Pueblo chieftain., 1921-12-12
BY Frederic ]. Haskin.

by rreuerlC J. hAShln.
Washington. d. c. Dec. "a vet
eran OF the World War who is petition
ing the government 10 give him a new
glass eye. because the first one they
gave him was stolen while he was in
swimming. and another man who had
most OF his face blown away while in
the service. but does not ask compen-
sation because he does not consider
himself hero. are a couple of the
curiosities revealed by the roundup of
World War veterans which has just
been conducted by the Veterans
Bureau here.
Like many other varieties OF govern
ment officials working In the field, tho
Representatives OF the bureau found
themselves frequently handicapped by
the fact that people believed they were
revenue officers looking for stills. The
all parts Of the country. resolved to
find every veteran OF the war who
had claim for compensation and give
him his due.
Over 5000 disabled ex-service men
have been interviewed since August
Evidence In the cases OF 80. .ss4 of these
veterans indicated that claims should
he filed. and government representa-
tives assisted these claimants to COM
pile and prepare tho necessary evil
dencc. These thousands OF claims have
been speedily acted upon. for out OF
these b6.s3+ claims filed only 1888 arc
pending. the remainder having been
adjudicated and notices of settlement
forwarded to the claimants. As a re-
suit OF this unique program of taking
official wnshinston to the veteran. nn-
usual cases from all parts OF the
country. many OF which the govern
I mcnt is meeting with difficulty. are
coming to light OF day for the first
time.
AN UNATTACHED FIGHTER
There is. for example. the case of C.
II. Pearl. n Grand Rapids, Michigan
veteran who lost hla loft hand and
arm as a result of shrapnei wound
incurred in tho trenches. Pearl Is ap-
parcntly "a soldier without a coun-
| try"
II appears that this unprover veteran
enlisted In the American Ambulance
Service of the French Army in 1917
After serving his enlistment he ap-
piled for transfer to the American Ex-
+ pcditionary Forces. vut on advice OF
the sttachc. he re-cntercd the French
service for three months. Six months
later he was wounded and sent TO n
hospital.
-Four wooks aftcrward his organiza-
tion was transferred 20 the United
States Army. but Pearl was not sworn
| into the United States service because
he was In the hospital and was over
looked. Consequently. when released he
was ITfN aEtut ann npl u VI
any army. The soldier obtained a po-
sition with the Quartermaster's De-
lpartmcnt. but his condition became
worse and he re-cntercd the hospital.
Upon his release he worked in France
and last July came back to America
When the Michigan cloan-up squad
arrived In Grand Rapids to handle To-
| cal claims for compensation. Pearl ap-
piled TO II for an award due to his
injuries. but he was unable to show
by official records that he had served
1.-The United states during the war.
Neither could he prove that he was ac-
tually in the eervice OF any country
when he was released from French
hospital
Nevertheless. Pearl Is getting a
square deal regardless of his inabil-
ity technically to prove that he was
ever in service. His case Is deemed
to he one OF those In which certain
technicalities must be temporarily re-
moved in favor OF simple Justice.
From Michigan also comes an unique
demand of another veteran for new
glass eye to be purchased by the gov
lcrnment Tho former soldier lost his
eve in service and among other COM
pensa tions was awarded glass eye. a
| fcw months 3ro HE glass eye was
stolen together with his clothes while
he was In swimming. He asked the
Igovcrnmcnt for n now one Immediately,
lbut the claim was dissllowed
| Had the eve been broken. the ruling
read. 1t would have been replaced. but
inasmuch as II was stolen the govern
mcnt could assume no responsibility In
the matter. The veteran asked the
clean-up squad to make an effort to
obtain n reversal of the decision. which
is now being done.
VETERANS IGNORANT OF RIGHTS
There arc many Instances of vet
lerans having been found and compen-