Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-08-05
Senators Startled by Expose
of Conditions At Johnson
City, Tenn.
$50 PATIENTS THERE
Investigator Tells of Buying Drugs
and Whiskey On Reservation-Prey
of Outsiders.

Washington, Aug. 5.-With the
Sweet bill providing relief for disab,
Ted ex-service men lying on the Vice
Presidents table awaiting his sigma
t;ure, but it's enactment delayed by
the absence of any Official empow-
cred to sign it, the Senate Commit
tee ON Soldier Relief today heard
startling disclosures of conditions in
the Old Soldiers Home at Johnson
City, Tenn.
Conditions alb this institution,
where $50 former service men are
receiving treatment are so deplora--
bic that unless Congress acts immed
lately casualties there will be great
cr in proportion than in the world
wan. according to Director FORBES,
of the War Risk Insurance Bureau.
Mr.. Forbes said the men We're :;ur-
rounded oy vice, corruption and inn
morality.
The war risk head brought as a
witness NJ. P. McInereny, the agent
who made the investigation and who
lived for week as "patiant" at
the home. The latter told the COM
mittee of having bought morphine:
mocnshine whisky and extract OF
ginger containing 81 per cent aIco-
hol on the home reservations; de
clared that intoXication was common
among the former service men, and
asserted, that immoral women over
run the grounds on winch the lnsu-
tuition is located.
The witness said he had encoun-
tered many patients who carried
guns and defied the guards = take
the firearms away. There was absoo
lutely no discipline. he added and
the patients "ran the place 70 the
extent of forcing the executive Off
!cers to Withdraw the guards from
the dining 'room.' Loaded die and
marked cards, he declared, were sup
piled by parasites" from the out
side and the patients drained OF
Of the money given them by the
government
As Mr.. McInercny gave detail after
detail of his weeks experience which
ended Monday last, telling of the
life of those "who desired to get
WE'LL" Senator Walsh, Democrat,
Massachusetts,, demanded that the
situation be laid before Attorney
General Daugherty for action& The
Senator declared that all of those IN
authority at the home and whom he
said had appeared to have permit
ted the condition. to continue should
be indicted for malfeasance in Of
fee.
No action was taken by the COM
mittee. however, but Mr.. Walsh de-
clared that the sending of former
service men to "such hell houses has
got to stop
Mr.. Forbes again explained that
his bureau was unable to correct the
evils because of lack of jurisdiction
over the soldiers home, which IS
administered by the Federal board
controlling all such institutions.
He declared he felt IT his duty to
make public his findings, however,
in order that public sentiment might
wipe out the curse" which he said
his investigation has showed to eX-
ist.
The Institution. the director said,
was inadequately officered, did not
have sufficient doctors and nurses
and needed additional guards who
could isolate from it the hordes
which. he said, daily marched or TO
tire prey Lipsil fi"ebiSSu s'iiboa'-
the patients. many of whom. lie ad-
ded, were mentally not responsible
for their acts" He pleaded for
welfare societies TO lend their aid.
Chairman Sutherland. cf the com
mMtea, put into the record a letter
and affidavits from seven patients at
the Rest Haven Sanatorium Wauke-
sha, Wis, asking for an inve9:iga-
tion Of that institution. The fonmcr
service men declared they had been
subjected to inhuman treatment and
that facilities for their care and
attention were inaedquate.
In connection with the delay or
the ,Smoot bill hope was expressed
either that Vice President Coolidge
would return from his vacation o,
that a letter would be received to
morrow from Senator Cummins, a
Atlantic City. designsI.or Cummins
president pro tenn, at Atlantic City
designating a Senator TO sign oill
from his illness