Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1921-10-25
AMERICAN LEGION
TO ASSIST 'MOP-UP
SQUADS" CAMPAIGN
WILL HELP YANkS WHO APPEAR
BEFORE BOARD WITH CLAIMS
FOR ADJUSTED COMPENSATION
-To REMAIN m OTTAWA FIVE
DAYS.

One of the principal items of busl
ness which viii be brought before the
meeting of Ottawa Post of the Amcri
/ can Legion tonight at their regular
meeting Will be the visit of the MOP
/ Up Squad which will be in Ottawa
from November rs to 90. During their
! stay here all the disabled veterans
from La Sale, Grundy, Bureau ami
Putnam county will be invited to pres
ent any kind of grieyence against
the war department, and will be as
sisted in securing medical treatment.
vocational training and advised as 10
the proof required for injuries incuc
red in or aggravated by their service
during the world war.
The visit of the MOP up" squad
will be the first steps toward human
i2ing the relations between disabled
veterans and the rehabilitation agcn.
cics in Washington and the battle
SCARED vets of Illinois. The first
work of the kind in Illinois was start.
ed this month, and is now visiting tho
larger cities thruout the state
With the squad will be Il Legion
Service Department representative
and an official of the Central Depart
ment of the Red Gross A force of
clerks, stenographers, and attorneys,
volunteers from the ranks Of both
organizations, will be present to ar
Sist in preparing the necessary
papers. These will be provided by
the Legion Posts and Home Service
Section of the Red Cross of this city
The claimants will be accompanied
by Home Section workers and Legion
Service officers from their own com
munities and in some cases by Wit
neSses who can give evidence proving
the veterans right to compensation
and vocational training
The flying sdudron' is the pet idea
of Department Commander MeCaulcy
of the American Legion, who tried il
out in East Saint Louis last fall
eve want to reach every sick or
disabled veteran in Illinois" said Mr.
McCauley, "and we want to be sure
that every buddy has the right sort Of
advice in preparing his claim. It will
soon be three years since the Armis
tic was signed and it is very difficult
now to convince government claim eX-
aminers in Washington of the service
origin of the disabilities of some Of
the comrades hundred of miles away
The cleanup squad plan puts each
man in direct touch with the Bureau,
and while compensation cannot be
granted him on the spot, weeks and
even months of delay will be elimin-
ated.
Immediate Medical Care Available.
However, if the comrade is in i'm
need Of medical or hospital
treatment, he can secure it by appli-
cation to the examining physician of
the squad, who has full power to act
in emergency cases"
A vocational training expert will
also be with the squad, and early
action on all appeals for training is
promised
Don't come to the squad empty
handed is the caution of Department
Commander McCauley to the veter-
ans. Bring sworn statements from
parties to show how
much your service disability inter
feres with your earning capacity
then the board will have something
definite to work on Bring letters
from your doctors diagnosing your
trouble and be sure he gives the dates
he treated you If you don't know how
to prepare this, ask your nearest
Legion Post service officer He will
be glad to help you. That is what he
is appointed for--to assist our buddieS
who can't help themselves"
Vets to be Retained.
Every veteran drawing compensa.
ton is entitled to vocational training
and if his disability is such that he
cannot hold his pre-war job, the
government will pay his expenses
while going to a University or trade
school or while serving an oldfashion.
ed apprenticeship "on the job" All
the government requires is state
ments from employers showing his
pre-war occupation and giving his
service disability as the reason for his
present inability to hold his Job. A
doctors statement recommending this
training also has considerable weight
with the Federal Board for Vocational
Training which has charge of the
work
Commander McCauley has issued
call to all Posts in the counties
r,R Il Il N..tt H. Al -