South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-01-28
CHARGES POOR
TREATMENT OF
SICK SOLDIERS
South Dakota Representative
Scores Conditions In
Chicago.
PLACES BLAME ON OFFICIALS
by Associated Press :

BY Associated Press:
WASHINGTON, Jan. 27.-Sick
and wounded soldiers are not re-
ceiving the treatment guaranteed
them by law" Rep. Johnson, re-
publican, South Dakota, who served
in the A. Z. T.. declared Tuesday
in telling the house Of his recent
visits TO government hospitals.
Because OF ignorance or negli-
gence, or because of wilful disre-
gard of the laws by Carter Glass,
secretary of the treasury. or Rupert
Blue. surgeon general of the United
States" said Rep. Johnson, "sick
and wounded American soldiers are
not receiving treatment that can be
justified by any one who has any
regard for the well being Of the men
who fought to maintain the coun-
try"
inquiries for Basis.
Replying TO Rep. Gardner, demo-
crat, Texas, who inquired the basis
of the charge against the officials,
Rep. Johnson asserted that funds TO
provide hospital facilities had not
been used because of the opposi-
ton of officials to taking over the
Chicago speedway hospital and that
because of this attitude funds for
other hospitals were not being ex-
pended.
Rep. Byrnes, democrat, South
Carolina, interrupted TO say that
purchase of the speedway hospital
was directed by congress on the
condition that hospital could be
made to meet the needs of the pub
lie health service" and that Sec'y
Glass, under the legislation, could
not purchase the property on the
conditions asked by the hospital
contractor.
Rep. Johnson's complaints Of the
care of soldiers was centered about
Chicago hospitals.
Asked to Leave.
"In Chicago Jan. 15," he said,
American soldiers who had been
seriously wounded and who had
been and ought to be receiving
treatment for their wounds. were
requested to leave the hospital and
discontinue treatment in order that
other men. in more serious condi-
tions. might take their beds in the
hospital"
'In these same hospitals" the
South Dakota representative added.
"men who have been gassed are
quartered in dark hall ways where
no ray of sunlight has been, or ever
will be, permitted to enter, and this,
in spite of the fact that since March
5. 1919, S9.5O0,O0O have been avail
able and could. and should, have
been used.
IF this condition is permitted to
exist for few months more, there
will be thousands Of wounded and
sick American soldiers who need
treatment and will be unable 10 Sc
cure il. In my opinion, thousands of
them will die and the persons re-
sponsibls for those deaths will be
the men I have mentioned, or some
OF them, because congress has per-
formed it's duty in appropriating
the necessary funds, while they have
not performed theirs in expending
them"
Sixty We're Unfed.
Johnson said that on last Dec. 4,
he saw 90 men at the Fort Sheridan
army hospital. who were not fed
and many others who could not Sc
cure sufficient food" He added that
his complaint of this 10 Sec'y Baker
resulted in an investigation which
admitted the truth OF the COM
plant" and that an attempt was
made 10 remedy the situation
Johnson showed a photograph Of
a bath room, 10 feet square. in the
Chicago marine hospital, which he
said. was used for a vocational
training work room.