Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-13

a
wv of the World War who is petitioning
the government to give him a new
glass eye, because the first one they gave
him was stolen while he was in swimming,
and another man who had most of his face
blown away while in the service, but does
not ask compensation because he does not
consider himself hero, are couple of the
curiosities revealed by the roundup of
World War veterans which has just been
conducted by the veterans bureau here.
Like many other varieties Of government
officials working in the field, the representa-
tives of the bureau found themselves fire.
quently handicapped by the fact that people
believed they were revenue officers looking
for stills. The bureau sent its representa-
tives into all parts of the country, resolved
to find every veteran of the war who had a
claim for compensation and give him his due.
Over $4,000 disabled ex-service men have
been interviewed since August. Evidence in
the cases of 56,334 of these veterans indicat-
ed that claims should be filed, and govern
ment representatives assisted these claimants
to compile and prepare the necessary evil
dence. These thousands c. claims have been
speedily acted upon, for out of the 56,334
claims filed only 4,393 are pending, the re-
mainder ha ing ben adjudicated and notices
of settlement forwarded to the claimants. AS
result of this unique program Of taking Of
fetal Washington to the veteran, unusual
cases from all parts of the country many Of
Guilty, are coming to light of day for the
first time.
An Unattached Fighter
There is, for example, the case of G. H.
Pearl, a Grand Rapids, Michigan veteran
who lost his left hand and arm as result
of shraypnel wound incurred in the trench
es. Pearl is apparently 'a soldier without
country
1t appears that this unproven veteran en-
listed in the American ambulance service of
the French army in 1917. After serving his
enlistment he applied for transfer to the
vice of the attache, he re-entered the French
service for three months. Six months later
he was wounded and sent to hospital.
Four weeks afterward his organization
was transferred to the United States army,
but Pearl was not sworn into the United
States service because he was in the hospital
and was overlooked. Consequently, when
released he was a free agent and not mem
b " of any army. The soldier obtained po-
sition with the quartermastr's department,
but his condition became worse and he re-
entered the hospital. Upon his release he
worked in France and last July came back
to America.
When the Michigan cleanup squad arrived
in Grand Rapids to handle local claims for
compensation, Pearl applied to it fol an
award due to his injuries but he was unable
to show by official records that he had serv-
ed the United States during the war. Neither
could he prove that he was actually in the
service Of any country when he was released
from French hospital.
Nevertheless, Pearl is getting square deal
regardless Of his inability technically to
prove that he was ever in service. His Ease
is deemed to be one Of those in which GER
tain technicalities must be temporarily re-
moved in favor of simple justice.
From Michigan also comes an unique de-
nf oatL
to be purchased by the government The for
mer soldier lost his 1ye in service and among
other compensations was awarded a glass
eye. few months ago his glass eye was
stolen together with his clothes while he was
in swimming. He asked the government for
new one Immediately, but the claim was
disallowed.
Had the eye been broken, the ruling read,
it would have been replaced, but inasmuch
as it was stolen the government could as
sum- no responsibility in the matter. The
veteran asked the cleanup squad to make
an effort to obtain reversal o. the deci-
sion, which is now being done.
Veterans Ignorant of Rights
There are many instances OF veterans hay
ing been found and compensated by clean
squads, who did not know that they were
entitled to government aid. At Stockton,
Cal, batt'e-scarred ex-ser7ice man desir-
ing compensation came before the cleanup
squad. He said he had heart trouble. So
slight was his heart ailment, however that
the examining physician foun1 that it would
not entitle him to compensation. But to his
grea- surprise he discovered that the vet
had a scar about 10 inches long and inches
wide on his hip where muscle had been
sh off,
His chief comnlaint seemed to be that he
'ad heart trouble, but he casually mention
ed the fact that he hal this ugly shrapnel
would in the hip and besides bullet would