The Washington times., 1921-07-24
EARLY ADFOR
hurt VETS seen
= IN Sweet BILL
Measure Consolidating Bureaus
Helping Disabled Soldiers
/ Now in Senate.
BY THOMAS KIRBY.

8p10o IOxfnof eerNiCo Hou ~ A0oe ~
pears impending.
Iftar about thirty months Of lum-
betting, bungiing and general tnef-
ficiency and incompetency that have
left thousands Of dead, insane and dis.
eased discharged soldiers, sailors and
marines in their wake, II IL now I'M
derstood that relief will be shortly
forthcoming. After having been pass
ed by the House without an adverse
vote. the Sweet bill swept through the
Senate during the past week after
brief debate and now goes to confess
encA. The best informed at the Capt.
toi are of the belief that the conferees
win have no great difficulty on reach
ing an agreement and that the legis-
lation win soon Do sent to the White
House for the Presidents signature
To Consolidate Bureaus.
The Sweet measure calls for tho
sweeping out of the War Risk Blu
reau, United States Public Health
Service and the Federal Board TOR
Vocational Education. 20 far as they
relate to the former service men, ana
their amalgamation under one head.
This Is expected to markedly cut ex-
penses, place responsibility In one
person and bring about an immediate
acceleration for which every veteran
organization in the country has been
protesting for months.
The sutherland committee OF the
Senate, which has brought out condi-
lions that have been described as
shocking" will continue Its investi-
cation. and it's report is expected to
severely condemn the neglect ana
place personal responsibility for the
blot on the nations postwar record
81 cd
introduced in the Senate, Senator
Sutherland made brief preliminary
report. While he dealt only in gen.
eral terms, his statements were OF
such a nature as to indicate the
condemnation that will come when
the fun report is made to the upper
house. What is expected to add
TO the severity of the report Is the
fact that the committee is not like
iy to be split in it's findings. While
the majority of the committee are
Republicans, the investigation was
forced by Senator Walsh, Democrat.
who is known to be particularly bit
ter against the manner in which the
service man has suffered despite elab-
crate appropriations by Congress.
Senate Approval Expected.
While the Sweet bill as ii reached
the Senate has number OF amend
ments, they are along lines that are
expected to meet with the approval
OF those who will represent the
House in conference.
The bill as it passed the House
provides Tor the Consolidation into
one bureau in the Treasury Depart
ment Of the Bureau of War Risk
Insurance the rehabilitation divi-
sion of the Federal Board for Vo-
cational Education, and so much OF
the Public Health Service as relates
TO the examination, assignment TO
hospitals, and the welfare of persons
who served In the world war, and
are now or have been patients OF
the Bureau of War Risk Insurance
or of the rehabilitation division Of
the Federal Board for Vocational
The Senate amendment proposed
adopts the consolidation policy Of the
House bill and provides that the
aforementioned Government organi-
cations shall be consolidated In an
Independent bureau under the Presi-
den. The amendment also provides
that the director of the Veterans
President by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate. The salary
of the director is left at $4,000 per
annum, the same as in the House
bill.
Section of the House bill pro
vides that the functions, powers, and
duties conferred by existing law upon
the Bureau of War Risk Insur-
ance and the rehabilitation division
of the Federal Board for Vocational
Education shall be transferred to
and made a part OF the Veterans Blu
reau. The amendment proposed to
this section provides that the Fed
eral Board for Vocational Education
shall be abolished and all the powers
and duties vested in such board shall
be exercised by the director of the
Veterans Bureau.
Provides central Office.
Section 6 of the House bill. known as
the decentralization section, provides
Tor a central office in tie District and
fourtee nregional Offices and not to
exceed lao suboffices. his section au-
lnorizes the regional offices under
rules and regulations prescribed by
the director to exercise powers for
hearing complaints and for examining,
ting and awarding compensa ton
claims, granting medical, surgical,
dental and hospital care, convalescent
care and necessary and reasonable aft
ercare, making insurance awards,
granting vocational training and all
other matters delegated to them by
the director. However. IL provides
that the suboffices shall not have
power to make compensation and In.
surance awards or to grant vocational
training. The proposed amendment
gives the director power to review
the acts Of the regional offices and
3uboffices.
1t provides that the regional Of
fices and suboffices, with all au-
thority to establish such offices, shall
terminate on June 30, 1926. The SEN
ate committee recommends this Fart
Of the section be amended so that
the director can determine any re-
gional offices or suboffices when In
his judgment this may be done with
out detriment to the administrator
of the act.
One feature OF veteran relief that
has caused endless discussion has been
The matter of discipline in hospitals.
The House bill authorizes the director
TO make rules in order to promote
good conduct on the part of persons
who are receiving care or treatment
In hospitals. homes. or institutions as
patients or beneficiaries Of the Vet
Grams Bureau, The section provides
that the penalties FOR the breach NJ