Evening star., 1921-09-04
Senate Committee Will Ask
Congress for Big'Sum for
Disabled Service Men.
DRASTIC CHANGES URGED
AS RESULT OF INQUIRY
More Complaint Boards and Train.
ing Centers Favored-Other
Recommendations.


war veterans and many other definite
recommendations for improving the
FEDERAL care of ex-service men are
to be made to Congress Immediately
upon its return by the special Senate
committee which has been investi-
gazing the administrative agencies
caring for disabled veterans.
This committee was appointed pur-
snant to resolution introduced some
time ago by Senator David /. Walsh
OF Massachusetts. 1t is composed Of
Senators Sutherland. West Virginia:
Calder. New York: Weller, Maryland:
Walsh. Massachusetts,, and Pomerene.
Ohio.
The additional disqualification fund
Is the hTst of the tentative recon-
mendations. and the others are as
follows:
Would Clese Camps to Disabled.
That the further use of war camps
for the temporary housing of dis
abled veterans be discontinued
That the President be authorized
to transfer to the veterans bureau
the operation, management and con-
troll OF any government hospital.
That no state. municipal or private
hospital shall be leased or taken for
hospital purposes except by order of
the President.
That there shall be established a
chaplains' corps. large enough SO that
each veterans hospital could have at
least one chaplain.
That there should be a cemetery
located near each hospital This rec
report to the Senate.
Complaint Boards Urged.
That there should be established in
each Of the fourteen regional Offices
OF the Veterans Bureau a board for
the investigation Of complaints. this
board to consist of one representative
OF the bureau who is not a DOCTOR one
ex-service man and doctor who is
not an employe of the United States
government.
That there should be established an
inspection service to inspect all hos
pitals at regular intervals
That in the appointment of regional
officers no political consideration
should be involved and that In all ap-
pointments to the Veterans Bureau
preference should be given to ex-
service men.
That all disabled veterans with vo-
cational handicap of 10 per cent or
more disability should be entitled to
vocational training with maintenance
pay.
More Training Centers Needed.
That there should be established ad-
ditional training centers for mental
and tubercular cases.
That the contract system of training
veterans should be restricted to insti-
tutions or places of business in ex-
July l, 1921.
That the Veterans Bureau should
adopt definite limits and standards for
training.
That under no circumstances should
shops and other places receiving men
for placement training receive fee or
any compensation for such training:
That trainees wherever possible
should be allowed to pick their own
courses and should have the right OF
appeal to a local board.
That wherever a trainee is sent for
instruction there should be sent with
him a record of his condition.
That preliminary training when
needed should be given to trainees be-
fore their being placed in training for
jobs.
Regulation of Pay.
That the director of the Veterans
Bureau should have authority to re-
duce the maintenance pay of trainees
in placement training when the
trainee is receiving wages from the
employer.
That a commissary department
should be established to provide SUBJ
sistence for trainees at all training
centers.
Then comes a recommendation which
Is expected to completely accomplish
decentralization:
Audl tuS compensation pay TO 0lS-
abled veterans should be based on
ratings established by local boards Of
three each. composed of one citizen
Of good repute. a member Of a vet
erans' organization who receives no
compensation from that organization
and one doctor. This board would be
guided by the disabled veterans earn
ing capacity. This is q reform for
which the veterans organizations
have long been contending.
Power Of Appeal.
This Recommendation would give
either the Veterans Bureau or the
veteran concerned the power to ap-
peal from the board of compensation
to a board of appeals. which would
be established in each regional Of
nce This board of appeals would
consist of a representative of the
bureau who is not a doctor. an un-
paid member Of some veterans Or
ganization. and a doctor not in the
employment of the government.
The decision of this board would be
-sCOntinued Un x'ase 3 Column