The New York herald., 1921-10-31
DEATHS OF VETERANS
DUE TO us. ERRORS,
SENATORS REPORT.
Many Disabled Men Have
Been Treated Abomi-
nably,' 1t Is Said.
NEGLIGENCE SHOCKING
Only $3.50 Rehabilitated
on Third Anniversary
of Armistice.
HOSPITALS ARE SCORED
Just 1,200 Of the 5000 Work
ers in Bureau Were in the
American Ranks.
NEGLIGENCE SHOCKING
HOSPITALS ARE SCORED

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30.-Sweeping rec
concentrations designed to increase the
efficiency Of the Veterans Bureau
were made in a report published to-
day by the special Senate committee
that Is investigator Government ac-
tivities for the relief of former service
men. The report was the second COM
piled by the committee, which has not
yet completed its task.
Failure to provide sufficient hos
pitalization facilities received the COM
mittee's most bitter criticism.
There is no doubt" the committee
declared. that there has been a
lamentable failure on the part Of the
Government to provide adequate hos
pital facilities for the wounded, sick
and disabled veterans Of the world
war. The sad truth is that instead of
receiving that tender and efficient care
to which they were entitled, many
unfortunate disabled veterans have
been treated shabbily and abom-
inably"
The bureau should broaden it's in
depreciation and widen the scope of
application Of existing laws" the re-
port said, adding that additional
legislation would be sought to meet
deficiencies shown by its hearings.
Some Special Recommendations.
Among specific recommendations were
the following:
Appropriate. $4,000 for hospitals.
transfer 10 .he bureau all Government
hospitals. including soldiers homes not
needed by the army or navy; create
chaplain corps for service in hos
pltals and training centres. provide
cemeteries ut soldier hospitals for burial
of veteran lead. standardize training.
permit applicant TO select as far as
possible his own vocation. extend ex-
listing insurance to $4,000 for each
policyholder " he wants 1t and extend
insurance and compensation privilege
forces.
Cancellation of contracts with State,
municipal and private hospitals which
were not in existence April I. 1917, and
with all similar institutions that after
inspection are found unsuitable was
recommended.
Other administrative reforms sug-
gested were:
Issuance of rules and regulations for
the maintenance Of order, of discipline,
frequent and thorough inspection Of hos
OF politics from appointments, establish
mcnt OF additional vocational centres at
institutions where mental and tubercular
patients are under treatment.
To July /. 1921, there had beer sss 900
applications for vocational training, the
committee found, adding that although
we are approaching the third anniversary
Of the armistice' only $3.50 veterans
have been rehabilitated.
''It Is With deep regret" the committee
said. "tfat we report this melancholy
fact"
=
Only 10000 men have accepted train
ing without pay out of total Of ss,913
eligibles. and only $4,000 with pay out Of
15s.3o9 eligibles, the report said. The
committee found that "a vast majority"
of those eligible ARE unable or unwilling
to train because OF their inability TO sup
port themselves without pay" About
one-haif OF those training are In schools.
st,,,o
better educational opportunities than
they otherwise could have obtained" II
was declared.
Pointing out that only 1900 OF the
5000 employees in the bureau in July
last were former service men. the COM
mittee declared II was unable TO un-
derstand why the board thus discrimI-
mates against former service men," and
suggested the Immediate cutti-g down
of the large force OF employees in~,vash-
ington."
The committee said the Government
had failed to obtain results commensu
rate with the large expenditures In re-
habilitation work. and expressed belief
that knowledge Of the Governments fail
ure prevented men from seeking hospi-
tai treatment until too late, and a stream
OF dying patients beyond the possibility
OF cure IL In part the result"
The time has come. the committee de-
clsred. TO decrease the number of CON
tract" hospitals. which II finds were
the cause Of Just complaints" In many
cases. the report said. contracts were
sought by private agencies in
spired by the hope of large profits.
The peak Of the load In hospital
needs will not be reached until 1927. the
In Investigators believed
I'VE feel II necessary to emphasize
ns strongly as possible the absolute
necessity Of expending money appro-
priated by Congress for the hospitsliza-
tion of former service men without
reference to inslstent but III advised
local demands. political interference.
aggrand lzemcnt OF existing Government
agencies or agitation OF local groups OF
any Kind whatsoever" the committee
declared. "Abominablc conditions have
existed In various hospitals which could
have been avoided and which should be
avoided IN thc future" the report con-