New-York tribune., 1920-07-29
Chasing the Cure
The Tragedy of Service Men Who
Must Look 10 Army for Care

The Tragedy of Service Men Who
Must Look 10 Army for Care
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: I have just returned from a
trip to Whipple Barracks, Arizona.
was called there to see my brother, who
Is another unfortunate veteran suffer-
ing from the white plague. Four days
were spent by me right in the hospital.
OF course, had an excellent opportu-
nifty OF digging up the views and ideas
Of the veterans Chasing the cure"
There were some 2,1OO i'll veterans at
Whipple (throat and lung cases) in all
stages of the disease. The record of
the hospital is high in cures and
ARRESTS" Obviously it will maintain
this good record if the same personnel
ard rules are carried out. But while
was there. buzz of dissatisfaction
arose from the wards, because the re-
port came that the Public Health
Service had decreed a cut of some
$50, 100000 in running expenses!
One further point which existed in
the case of my brother He was dis
charged from the army as physically
fit" Two weeks later it was discovered
that he was suffering from tubercu-
losis. You can imagine the unendlng
roll of red tape he had to unwind to
put this up to the army They finally
agreed that the disease existed before
he was discharged.
He was then sent to Camp Sewer.
Greenville, S. c., against the family
surgeons recommendations. 1t is q
known fact among the boys who were
at Greenvile (and l know a dozen)
how inefficiently the camp was run.
My brother became steadily worse. Our
doctor said that his chances for recov-
cry were good "if sent to Arizona or
New Mexico"
Was he sent there? Yes, eight
months later, after he himself with
one lung gomez took the trip to Wash
ington and demanded a transfer $50
that l can fight to get we'll" The
Colonel or General, or whatever he
was, at The capital sent him to New
York with the most sarcastic letter I
ever had read. In New York they sent
him back to Greenville to await devel-
opments. Twice this transfer was held
up. That is an authentic statement.
God grant that some day l can meet
face to face the culprits who performed
that small piece of work.
In other words, hold, and so does
our family doctor, that these self-suf-
ficient and inefficient men in New York
and Washington were deliberately aid
ing in the slow death of my brother
while they conferred on the advisable
ity of giving him his chance. They
forgot the war was over. They-most
of them desk officers in the late un-
pleasantness-wer still overwhelmed
with sense of their rank.
This is not an exceptional case.
There are no doubt many others like
it. But it proves one thing-that the
public, the newspapers, the men and
women who should know, are not in
possession of all the facts regarding
the care of our disabled Veterans.
Why, for instance, should the gov
ernment arbitrarily throw boys out of
Saranac? Facts have proved that
Salanac is an excellent place for the
fighting of the "bug" In some cases
it would pc plain murder TO move
them to other camps--I know that.
Then why--and why--and why? Who
can answer? What body of men or
women will take up the call of the
dying and injured and show the in
ofectuals in Washington who is pay
ing their salaries and to whom thev
must answer?
second the call of the boys at
Saranac. I second the call Of all dis
abled veterans. But how feebly my
voice sounds in this welter of high
wages and increases and the howls of
the labor unions! What can be done =?
On must we, who know, suffer alike
with the veterans who are i'll?
A L. BENDER.
New York, July 21, 1920