Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-12-02
THOSE WHO FOUGHT OUR BATTLE!

THOSE WHO FOUGHT OUR BATTLES
II two years ago last October any man
had the temerity to say that in 1920 the
American boys from Vermont and other
States fighting in the Argonne Forest and
elsewhere in France would be bothered
to secure recognition for Just claims for
service In war; he would have been In
danger of mob violence on the part Of
Indignant patriots representing all class
Is.
Under these circumstances we are con-
stantly puzzled by the way in which our
youngest war veterans are bothered to
overcome red tape in Washington and
elsewhere in their efforts to secure JUS
tce.
According to advices from the national
capital representatives Of the American
Insurance Bureau. the Federal Board for
Vocational Education and the United
States Public Health Service that the Lee
gion proposed to urge measures designed
to cut red tape in the bureaus and ito
compel the government to function" in its
dealings with discharged and disabled SER
vice men.
John Sherbourne of Boston, a member
of the Legion committee. admonished the
government conferees that If the proposed
consolidation destroyed their present Or
ct,
ahead and destroy.
DR.. c. w. Lavender. representing the
Public Health Service. made pl0a for
the continuation Of "other work in the
Health Service outside of that done for
the veterans Of the World War; saying
that his bureau had many other functions
in addition to the work with disabled vet
Grams.
IT have read every one of your ap-
preparation bills" Mr.. Sherbourne re-
piled. land I find that the money you
have spent for the soldiers, sailors and
marines is much greater than for all
other purposes combined. Now. we don't
want to be rough and we do not want to
impair or handicap any governmental
agency unnecessarily. but I will go to
the line on this: We are faced with the
problem of government agencies not func-
tioning and we do not propose to permit
any single agency to stand in the way"
Robert Marx, Cincinnati member of
the Legion committee, declared it APP
peared each of the three agencies af-
fected by the proposed changes was
seeking to retain it's separate entity and
was opposing the program solely because
It meant the concentration of the three
bureaus under the direction of one re-
sponsible head. This was declared by
the bureau representatives to be an in
correct representation of their position.
plan which would yield better results
The consolidation plan as outlined by
the Legion representatives proposes the
creation of an assistant secretary in one
of the executive departments, probably in
the treasury. to have direct charge OF
the work Of the three bureaus having to
do with ex-service men. The government
representatives, r. G. Cholmeley Jones
director of the War Risk Insurance Blu.
rcau; Buell. Lambkin. member of the Vo.
cational Education Board, and DIR. Law
ender approved this feature of the plan
but doubted the advisabiity of actually
combining the three bureaus.
1t will be recalled that some of the Yer
mont boys who went to fight for us In
France were not able to discover wha,
had been done for them at home until they
returned after the close of the struggle
and began to inquire.
Two full and running-over years have
passed since the World War ended. II
at this late day there are young Amer.
lean veterans of the World War. who are
not receiving their just deserts, Uncle
Sam should promptly discover the reason
why.