New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1921-08-05
drugs. rum, women
at SOLDIERS HOME
Forbes Tells Of Conditions at
johnson City, Tenn.

Washington. Aug. 5.-Conditions at
the Johnson City (Tenn.J Old Soldiers:
Home, whore former service men are
receiving hospital treatment. are SO
deplorable that unless congress acta
immediately, the casualties there will
be- proportionately higher than IN the
World War. Director Forbes OF the
| bureau Of war risk insurance declared
before senate committee.
| !, Agents OF the bureau have just
| completed a secret investigation OF
the institution, In which are quar-
tered nearly $50 former service men
who. Colonel Forbes said. were living
| under astounding conditions of vice.
corruption and immortality.
The war risk BUREAU head brought
| az witness M. p Mc1nereny, the
agent who made, the investigation and
who lived for 4 week as a patient"
| at the home. Mcinereny told the
Committee Of having bought NOR
phine, moonshine whislsey and ex-
tract OF ginger containing s5 per cent
alcohol on the home reservation, said
that intoxicAtion was common among
| the former service mon, that Immoral
women overran the grounds on which
the institution IL located.
!, The witness. said that he had en-
/ countered many patients who carried
guns and defied the guards to take
the firearms away. There was abso-
1utely no discipline, he added, and
the patients ran the place to the ex-
| tent of forcing tho executive officers
to withdraw the guards from the din
ing room"
Loaded dice and marked cards. he
1a1, tsvaa oo3<o GEL
| from the outside. and the patients
were drained OF the money given
them by tho government
AS Mr. Mc1nerney gave detail after
detail OF his weeks experience. which
ended last Monday, telling Of the life.
OF those who desire to get we'll, :"
Senator Walsh. Massachusetts. de-
nanded that the situation BE laid be-
fore Attorney General Daugherty for
action. The senator declared that all
OF those in authority at the home and
who he said appeared to have per-
nitted the condition to continue,
should be indicted for malfeasance
In ONCE. -, =
No action was taken by the com
mittee, however. but Mr.. Walsh in
sisted that the sending Of former
service men to such lighthouses has
! got to stop
Colonel Forbes explained that his
| bureau was unable to correct the
/ evils because Of lack of jurisdiction
lover the soldiers home" which is
administered by the federal board
lcontrolling all such institutions. He
said that he felt it his duty to make
tknown his findings. however. in or
! der that public sentiment might
wipe out .ths curse" which he said
his Investigation had shown to exist
The institution. the director said.
was inadequately ofncered. did not
have SUFFICIENT doctors and nurses,
and needed additional guards who
could isolate from it the hordes
which, he declared, daily marched on
1.-THE prey that awaited them among
1.-The patients Many OF the patients.
he added. were .'mentally#not respon-
sible for their actions" He pleaded
for welfare societies to aid then1s
/ Chairman Sutherland of the COM
] nnittee; put info the record letter
and afYldavits from seven patients at
the Resthaven sanitarium, Waukesha,
| Wis., asking for, an Investigation OF
i that institution. The former service
! men said that they had been sub
i jected to inhuman treatment and that
facilities for their care and attention
were inadequate. .,