The Washington times., 1920-12-29
WOULD MERGE
ALLWARWORK
Rogers Wants One u. s. Bureau
To Care for Entire Scope Of
Rid for Vets.

In series Of special articles, re-
Gently published IN The Washington
Times and other Hearst papers,
many suggestions Were made for
bene6 fetal legislation for sick and
UOunded soldiers, sailors, marines,
and nurses.
One of the most important out
lined a plan of consolidation Of the
three government agencies an charge
Of vocational rehabilitation, insur-
Gnce and compensation, and medical
care and treatment.
House bill No. 1921, introduced
bv Congressman Rogers Of Mdssa-
chusettS, which WiH haze its first
committee hearing on January 7,
embodies all Of the features of the
demand of the Hearst papers for
this reform an the administration Of
the affairs Of the disabled.
IL also embOdies, Of course, the
special ideas Of the Congressman
other than those of the newspapers,
,oith Which he is IN accord.
He has become one of the recOg-
mixed leaders Of the fight IN Con-
grcSs for generous measures Of belp-
ful LEGISLATION for 1Cdr UictiBis, ard
every former service man and Wom-
an UW appreciate the fOliOWing err
PLANTATION Of the timely Rogers oil,
Written especially for this newspaper
by the author.
BY JOHN JACOB ROGERS.
Member of Congress from Mnssnchu-
sets.
Three Government agencies today
are caring for the disabled soldier
the War Risk Bureau, the United
States Public Health Service, and the
Federal Board for Vocational Train
ing.
Each of these bureaus is function
ing better than it did a year ago.
This is notably true of the Federal
Board for Vocational Education. But
to some extent all are falling down.
Every time any one of the three falls
the disabled service man suffers.
FAR FROM PERFECTION.
In matter of this gravity it is
the duty of Congress and Of the
agencies created by Congress to
strive for perfection. No one will
deny that we are very far from the
ideal today.
The principal difficulties now are
FIRST a lack OF coordination among
the three government agencies. and
secondly, lack OF decentralization in
the field. The principal reason why
the Federal Board is doing better liz
because it has learned to dcccntralize
The War Risk Bureau, on the con-
trary, Is scarcely decentralzod at all
Every award every decision, must
pass through the hands of the Wash
ington Bureau.
The remedies are twofold: First,
consolidation of soldier agencies into
one great bureau; second. very liberal
decentralization of the bureau Thus
formed into numerous geographical
subdivisions throughout the United
States
For nine months have had before
Congress a proposal TO accomplish
these two things. \ considerable
impetus was given the proposal by
the action of the American Legion
National Convention at Cleveland
last September in specifically urgi ing
upon Congress the passage of my bill.
Last week the project made tre-
mendous Roadway when Legion
meeting was held in tho city of
Washington. At this meeting were
present the National Legislative Com
mittee of the American Legion, the
acting chairman of the Hospitaliza-
ton Committee Of the Legion. Gen
eral John II. Sherburnc Of Boston,
Colonel r. g. CholmeIoy-Jones
director of the Bureau of War Risk
Insurance: L. w. Lamkin, head of the
Federal Board for Vocational IGduca-
ton: two spokesman for tho United
.ta, Ip,,L 4
myself.
Our session lasted without inter
ruption for eight hours, and was re-
sumed the next day. \ measure was
finally knocked into shape. which the
American Legion committee asked me
to introduce in the House and which
they plan to get behind with all the
power of the organization.
The first change proposed in the
bill is the establishment of a brand
new soldiers bureau. We call this
the bureau of veteran re-establis
mcnt and we place it in the Inter or
Department. 1t was decided not to
utilize any one of the three existing
agencies, consolidating the other two
into that one. We believe that. II
we did this, jealousy and opposition
would be at once engendered.
TO MAKE FRESH START.
With new bureau we start with
a clean slate and no one of the exist
ing agencies can feel that it is being
made to play second fiddle. Two Of
the existing agencies are in the Treas
ury Department, and is an indep n
dent board, attached to no depart
mCnt.
But the Interior Department is the
natural repository for sod ers' bu-
rcau. The pension bureau is already
there. The Treasury Department is
no natural place for il and, in his re-
cent annual report. the Secretary of
the Treasury has specifically request
ed that the public health bureau and
the war risk bureau be taken out of
his department. Thus our program
gives effect to the direct rCcommcn-
dalton of the men from which the
bureaus are to be taken.
To this new bureau OF veteran ro-
establishment we transfer bodily All
functions now exercised by the War
Risk Bureau. This IL perfectly sin-
pie. But both the Public Health
Service and the Federal board of vo-