The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-01-02
THE SOLDIERS HOSPITAL

Editorial in Muskogec PhoeniX)
The local post Of the American Lo-
gion has, very properly, endorsed he
bill TO be presented to The Legislature
al its coming session asking thai the
state appropriate S2,0DO,O00 for the
construction OF a hospira! in whica
wounded and disabled soldiers may
lind care and shelter.
The bill, although it apparently is
70 be one of the storm centers OF the
approaching session, should pass bon
the house and senate without u single
voice nftefl in protest. That it will not
Is solely because u few of our 1eLi-
Gus partisan newspapers see IN is
preservation an opportunity To Nent
=, Their Spleen upon Governor Robertson
Who has promised The veterans his
hearty support.
The proposed law is not a matter
that Interests solely the American lie
gion: il is not something Of Interest
ursiy 10 the wounded and disabled
soldiers. Il Is 4 matter in which every
loyal and patriotic Oklahoman should
feel the deepest responsibility
The proposed law as the lesisla.
ture VIII be asked TO pass ii, will nol
necesslate one cent Of expenditure BY
the state The United States govern
ment has formally offered 10 rent tho
structure for ten years at yearly
rental Of CYne-tenth OF its construction
cosE plus per cent intcrest. And the
bill provides that no part OF the money
appropriated shall be available unit.
such Il contract has been signed. Thus
the state, at the end of ten years,
will have free of ali expenditure hos
pltal that cost f20O0,O00.
The federal government in its re-
quest that the state construct such a
building. has promised TO equip .,
and maintain ), for ten years. Thus
is the question ct the burden OF TAX
a.ion disposed Of.
From one thousasd TO fifteen hun.
drrd wounded and disabled oklahoma
boys, boys blinded, crippled and suffer
ing with dread diseases contracted in
the trenches and upon the field 81
battle, are now housed in nake-shft
hospitals ar side the state. Many Of
these are in Texas. herded together IL
cheap wooden army cantonment build
ings, the screens, the ROOFS ani TN
walls rOtting away, infested with mos
quito--i and flies, and with pools %
stagnsnt water standing beneath Ia,
rocins IN which boys lie suffering from
tuberculosis. Others are famed uut'
to private Institutions" IN the mannei
in wh.ch We nOt long ago farmed GU
ear county poor, 10 men who hope {
make a profit from their suffering.
Do ycI think that the American
Legion, speaking for its crippled com
iades, asks too much Of Oklahoma IL
It's request 10 build a hospital tha
will not cost the state a penny? If W
were compelled to dig lE;o our pocket
fer twice iha. sum the request w0ui'
IN insignificant Surely we have no
completely forgotten the services the
rendered nor the sacrifices they mad
20 grant these boys, manned an
crippled and dying for ~, this on
tie thing.
II = perhaps needless % speak I
ne yellow partisan press that woul
make pohtica! capital out Of a soldier
torture. Everlasting shame upon then
TIE upon ,se man who talks OF taxa
lion. who of civic jealousy wishes fir.
20 d!cker as 10 the spot where the hos
pitll IS 10 DE built or who fer a fls-e
ing moment delays the time OF Il
complexion that The credit" ior L
consructon might pass from OF
party organization 70 another