The Washington herald., 1921-04-08
Dawes Report, Combining
Relief Agencies, Goes
:, to President.
WORK is GATHERED
UNDER ONE HEAD
New Organization Plan
Promises Efficient Help
to Disabled. \
By ARTHUR SEARS HENNING.

President Harding VIII tdhe hA
mediate steps to end the confusion
inefnciency and insdequacy involved
in the present system Of care and
relief df disabled soldiers and sail
ors which have made the discharge
of, this war obligation little short
of a national scandal
In accord with the recommenda-
tions Of the Dawes committee, sub
nitted to him yesterday, the Pres
ident will urge Congress to con-
soIIdate all of the agencies for sol
der care and relief into an inde-
pendent veterans service admins
tration under a director general d.
rectly under the jurisdiction of the
Executive.
Pending such legislation, the
President win consolidate these
agencies so far as is' possible un-
der existing law. His recommenda-
tions in this particular may be a
major feature of his message to
SOn6EcoS hcAN 4ucSNdy-
Present Organization PosR.
In concluding. its report to the
Executive, the committee says:
Tt cannot be too strongly en-
phasized that the present deplora-
BILE failure on the part of the gov
ernment to properly care for the
disabled veterans is due in large
part to an imperfect organization
Of governmental effort. There is
no one in control of the whole sit
uation- Independent agencies by
mutual agreement now endeavor to
eo-ordinate their action. but in such
efforts the joint action is too often
modified by minor considerations
and there Is always lacking that
complete cooperation which Is in
cident to powerful superimposed
authority. No emergency of war it,
self was greater than is the emer-
gency which confronts the nation
In its duty to care for those dis
abled in its service and now neg
lected''
Committee Reeommendations.
The Dawes committee unanimous
ly, and wit hthe concurrence of
Cen Charles E Sawyer. the Presi-
dents personal representative, made
the following recommendations of
action:
1-That there be created the
veterans service administration.
and that there be transferred to il
the Bureau Of War Risk Insurance,
the rehabilitation division of the
Federal Board for Vocational Edu-
cation. and such part of the Public
Health Service as may be necessary
in dealing with the benefciaries of
the Bureau of War Risk Insurance
and the rehabilitation division of the
i..isr Federal Board for Vocational Edu-
That there shall be at the head
Of this administration a director
general, who shall be responsible
to the President for all the actiyi-
ties now authorized by law in the
three agencies transferred.
Decentralize All Activities.
"2-That the law creating this ad
ministration be so drawn that all
of the present Inconsistencies in the
various laws creating and affecting
the three agencies transferred shall
be eliminated, that full authority
be given to the director-generaI to
decentralize all activities, and par
ticulsrly that no statutory limita-
tions with respect to the number
and salaries of the employees he is
authorized to engage, within the
limits of the appropriations, be in
corporated.
'3-That pending the passage of
such law the Secretary of the Treas
ury shall issue orders transferring
to the Bureau of. War Risk Insur-
ance all of the activities of the
United States Public Health Serv-
fee. engaged in providing medical
services for the beneficiaries of the
Bureau of War Risk Insurance and
the Federal Board forN Vocational
Education, with the exception of
the hospital tand dispensary care.
Use All Government Hospitals.
q. That an immediate extension
and utilization of all cove nment
hosyital facilities be put into effect,
together with the mobilization of
suchc civilian medical servi, es as
may prove practical.
IS. That a continuing hospital
, building program to provide sat
isfactory care for the disabled vet
Grams. of the world war be entered
upon at once.
IS. That such humanizing sery-
ices be provided in the district Of
fees as will give the beneficiaries
not only financial aid and the med
ical and educational services at pres
ent provided for by law, but also
helpful neighborliness in their con-
tact with the government as will
make them feel that the whole no.
tion is intimately concerned in their
welfare and rehabilitation. =
Build New Hospitals.
~. That the $500, 900 appropri-
ated by the Sixty-sixth Congress
for the building of new hospitals
and the enlargement Of existing In
stitutions be utilized for these pur-
poses without any delay"
While the vocational training ana
health sarvices have been decen-
tralized. II was impossible undtr
the law to decentralize the War Risk
Bureau. which further suffered fron,
the Congressional Limitation, as To
the number and salaries Of em-
ployes- The committee saws th.t
unless these limitations are removed
from the appropriation act hefare
II goes into effect July 1, "the em-
bsrrassment to the ervice of this
bureau Will be serious"