The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1921-02-24


the rate of 1,5OO month in excess
of the number discharged. Sixteen
thousand beds are needed now. Hun
dreds of veterans are the object of
public and private charity Afflicted
and penniless veterans have been driv-
en- to refuge in almshouses and jails
Many have died, and If immediate re-
lief is not Forthcoming, more will
die destitute, without proper medi-
cal care, without compensation with
which to obtain it, abandoned by the
country they served. All this is at
tributable directly to the manner In
which the government has admins
tered the affairs of the disabled
1.-The bureau of war risk insurance
is responsible for the payment Of COM
pensation and for medical and hos
pital care of the man. Logically, this
would involve establishing contact
with the men at the time Of their
discharge from the military or naval
service. 1t should then determine the
existence and degree of disability and
compensation on this basis.
Due to the Capitalization of the
bureaus forces in Washington, it is
practically impossible under the pres
ent law to establish contact with the
man entitled to these benefits. The
| disabled man is placed in the position
of a man injured in industry who
must sue the company. He must car
ry on an involved and technical CORE
spondence. 1t is usually months af-
ter he is dropped from the pay rolls
of the army or navy before he is TAX
en- upon the pay roll Of the bureau,
even though his service discharge
shows a definite degree of disability.
On November 26, 1920, $1,000 cases
were pending in the bureau awaiting
definite adjustment Of compensation.
Thousands are suffering and many
have died as result Of this neglect.
"The federal board for vocational
training will accept the evidence of
the bureaus medical files granting
compensation as proof that man Is
entitled to vocational training. The
bureau, however, will not accept the
evidence that the board has awarded
titled to compensation.
IF the veteran is receiving COM
pensation and wants training, usually
he must take another physical exam
| nation, administered by the board to
determine whether the claimant has a
|
training pay, or merely a compens-
able disability granting him training
only. If the veteran is not receiving
compensation, due to delay by the
bureau, he must be examined by the
board to determine his eligibility for
training, as well.
When a man enters training with
training pay, his compensation stops
| and he is shifted from the pay roll of
the bureau to the pay roll Of the
board. The board, which was created
as a training agency only, has be-
come a compensating agency as well.
Many men have been kept on the pay
rel of the board, not as training
measure solely, but as a measure of
financial relief which they were en-
titled to, but unable to obtain from
the bureau.
when d man is dropped from train
ing he is supposed to be dropped from
the pay roll of the board and taken
up by the bureau. On both shifts
| there is delay. The average length
of time for a man TO be dropped from
the bureau pay roll and taken up on
the board pay roll is about three
weeks. The average time required
for the second shift back to the bu-
reau pay roll is two months. No pro
vision is made for the mans main
tenance during these nterims. In the
ajority of cases a man must under
go u new physical examination before
the bureau will again pay him com.
penSaton. In other words, he must
again prove his claim.
THE position of the United States
public health service is peculiar. 1t
took its place in the rehabilitation
scheme poorly equipped for the work
it was to perform, but was apparent,
ly the best medical governmental
agency then available. 1t acts as an
agent both of the bureau and the
board, but is responsible to no au.
thority common to both board and
bureau. because there is NO such au-
thority.
In view of this condition the re
markable thing about the present re-
Mobilization program is that it has
accomplished what little it has. Such
progress as has been made is a tribute
to the sincerity of the men in the bu
reau, the board and the public health
service who generally have made the
best of an impossible situation.
The best Of this impossible situa
ton, however, has been insufficient
always. This is particularly true re
garding disqualification.
''Of the 10000 men now in hospitals
$500 are in institutions which are I'M
fit because suitable hospital facilities
are not available
The Legion AYERS that 5000 beds
are needed at once. Of this number
1900 are necessary for transfer of tu
bercular patients from present unsat-
isfactory hospitals, and 5000 foi
transfer of neuro-psychiatric patients
from the inadequate lodgings which