The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-04-05
PERSHING SCORES
AID FOR WOUNDED
Charges Public Health Ser
vice Is Too Cumbersome
and Needs Speedy Change.
PITIFUL CASES REPORTED
Speaker at Mass Meeting Says
Veterans Are Treated as
Public Charges.
PITIFUL CASES REPORTED

Charging the Public Health Service
with inadequate. faulty and cumber-
some organization for the care Of sick
and wounded war veterans, Gen. Per-
shing last night urged an audience of
1000 persons IN Carnegie Hall ito in
sist upon immediate and necessary
action BY the proper authorities
The occasion was the first OF a series
Of mass meetings TO be held through
out the country BY the Citizens Com
mittee to Obtain Justice for the
Wounded. Gen. Pershing. who was
the principal speaker. said that from
all accounts the management OF the
Public Health hospitals demand an
early investigation.
1T must be conceded he declared,
that the Government was as unpre-
pared for the problems OF sudden
peace as IL was for the problems OF
war. We are the government and the
fault is ours. The difficulty Of providing
facilities for the Immediate housing and
treatment for the ever increasing num-
Der OF incapacitated is fully recognized.
Nearly two years have passed and still
there is cause for complaint.
"The fact is that while there has un-
doubtedly been incompetence in han
ding the problem. yet I believe the or
ganization for taking care Of our dis
ablcd men is faulty and cumbersome.
There Is no one particular agency that
IS made entirely responsible that service
men shall receive that which the Amer
icsn people intended they should re-
ceive. There appears to be no good
reason why the war risk insurance. yoca-
tional education and the care or disabled
soldiers should not be combined under
one competent head responsible directly
10 the Administration
i. w. GaIbraith. commander Of the
American Legion, also recommended the
consolidation OF the three bureaus and
complained Of the practice OF the Gov
ernment in placing its sick charges,
mostly insane and tuberculosis cases. in
poor farms and county jails.'
They receive the same food and
treatment as public charges and are
supported on an allowance OF about 81
day." he said Their bed linen is
changed only oucc in two weeks they
are permitted TO have two towels a
week. In poor farm recently visited
near Chica 20 there were eighty sick men
quartered They wanted TO know why
they should be sent 70 such a place.
Some OF them were ashamed 10 write TO
their mothers and tell where they were
Col Galbraith said President Harding
had told him last Sunday that the
first duty II the Administration after
Congress assemblies will be 70 see that
wounded soldiers get tho swift and
honest justice TO which they are en-
titled"
The American Legion, with tho sup
port Of 10000 patriotic organizations,
will bring pressure on Congress to ap-
propriate the necessary funds. The
81 s.600.000 already provided. Mr. Cal
braith said. was not nearly sufficient
Dr. Thomas W. salmon. who, has been
studying the hospital problem, said the
has not built n single in
for care Of the sick veterans
since the armistice. and unless the public
insists nothing VIII be done. There are
Continued on Second Pago.