Omaha daily bee., 1921-07-21
Soldier Aid
Bill Passed
Senate
All Speed Records for Present
Session Broken by Unani.
nous Action on Sweet
Measure.
Now Goes to Conference
By ARTHUR SEARS HENNING.
Chicago Tribune Omaha Bee Leased Wire.

BY ARTHUR SEARS HENN1NG
Chicago Tribune Omaha Bee Leased Wire
Washington, July 20.-Breakine
all legislative speed records in this
session, the senate today passed
without dissenting vote, the Sweet
bill creating veterans bureau de-
signed to end the scandal of made
quate and improper care of disabled
soldiers.
The passage OF the bill marks the
Successful attainment of the chief
objective of the campaign inaugu-
rated by the Chicago Tribune on
June %. Senator's charged with
the responsibility of plotting the bill
through the senate were literally
! deluged with letters and kilograms
urging expedition, sent by readers
of the Tribune and the other news
papers cooperating with it to reform
the chaotic conditions in the soldier
relief agencies.
! Vigilant pressure still will be nee
essary, however, for the bill as
passed by the house was amended by
the senate and now will 60 to a
conference committee for adjust
ment of the differences. This pro-
cess should not consume more than
three or four days.
Provisions of Bill.
The bill as passed by the senate
provides: .
For the creation OF a veterans
bureau, responsible directly to the
president. consolidating all soldier
relief agencies.
For the decentralization OF the
compensation and insurance ma
chinery now operated by the war
risk bureau.
For the liberalization of compen-
sation awards SO as TO relieve any
former soldier suffering from all
lnents for which his war service was
responsible. e.
The action of the senate taken
after less than three hours debate
was hastened by the presentation of
preliminary report by the special
committee on soldiers relief i'll which
the governments neglect of the dis
abled veterans was condnnned in
scathing language.
Spurred to Action.
The report was submitted by
Senator Sutherland of West Vir.
ginia for the avowed purpose of
spurring the, senate to prompt ac-
ton. Upon TIE basis of its investiga-
ton thus far the committee charged:
That the disqualification arrange
ments have been utterly inadequate,
sometimes insanitary and unwhole
some, always laden with red tape
and numbering methodicity.
That unexplaina Bile, delays, con-
fusion, red tape, complications and
intricate slow moving machinery
have combined to increase the diff
culties of the incapacitated ex-serv-
ice men to the highest possible point,
That the duplication in the han
ding of this problem by variously
bureaus has resulted in a
gross waste of the public funds.
That the evidence has further re-
vealed bad administrative short
comings, out of which have grown
neglect, delay, sfowness of action
and shifting of responsibility.
"In the opinion of the commit
tee" the report stated, "the condi- /
ton surrounding this relief work
have reached the point where it |
would be unpardonable for congress
to tolerate further continuation of
the cumbersome, overlapping, hap
hazard methods under which this
problem is being handled, with the
consequent neglect and vacillation
which has and viii inevitably follow
from such unwieldy and unscientihc /
as were set up to take
care of this work. Considering the
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