The Washington times., 1921-02-07
PUT WOUNDED
BEFORE BONUS
Legion to Ignore Popular Wei
fare Until Disabled Men Get
Square Deal"

Proper care for disabled soldiers
comes before the bonus.
This is the sentiment expressed
today at the first session of the ma
tional executive committee OF the
American Legion, which began a
three-day session at the Washing
ton Hotel.
RELIEF FOR 1900.
The big fight Of the legion for the
present will be for good and careful
attention to be given the wounded
exsoldiers. and to this end every
member of Congress will be approach
ed in the next few days by officers
of the legion to see what steps can
be taken Immediately by Congress to
obtain relief for the more than $4,000
men who are in Government hospi-
tails.
One of the chief aims of the plan
In to consolidate the three bureaus
OF the government which have in
charge the care OF disabled veterans:
the War Risk Insurance Bureau. the
Public Health Service and the Federal
Board Tor Vocational Training.
According to statistics in the hands
Of the Legion, about 1900 men are
being admitted every month to the
government hospitals for treatment
of diseases due to the war. The
figures show an alarming increase in
tuberculosis cases among men who
have been gassed in France. and also
a large number of cases of q mental
character, are being received every
month. 1t 10 said that the mental
cases Are areaction of the shell shock
Iof the war. which has been increased
Il al Ao.S . - "a. .cL n( n
, by many Of them. 1t was sap that
| the rexAservice man Nas usually the
fret to lose his job In any reAtctton'
Of forces, because he ives usually
new employe having gone 70 the JOB
from the army.
WRONG ENVIRONMENT.
1t was shown that according to
Government statistics. about l2.OOO
men who are under the medical care
of the Government are placed in the
wrong environment. This is particu-
larly true. 1t was said in the mental
cases. Soldiers suffering from shell
shock are placed in the same insti-
tutions and many times in the same
wards with criminally insane, drug
addicts and degenerates. This con-
dition does not make for a happy or
speedy recovery of the soldier patient.
it was pointed out
While the legion will make it's first
and strongest plea for the disabled
veterans, 1t was said that there Is no
receeding from the position IL has
taken on the bonus question. Many
of the discharged soldiers are out OF
work, 1t was said, and there is more
need of the bonus at this time than
at any other time since the agitation
started.
The proposal Of the Knights of Co
lumbus to erect, in Washington me-
mortal to the soldiers of the world
war, will be considered at the
sessions. but nothing will be given
out in advance of the actual decision
which the officers will make. No in
timation was given out as to the
probable action, several delegates be-
ing approached. expressing a sent-
ment one way or the other. but al
ways qualifying 1t with the assertion
that II was their individual opinion
and did not bind the organization in
any way.
DISCUSS CITIZENSHIP.
Most of the mornings session was
taken up with a discussion of Ameri-
ca anization work. National Command
er +. w. Galbraith, jr., whose plan Tor
CO. o ord ination of the work along these
lines by the several organizations has
been studied very closely for the last
several months, was the topic or an
address by Henry J. Ryan, of Boston,
who has been delegated by the com
ma nder to map out a plan of enlist
| ing the aid of the different organiza-
tions In one big effort.
Mr.. Ryan explained the method
| which II is planned to follow OF al
lotting some part OF the work TO each
organization in order that there may
| be no overlapping OF contradiction
| in the work. He said that conven-
tion OF the twenty organizations
| which are now doing Americanization
work will be held in Washington on
March Is to perfect a program OF
4 vNnrk