Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-12
SEEKS QUICK RELIEF.
FOR WAR VICTIMS
Representative John J. Rog-
ers Proposes Consolidation
of Federal Agencies.
DELAYS NOW TOO GREAT
Believes New Bureau Can Perform
Work for the Soldier More Ex-
peditiously and Efficiently.


To beget efficient and expeditions
relief for war victims the American
Legion through it's legislative COM
mittee is making a drive upon Con-
Eress to coordinate the three great
agencies of the federal service con-
cerned with the welfare of the SOL
diers-the war risk insurance bureau,
the Federal Board of Vocational Edu-
cation and the public health service.
Representative John j.. Rogers,
Massachusetts. one of the most active
younger republican leaders in the
House. is fathering this legislation and
expects to see it passed at the pres
emit session. If this is accomplished
ton of the federal service to eliminate
duplication and overlapping in the
interests of economy and efficiency,
and will be but one step in the gem
eral. Reorganization that the repub-
lican leaders are planning as the first
big work of the Harding administra-
tion. This reorganization is consider
ed of twin importance with the en-
actment Of the federal budget system
The national legislative committee
of the American Legion was in con-
ference Thursday and Friday consid-
ering ways and means to push this
measure and Friday Representative
Rogers was a participant in the coun-
Gil. He has been working in closest
cooperation with this legislative
committee.
Dfvision of Work.
Representative Rogers explains that
the welfare work for the soldiers is
now divided about as follows: %
CO per cent of the relief work; Co
the Federal Board for Vocational Edu-
cation does about 20 per cent, and
(3) the public health service does
about 20 per cent. All of the work of
the war risk bureau is veterans work;
probably one-fourth of the activities
of the Federal Board for Vocational
Education is in behalf of the soldiers,
while the other ree-fourths have no
relation to the veterans-agricultur
and vocational education for which
this agency was originally founded;
the public health service has historic
functions-Quarantin epidemics. edu-
cation Of the people along sanitary
lines, etc. so that its functions are
both for the soldiers and the general
public.
For the purposes of the American
Legion, as covered in the Rogers bill,
all the on-veteran activities of the
federal board and the public health
service are disregarded. He proposes
to unite the work of these three
agencies of relief for the soldiers into
a brand-new bureau in the Interior
Department The war risk bureau
and the United States public health
service within the last week have
been brought under one assistant sec
retaryssof the Treasury; the Federal
separate service. and not In or sub
ordinated to- any government depart
ment. All three of these agencies
have innumerable points OF contact.
each with the other. Representative
Rogers explains. and discusses what
he hopes to accomplish through his
blu. as follows:
Examfnafions Delayed.
-BoIdier Cones applies for compensa-
ton ON account Of disability incurred
in the service He has to be examined
by a public health doctor, who reports
to the war risk bureau before the war
risk bureau can decide whether he 10
compensate. But. II the public health
doctor is busy or negligent, or II the
central office to- which the doctor d.
rectly reports il behind in it's work,
the war risk bureau may not get
report for weeks or even months
while the soldier suffers.
In six months during which I have
been in my home state l have handled
personally about 1000 of these cases.
trying to get the matter adjusted by
telegram. I very frequently got back
a wire saying that the report on the
physical examination had not yet
been received. but they would request
that the report be expedited. My con-
teHtion is that some one ought to
hawe the authority to do more than
request in a case like that-that
there should be some one who can d.
rect that necessary action be taken
and have the power to fire any man
who disobeys the direction.
This Is only one Of many illustra-
tions that could be given of the han
dicap to the worthy soldier suffering
from disability. which results from
lack Of coordination between the war
-isk bureau and the public health
service The fact that the Secretary
OF the Treasury is the common head
of both agencies has in practice. ap-
parently. not remedied the situation.
What is true as to the needs of unity
of control as between the war risk
bureau and the. public health service
is equally true of the work done by
the Federal Board for Vocational Ed
ucation and the war risk bureau. =
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