The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1921-09-08
NEWS For VETERANS

hunger of American veterans of the
World War is due to be staged next
month in Wyoming, where twenty-five
farms in the North Platte irrigation
district and ffty-seven farms in the
6hoshone irrigation district will be
thrown open TO veterans on Sept. 9
and Sept. 16, respectively. Veterans
have a sixty-day preference to claim
these lands, and many claimants viii
be on hand to draw lots for each
available farm. Railroads are max
ing special rates, the Red Gross has
a representative on the ground to aid
claimants in drawing up their papers,
and the events may be a regular vet
Grams reunion. The U. S. Reclama-
ton Service advises that a successful
claimant should have at least $1,000
to make his first payments and get his
farm under cultivation.
Detailed information on the North
Platte project farms may be had from
the Project Manager, U. s. Reclaim
alton Service, Torrington, Wyo-, and
on the Shoshone project FROM sim
Slar official at Powell, Wyo. The only
change in the rules, regulations, fees,
etc, announced some weeks ago by
the Reclamation Service is on the
water-right payments on the North
Platte project, where initial payments
have been reduced for water rights
from $50 per acre to $1.70 per acre.
10000
More work was heaped on the al
ready heavily burdened claims divi-
sion of the Veterans Bureau with the
enactment of the Sweet bill and
Comptroller General McCarl's ruling
against Regulation No. 81.
Under the provisions of Regua-
tion No. 81, Leon Fraser, chief of the
claims division, estimates from 10000
to 5000 veterans were given perma-
nent total ratings. Since the regula-
tion has been declared illegal by the
comptroller general it will be neces-
sary to re-examine all of these men
and give them new ratings. In many
cases it is likely the men will be given
the permanent total ratings again, but
the probability is that more will be
given lower ratings. Work on these
denominations has already started.
10000
Cent NWa1Nav- Il e
the National Americanization COM
mittee Of the Veterans of Foreign
Wars of the United States, issued a
statement indorsing the stand of AL
bert Lasker, chairman of the U. S.
shipping board, when the latter an
nOunced that the new policy of the
board would be to make a sweeping
change of all personnel both afioat
and on land, in offices both in Amer
lea and Europe, with the view of
bringing the personnel as near to 100
per cent American as possible.
10000
Charles S. Pemburn, national chief
of staff of the Veterans of Foreign
Wars, has arrived in Detroit and has
started to speed up the work of the
AUGMENTATION committee. He has
also held meetings of the convention
committees.
Plans are being made to take care
of the greatest gathering of overseas
veterans ever held in any city. 1t is
expected that more than 10000 men
will gather there during the week of
Sept. 1924, when the V. F. W. will
convene.
The long, long trail almost came
to an end a few miles from Mont
Pelier, VT, for a World war veteran
who was found nearly dead from
starvation along the roadside, kneel-
ing in prayer. Unable to find work
near his home in Rensselaer, Falls, n.
Y, Frank Lesperance started for Yer
mont to find some of his comrades of
overseas days. He knew they would
help him get started again. Gaunt
and Acknowledged when found, he
is being cared for at Chelsea, near
there, and Is. recovering his health.
$4,000
A complete report of the proceed
ings of the American Legion, from
its inception until January l, 1921,
has been laid on the desk of the
speaker of the house of represent
atives, in accordance with the act of
congress which granted national in
corporation to the legion.
The report also contains a brief
statement of the finances of the le-
gion, but this does not, it is said, go
into details. The filing of the report