Evening star., 1921-04-06
WOULD CENTRAL|zE
CARE FOR DISABLED
Special Commission to Make
Three Definite Recon-
mendati0ns to President.

Inree 0enmte commentators 10
President Harding had been agreed
upon today by the special commission
investigating the care and treatment
of disabled service men. They were:
A centralized governmental authority
to have entire charge of all federal
agencies having to do with soldier relief
work.
service, carrying federal aid as near as
possible to the homes OF the soldiers
throughout the country.
A request for additional appropria-
tion for hospitals. including a perma-
nent building program.
Expects to Finish Today.
Charles G. Dawes Of Chicago, chair
man of the commission. said he would
be greatly disappointed if the public
day.
I'VE will begin work on the report
tonight in executive session" said he.
Col. F. w. Galbrafth. jr.. national
expressed pleasure at the progress
and conclusions which the committee
had reached He said the three most
important decisions conformed to the
American Legion relief program and
would be of immeasurable value in
correcting evils resulting from pres
ent divided governmental authority.
Col. Cholmeley-Jones. former head
OF the war risk bureau, testified that
the work of the bureau was steadily
increasing.
New claims are coming in in ex-
cess Of expectations" he said. 1.-The
reason is that the men are awaken
ing to the privileges they have. They
government aid, but found that i'm
possible"
Bureau Consolidation Favored.
Consolidation Of all bureaus hav-
ing to do with treatment of war
veterans was favored by the heads
of such bureaus in expressions at
the hearing yesterday afternoon.
Mr.. Dawes. promised quick solution
of the problem.
Surgeon General Cumming ex-
pressed a willingness to place that
part of his service which deals with
soldier aid under one head. but Ule
Lamkin. director Of the rehabilita-
tion division of the federal bureau
for vocational education, favored put
ting the entire serve under the one
directing head. This brought pro-
endanger the national health, and
Brig. Gen. Sawyer. the Presidents
personal representative on the COM
mittee, said the public health serv-
ice should be maintained as an
entity.
Chairman Dawes. however. ex-
pressed the belief that this service
could be placed under the one di-
rector without endangering the pub
lie health, because the official in
charge would not be an extremist
who would seek the betterment of
soldiers to the detriment of the ma
tion as a whole.
Speed Urged by Mr. Dawes.
The essence of the whole thing
is speed" said Mr. Dawes. Some
thing remedial should be done with
out delay. without waiting for con-
struction of permanent hospitals. Sol
diers now without treatment will
have passed the stage where hospitals
will help them If we wait"
DR.. Thomas w. Salmon Of the
Rockefeller Institute. told the COM
ment's beds were unsuitable for tu-
bercular cases. I'VE know there are
1000 such patients" he said. land
5000 mental sufferers. who are today
without treatment by the govern
ment because they refuse to go into
charity and state institutions"
Hospital Facilities Discussed.
The question of hospital facilities
was threshed out at length and re-
suited in a request from Thomas w.
Miller, alien property custodian and
former colonel in the Army. that
Chairman Dawes poll the commits ssion
to ascertain whether it favored ask
ing Congress to increase its last ap-
preparation of $1s.600.000 and provide
permanent hospital bufa,ing pro-
gram. The question was unanimous
ly indorsed. with the proviso that the
request be made in case the agree
ment for consolidated service is in
corporated in the final report sub
mitted TO President Harding