The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-01-24
DAVIDSON DELIVERS IMPASSIONED PLEA
ppeTHE WOUNDED AND DYING EX-SERVICE
|lAN WITHIN OUR MIDST; TAKES TO TASK THE
ENDLESS RED TAPE METHODS OF GOVERNMENT

at II TINE Wncn tney need their home
folks most
Some of them are being kept in
cellars, poor houses, and other similar
and unsanitary places This it not fair
treatment for these American boys!
DR. Davidson then spoke of a case
In Ar1more, that of Charles G. Baker,
ar eX-service man residing al 500 Il
street, southeast, who is suffering from
tuberculosis and starvation, because of
the fact that he has been unable to
receive proper treatment, and has no
money with which to even buy the
eggs and milk which doctors have pre-
scribed for him. Eleven months COM
pensltion is due him.
This boy is slowly ebbing out life
He is now being cared for by local
charities. as a charitable subject. But
the boys who fought for us, who sac
rificed their lives for MS, and who
gave us the liberty which we now en-
joy, these boys are not the objects
OF charity 1t makes my indignation
burn to hear that they are being
treated as such! If these boys haven't
earned a decent future and a decent
everything, then I don't know how
decency is performed. No matter how
much the government and we do for
these boys it will never repay in full
the sacrifice they have made.
There are in this country today
thousands of wounded ex-servlce men
who are waiting for artificial limbs
to replace those lost during the fight
ing on the battleflelds These limbs
may reach the boys after you bury
them. These boys who broke the
worlds record for speed in mobilization
for speed in getting overseas, for speed
in reaching the fighting lines, and for
speed in conquering the enemy and
making the world safe for democracy
aren't they entitled to just little
moro speed and help than we have
given them? The armistice has been
signed more than two years ago, and
the boys are now waiting, and have
been waiting for more than two years,
and many of them have died because
of this waiting
AAiNn Aiblt - Lllf lIpilllSt vi NOfd-
tional trlining. On account of the
wounds which they received in action
many Of the boys have been forced to
change their vocatons. The govern
ment has 100000 cases of boys who
must have vocational training and
upon whose cases 1t has passed upon
and declared as worthy of admittance
to vocational training courses. But
only 1000 of these boys are now re-
ceiving the training, ana 100000 thou
sand are waiting. These boys have
received all kinds Of injuries. They
are armless, legless, blind, and suf-
fering with many other forms of dis
ability. They want to learn a trade.
They desire to take up some kind
of vocation so that they might earn
their own living. And while they are
sick, they must have money to support
themselves with. They are not objects
OF charity! The government compensa-
ton insurance, which provided for
sums of money for the loss Of limbs,
etc, and also the promised pensions
of money-many of the boys are
waiting for 1t. and many of them are
dying while waiting. That's not fair.
rs It just? 1t is a question as TO
whether we be honorable enough to
pay this debt or not. We wasted mil
lions TO get into the war (and | will
not criticise that waste) and II
wouldn't be a subject of criticism IL
we wasted a few thousands to get
out of IT,
"a air chance is all that Is asked
OF you.
1T is all for the boys who are
dying from disease and nervous pros
trations and the like. and who are
now waiting. and waiting and waiting
until the government unravels the red
tape, and unravels and unravels and
unravels. There should be u uniflca-
tion in the system OF the war depart
ment to enable these young men to
know whore TO go to get justice, In
stead of being forced to engage sew
enteen lawyers. forty doctors and
dozen financial adJusters.
"I am pleading for the sick and
disabled soldiers, for the boys who
fought for US, who sacrificed their all
for U.S. who brought back victory to
us. and the fruits OF which we have
been and are now enjoying.
We must keep our obligations with
them"