The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-13
BUSINESS IN GOVERNMENT.

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President Harding's action consoli-
dating all governmental agencies en-
gagged in administering soldier 1egis-
lation as provided to benefit veterans
of the World War into one organi-
zation, under one head, and with one
object, t. demonstrate that the United
States can make of it's dealings with
ex-service men co-ordinated and an
efficient business, conducted as great
going concerns are run anywhere else
in the land is in accord with his de-
clared policy of putting more bust
aess in government" This new Or
ganization is known as the veterans
-bur eau; the director, on whose Shout
ders the entire administration pro-
gram for soldier welfare now rests is
Col. Charles r. Forbes, a business
man from the west, whom President
Harding drew on to Washington sew
eral months ago as director of the bu-
reau of war risk insurance.
To Colonel Forbes belong respon-
sibility of solving the problem of pro-
viding disqualification for all ex-serv-
ice men who have been war crippled
or disabled in any way.
experimenting the hospital con-
struction program. for which $1S,600.-
600 has already been appropriated
and plans for the disbursement OF
which thru the treasury department
are under way. the new director is
now given authority to enter into con-
tract with state, municipal or private
hospitals for the accommodation at
once of veterans in pressing need of
hospital care. The rigid inspection
of these hospitals will now be under
his management and the administra-
ton of them as business institutions
as well as their humane functioning
as Ravens of sympathetic care and
rest. for the disabled men will be in
his charge.
The 26,630 war risk patients now
being cared for in the 500 private and
the 80 government hospitals at pres
ent available for their use, and the
1000 average monthly increase of
these wards requiring treatment, are
to look to him as the guardian of
their care.
The doctors who in the past have
made over a million examinations of
applicants for compensation under the
war risk act, and the United States
public health physicians who have
furnished in dispensaries almost
million and a half treatments annual
~, are now accountable to him as
commander-in-chie this complete
authority being now transferred from
the United States public health serv-
ice to the veterans bureau.
The difficult and complex task of
restoring to the war disabled man his
former earning capacity or creating
in him new one thru that vocational
rehabilitation which. it.is the duty OF
the federal government to supply to
former service men, now depends for
it's solution on the new dictatorship.
Under the act which created the
veterans bureau, those powers and
duties in behalf of the service man
formerly vested in the federal board
for vocational education pass to Di-
rector Forbes to carry on.
He is the head of an insurance
busiAess of 651,o54 active policies.
397,S9O term policies with a. commut
ed value of s2.sSO,sso.2 S5, and 1885,
Ss6 policies of United States govern
ment insurance with a value of ST.
o,702,500. He Is responsible for
the average million dollars a day ex-
penditure by the government in meet
ing the compensation and insurance
claims which are increasing at the
rate of 700 new claims a day.
The act which created the veterans
bureau Hberalizes certain provisions
Of the war risk act, and the adequate
administration of these new benefits
to the ex-service man it is estimated
will increase the activities of the bu-
reau to perhaps a fifth again OF their
present extent.