The Nome nugget., 1921-04-02

l beamed on contentedly, they were 1 feas:ed and dined by the elite of the
 country and upwards of hundred
 thousand dollars worth of flowers were
 strewn before them in parades given
 in their honor. It seemed altogether 1 few days of reckless extravaganza
 salved completely the consciousness of their rich entertainers. and when n
 new subject of popular interest ap-
 peared on the horizon. the wounded
 soldiers were dropped like hot pota- toes. left in the background. while the
 limelight was switched to q fat sal
 aried ball player or a draft lodging
 prize fighter. Our wounded soldiers,
 in no way better off than before, be-
 came q fast fading memory to the tickle public and to the Government,
 as we'll Their case threatened to
 parallel or exceed that of the Spanish
 War veterans who labored ten years
 for beneficial legislation and then gave
 it up. Scattered abou: the country in
 hospitals entirely inadequate to their
 needs. getting but the bare necessities
 of life. they or their families receiving no just remuneration, our 5O,OO0
 wounded soldiers were gradually hs-
 coming embi:tered toward the land for l which they had dared all
 The American Legion at that time
 was in it's infancy, struggling to lift itself from the debt contracted by
 costs of organization. Yet We had kept an eye on our unfortunate bud l dies and when We saw the tide of
 public attention ebbing away from ! them we dropped everything else and | threw every ounce of our energy and l influence to the rescue.
 Department: commanders and com
 nittees called upon their Senators and
 Representatives throughout the whole | country and impressed upon them as
 none but ex service men could. the crying need of the maimed soldier and | his people the damnable ungrateful-
 ness of it all. Nearly everywhere they l found their Government representa- tives willing to help. needing just such
 explanation as the Legion men could l give them to see the matter in i.'s true I light. As q result the following laws were quickly passed at Washington ! Sweet Bill made law, raising month- ly allowance of disabled soldiers in
 training from s3O to $50 and making
 increase of s9O,OO0.oOO in appropria-
 tion for disabled men.
 sl25.0oo,OOO voted 70 War Risk In-
 surarce Bureau for death and stability
 claims
 s55o,0O0 voted for Mt AItho Hospi- tai for ex service men.
 s250.OOO voted for one cent a mile
 rate for furloughed men in Army and l Navy Hospitals.
 s295,O00 voted for remodling and re- ! fitting Army and Navy hospitals for 1 tN Sti vac uses.
 s7,OO0,000 appropria ted for increased
 monthly allowance of disabled men Tn training.
 Law passed authorizing transfer from War Department to Public Health Service of Army hospitals at
 Fort Henry. Whipple Barracks, Fort
 Bayard and nj Cook County. H., pro-
 viding 2,0OO additional beds for dis , abled ex service men.
 Circular letter No. s45 issued by War Department. discharging large numbers of disabled men from Army
 hospitals before cured. modified and
 practically repealed.
 The American Legion is justly proud of her first achievement. From be- ! coming public charges our wounded men are now wards of the Government receiving the highest medical treat- ment in the country. No doubt condi- :ions wil arise fro4m time to time TO. quiring new legislation and it shall l be our duty to have finger on the pulse of our wounded at all timeo. 1 For the present. though. we are allow
 ed breathing spell and We have talk | en advantage of it to call your at | tention to the heroes of yesterday who l today are quitely enduring the suf-
 fering brought about by the war most of us have forgotten.
 HAROLD o. NELSON Adjutant Thomas Alfred Ross Jr Post
 No. 8 American Legion.