter 10000 mel
. In tralnig for the battlefields Of Eu
Z rope. survival to remind the visito
: of the high ideals and base emotion
5 that there ran riot. IL Is among thes'
= ruins of the past that the ruined man
\ hood OF the nation has come back
like the wreckage Of n noble fleet tina
/, the tide brings back to the haven !
. had but n short time ago quilted.
r The base hospital will sooner or lat
4 or receive most of the tuberculosis
0 patients of the war army, to be care,
| for hy the public health service, whicl
4 service has lust begun to realize TIN
tremendous task IL has been allotted
p As the United States was not pre-
y pared for war so Is IL not prepare'
; for peace and duties Of reconstruction
Now as then the men who wore tn
uniform are the chief sufferers be
cause Of the inadequate preparation
thnt have been made. The hospita
( will. probably, ultimately shelter Ia,
$ 600 patients with corresponding per
; sonnel the others to be sent here bein
T. In, dis tributed from here to Fort BAY
- ard .and ether public health servic
A hospitals in "the heart Of the wei
4 country"
[ At the present time there are onl!
= seventy patients at the hospital. seven
! 80, ~,.t., xxI xu.,u caxt