The Mena weekly star., 1920-12-02
LEGION ACCUSES;
OFFICIALS SILENT
Fail 20 Answer Charges Of Negiecting
n;xabled-- Veterans Leaders De-
clare Condition of Wounded Men
Is Frightful."

Washington. Nov. 27.-The United
states government is neglecting dis
ahled veterans of the world war, Col
r. w Galbraith, jrs national COM
mander of the American Legion
charged here today. Responsible
government officials did not deny the
charge
Galbraith's accusation was made IN
connection with the conference OF the
legion disqualification committee
which at the end Of the days work
had prepared tentative bill to be
submitted to congress, whereby an
federal activities connected with dls-
CHARGED disabled veterans Of the war
will be co-ordinated under one head.
Hopes 20 Cut Red Tape.
The legion hopes to cut the red tape
which now surrounds the disabled sol
dier. II will recommend to congress
n plan whereby the needy veteran
will get action instead of letters winch
mass RESPONSIBILITIES to some other
government bureau.
Heads of government bureaus con-
nected with the rehabilitation OF sol
diers attended the conference they
offered no objections to the proposal
realizing that it would have been use
less to combat the storm Of indigna-
ton among world veterans at The
shabby treatment their unfortunate
comrades are receiving.
That the legion intends to bring Z
bear all Of its influence to have con
gress adopt the proposed legislator
was made clear The coordination
bin viii be given precedence over al
other American Legion recommends
tions.
"Condition Is Frightful."
.sThe American Legion is going L
make the people Of this country real
ize that the men who offered thei
lives and their blood for the securit.
and welfare of the nation are re
turned heroes to whom they owe
big debt Of gratitude" Colonel Gal
braith said. 1.-The condition of thes
disabled men is frightful and we pro
pose to take immediate steps TO Sc
that they are properly cared for b
their debtors-the people of the Unit
ed States.
@The government has not laid
brick nor set up bed for the care Q
the thirty thousand disabled men, al
tho the armistice was signed tw
years ago.
s.Conditions in the temporary, make
shift hospitals that have been pro
vided by the public health service, ar
simply frightful. The temporary hos
pital at Merkelton. Pa. is disgrac
70 the nation and should be abandone
at once rs unfit for a dog to live IN
Many Weakening Mentally
"Ten thousand disabled men ar
quartered in cellars, poorhouses ant
insane asylums Thousands of me-
are breaking down mentally am
physically as a result of the hard
ships they endured in the service o
their country, and they are entitle'
to the best care that this wealthy ma
ton can afford"
Colonel Cholomeley-Jon head 0
the war risk insurance bureau, AM
Uel Lampkin of the federal board o
vocational education, were present a
the conference of the legislative com
mittee, but they carefully avoided
making any protest at Galbraith'
complaint.
DIR. G. u. Lavinder, an assistan
surgeon general in charge of hospit
ais for the public health service, ad
mitted that Galbraith's charge is true
but be blamed congress, insisting tina
economical legislators are responsible
The American Legion's bill will cal
for the examination, treatment, hos
pitalization. compensation and reha
Utilization training of soldiers to b.
under one cabinet department and di
rectly under an assistant secretary
At present these functions are dis
tributed among the treasury, war an,
navy departments and Independent
bureaus.