Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-02-05
NEGLECT or DISABLED MEN
leoion's Investigation Shows Lack Z"
Attention to Men Who Suffered
Terrors OF War.


gion reveal shocking conditions Of mis-
management and neglect in the gov
ernment's treatment of disabled vet
Grams, according to reports of the lie
gion's findings made public by #. W
Galbraith, Jr, national COMMANDER,
The Legion has launched nationwide
fight for the correction of these condl'
dons. which Mr.. Galbraith has de-
scribed as "a blot and disgrace Oh
the name of our country"
More than 10000 veterans are still
in hospitals suffering from wounds and
infrmlties suffered in their countrys
service. Many Of them have been there
since they were brought back from
France on the hospital ships. Their
number is increasing ait the rate of z
500 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
come for five or ten years. Yet, gov
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
lingness on the part of the American
public to do all in 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 $5,00O000,000 must be spent
in it's solution. The government has
not been niggardly. More than $780,
100000 already has been spent. Mis-
is the gist of the Legions
charge. Lack of vision and foresight
and the ever-present governmental red
tape is blamed as responsible for the
death of disabled men before aid could
reach them, for the incarceration of
disabled in jails and insane asylums,
and the charity wards of public hos
pitfalls where they received the same
treatment as paupers.
In addition to it's activities in adv0-
eating reform in the conduct Of the
government bureaus, the American Le-
gion has dedicated itself to the ire
mendous task of "humanizing" the
dreary lives of 10000 disabled buddies
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 a certain hospital
where former service men are patients
The Women's auxiliary also will be
modified to share in the work and
civic and philanthropic organization,
In the hospital towns will be enlisted.
There is also the dangerous posi-
bility that the hospital patients, re-
day after day with no interest
other than their physical condition,
will become bitter against the country
which once honored them and which
has cast them aside. In
several hospitals, Bolshevist agents
nave distributed infammatory ltera-
lure by ingenious methods, of which
IN example is the Enclosure of the
printed matter in bouquets of flowers.
In one case discovered by Legion in
the propaganda was en-
titled: "You fought for America and
What did you get out of it?" And in
Iced, 1t does seem that the sick vet
eran got little out of it except short
period of popularity, the consciousness
If having done his duty and a manned
md diseased body.
THE 100000 who are their bud |
lies" said the Legion's national com
nander, "and are banded together In
he American Legion, are determined
hat the hundred million shall not for
get. In this work Of giving the dis
lbled man a fair deal and making him
content we shall ask the cooperation
If every loyal American. We fought
ogether and we will stick together"