New-York tribune., 1921-03-27
Harding Backs
planstOHelp
War Wounded
p,edaes Influence to Cut
peaTane Which Prevents
Thousands Receiving ARE,
S.ys Mrs. Robinson
mee,;ng to Discuss Aid
ser;ous Condition of Veter-
ans TO Be Taken Up at
the Town Hall This Week

President Harding is keenly alive
4. ~. necessity of immediate Con-
eress;onal action to provide proper
..re for the 10000 or more World War
x.,erans outside hospitals who require
.a;ca, attention. This was made
Known yesterday in telegram from
Mrs Corinne Roosevelt Robinson to
,ha National Security League. The |
,..cue will meet at the Town Hall |
next Thursday night and the condi-
t;on Of disabled ex-service men will !
he discussed. Mrs. Robinson, who will
be one of the speakers, telegraphed as
follows from Washington:
"The women of our committee were
received in conference by President
Harding and presented to him letter
ureinr him to use his influence to
sliminate red tape to the end that the
disabled service men should receive
nrorer care and consideration. He
answered cordially that he would do
all in his power
List Of Disabled Grows
Lemuel Bolles. national adjutant of
the American Legion, made public a
statement yesterday which he intends
presenting at the meeting. He said:
"There are more than 10000 for
mer members of the A. Z. F. who
vitality need medical attention and who
are outside hospitals. The tide is ris-
inp at the rate of 1900 month with
the alarming after effects of poison
gas, influenza and improper medical
treatment.
"These disabled are now scattered
over thousand private hospitals, in
county jails, insane asylums and poor
farms without government supervision
md in over 100 government hospitals
in which the Surgeon General of the
United States Public Health Service
declares there are 10,347 beds fimsy,
inAammable or otherwise unsuited for
the purpose used.
eGreat confusion obtains and delays
Of from nine months to two years
occur in the disabled mems efforts to
receive the compensation to which they
are so richly entitled, the while their
wives, mothers and children are objects
Of public pity and charity; this IN
light of the fact that there are $4,000
such cases now pending before the Bu-
reau of War Risk Insurance which
never have been reached, with 10000 OF
these cases over nine months old.
Deserted by Their Country
at is absolutely essential that the
Bureau of War Risk Insurance be de-
centralized and authorized to establish
regional Offices all over the country
and to seek out and minister to our
unfortunate men wherever they are in
need. The present hospital facilities
for these men are criminally made
quate; there is no continuing hospital
program provided and we feel, and
these men believe, that they have been
deserted by the country for the protec-
|tion of which their bodies yet suffer
the honorable wounds of battle in hel
defense"
Speakers at Thursday nights meet
ag will include F. w. Galbraith jr., ma
sional commander of the American lie
gon; j. Mayhew Wainwright, assistan
Secretary of War; DR.. Thomas w. Sal
mon, member of the American LIE
gion's disqualification committee, ant
Dr.. H. A. Pattison, of the Nationa
tuberculosis Association. Herber
Barry will preside.