The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1921-01-19
NEGLECT or DISABLED MEN
LeeIon's investigation Shows Lack Of
Attention to Men Who Suffered
Terrors Of War.

Investigations by the American Lee
gion reveal shocking conditions of mis-
management and neglect In the gov
ernments treatment of disabled vet
Grams, according to reports Of the Le-
glon's findings made public by F. w.
Galbraith, Jr., national commander.
The Legion has launched nationwide
fight for the correction of these condi-
lions, which Mr.. Galbraith has de-
scribed as "a blot and disgrace on
the name of our country"
More than 10000 veterans are still
in hospitals suffering from wounds and
infirmities suffered in their country's
service. Many of them have been there
since they were brought back from
France on the hospital ships. Their
number is increasing at the rate Of .
500 a month. due mostly to the develop
ment of tuberculosis among men who
were gassed. Statistics show that
more than 100000 men were dis
charged with disability rated higher
than 10 per cent. Experts agree that
the peak in disqualification will not
y
eminent hospitals at present are filed
TO overlooking and even contract ar
rangements are not being made rap
idly enough to care for the ever rising
tide of disabled men whose conditions
demand disqualification.
Certainly, there is no lack of will
llngness on the part Of the American
public to do all i'm human power to aid
those who paid the price for the vic
tory. The same experts who estimate
that the peak of the problem will not
come for five or ten years say in the
meantime S5,OO0OoO,0OO must be spent
I'm It's solution. The government has
not been ni~gardly. More than $780,
100000 already has been spent. Ms
management is The ..at OF the L'g'oH'S
charge. LrcE Of vision aud foresight
owl -In C'rr-r-r-r-,- "o-0"r-" .~+"l "r'
tape is blamed as responsible for the
death Of disabled men before aid could
roach them, for the incarceration OF
disabled in ia.'s and JOB ..c ..iuME,
and the charity wards Ot~pub!ic. hos
pitfalls whore Trey r0."'-rl .,E r..
treatment as paupers.
Tn addition 10 its activities IN Gdyn-
eating reform in the conduct of the
government bureaus. the American Le-
gion has dedicated itself to the ire
mendouS task of "humanizing" tie
dreary lives OF 10000 disabled buduies
who are patients in the hospitals all
over the country.
Every Legion post in this country
has been assigned to the definite job
of taking care of certain hospital
whore former service men ore patients.
The Womens auxiliary also will be
modified to share in the work and
civic and phllanthropic organizations
in the hospital towns will be enlisted.
There is also the dangerous posi-
hil'tv that t'1 h---itcI patients. -c-
manning day after day with 40 interest
other than their physical condition,
will become bitter against the country
which once hOnorpd them and which
apparently has cast them aside. In
several hospitals, Boishevist agents
have distributed inllammatOry Literal
ture by ingenious methods, of which
an example is the Enclosure of the
printed matter in bouquets of flowers.
In one case discovered by Legion in
veStigatOrs the propaganda was en-
titled: "YOu fought Tor America and
what did you get out of it, And III
deed, Il does seem that the sch vet
cran got little Cut OF It except a short