Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-11-01
WHERE WE FAILED

| TNHE current report Of the Senate commit =
l. tee appointed 70 survey all work under =
taken under Federal auspices for the relief
of ncapacitated veterans of the World War
is no more painful, no more cheerless and
disquieting than any one with q habit OF
! casual observation expected.
| The one admirable thing discernible in
| the whole system Of soldier relief Is the per
sistent good intention of the Government.
That intention stands out conspicuously from
a ruin Of faulty plans.
Largely through the breakdown Of admin =
istratiye organizations. due to rlvalries be-
tween hurriedly organized agencies and the
killing power OF rcd tapc. the desires Of
the country and the Government have been
frustrated at almost every turn. The
soldiers themselves are. of course. the great
est sufferers. 1t is shocking at this late
date to read Senator Sutherland's statement
that Of 100000 men who sought and needed
special treatment only 1850 have been COM
pletcly rchablitated.
1t ought to be remembered that the plan
of relief set in motion by Congress was
untrcd, experimental and necessarily com
pltcated by the psychology of sick and dis
ablcd men. There were no guiding preCc-
dents to aid a Government which set out
with the purpose of curing and caring for
every man injured or disabled in it's service.
The result was u breakdown in almost every
avenue OF the relief work
1t was provided originally that men who
ordinarily would have received pensions could
have choice between liberal monthly allow
anccs for period Of years-ii they were not
dtSablcd-or unlimited care and treatment
in special quarters established to completely
rehabilitnte them and train them for such
trades or professions as they might elect
Many men preferred liberty and the allow
ance. In the end they will lose the benefits
intended to be derived from the relief sys-
ten. This. however, is only 4 detail in the
general failure.
The most saddening part of the whole
business is the fate of seriously sick or dis
abled soldiers who were returned to the
country in need of special hospital treat
mcnt. because Of the dcarth Of Government
hospitals the contract system was estab-
liShcd and, in the words OF Senator Suther-
land, the Government 'farmed out n sacred
obligation TO people who in many instances
appear to have had q concern only for the
profit to be made in the deal
1t is notorious that tUbcrcular patients,
the men broken by poison gas have been the
victims of shamefully inadequate treatment
and even Of neglect in many of the small
private hospitals to which they were sent.
\ great number Of mentally dcrangcl
soldiers. men whose nerves were temporarily
strained beyond endurance by the hardshps
Of modern battlcheldS. arc still confined in
Institutions with the criminal insane.
Washington was unprcparcd for the now
and strange responsibility which the appear
ance Of such cases put upon it. Attempts
were made to establish permanent and ade-
luatc hospitals for victims Of shell shock.
The confusion between departments made
that work almost impossible. 1t has caused
ngonzing delays. The heavy, slow moving
Of Congress is now being operated
with view to n complete reorganization OF
the soldier relief work.
In its reports the Senate committee has
a complete uphPaval. centralized
power and a new theory Of control. 1t is
putting special emphasis on the need for
more than professional care for
the soldier sick. II has demanded, very
wisely. that when tho new department is in
operation it be put in charge Of Il man who
will be animated by real sympathy for the
disabled men and By an understanding of
heir needs and dues as broken survivors of
the most terrible Of wars.