The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1921-05-12
THE STATUS OF THE
DISABLED VETERANS.
(By John Booth.)


i There were five bills fostered
| by the American Legion's nation
| al legislative committee in the
last session of congress. A sum-
mary of them, and their fate in
that session is given below:
i l. Rogers-Capper bill. For the
consolidation of the Bureau of
War Risk Insurance, Public
Health Service, and Rehabilita-
tion Division of the Federal
Board of Vocational Education
under one head in the Treasury
Department. There is no need to
enlarge on the necessity OF this
to those who have followed care
fully the preceding articles. The
bill was favorably reported from
the House committee, but died on
the House calendar, and received
no action in the Senate, though
those who sponsored it are opti.
mistic of its passing in the 9th
session.
2. Adoption of definite three
or five year building program for
new hopitafs, involving an appro
p1'iation of $35, 1000, 900. In March
Congress appropriated $4,000,
900 for the construction of new
hospitals and $6,100,000 for the
alteration of existing hospitals.
Thirty-five million was asked |
for AND II THE 1000 BEDS
WHICH THIS APPROPRIA-
TION WILL EVENTUALLY
PROVIDE WERE ALREADY
READY AND OCCUPIED,
THERE WOULD STILL BE g.
600 PATIENTS IN CONTRACT
BEDS, AND 10000 OF THE RE-
NAMING 10000 PATIENTS
NOW IN u. S. p. II. S. HOSPI-
TAILS WOULD STILL BE IN
UNSATISFACTORY b UIL D.
INGS OR LOCATIONS. The ap-;
preparation was too small. There
is urgent need, and Immediate
need, for further appropriations
Half a loaf is better than no
bread, it is true, but that half a
loaf is little consolation to those
who did not get to nibble on it.
3. Amending the Vocational
Training Act to provide training
for Americans disabled in Allied
Armies, Vocational training with
pay for all who are
awarded ten per cent disability
rating by the Bureau of War
Risk Insurance or suffering from
handicap, and voca-
tional training for widows and
orphans. This bill passed the
Senate and was reported favor
ably from the House Committee,
but died on the House calendar.
The bill was amended to elimi-
nate the feature for the trainingI
for widows and orphans, but an
attempt will be made to reinclude I
this feature in the present ses-
sions I
The other two bills mentioned !
are not so specifically intended
FOR the disabled, but apply to the
World War Veteran in general, ;
and it not being my purpose to /
ouch that phase of the situation
IN these articles, / will omit {
hem. Il
What Can You Do. /
The Legion is asking every 10y
Il Legionnaire, every Legion s
Post, every civic body and every !
,raternal organization to let Con !
yress know that they are behind
,hese measures for the relief of
he disabled. This may be done
~ way Of letter, telegram, or
word of mouth. The essential ]
hing is to make our legislators
.ealize that public sentiment is S
lroused, and is backing these i
measures. Favorable as the out t
ook may be for proper legisla- c
ion, we must not become over i
confident, and through careless S
less, or let -George-do-itiveness, t
llow another session Of Congress +
0 pass into history without ade- s
uately caring for its disabled f
harges. You may do your part b
asily and quickly. Write to n
Ienator Gooding, or Senator Il
,orah, or Representative French, a
r better to all three, and urge Ct
hem to do their best to secure 81
he passage Of the measures in N
luded in the American Legion IS N
rogram. Urge them further to el
carefully any further II
leasures that may be brought c,
orward for the relief Of the dis II
bles. AND ESPECIALLY URGE h,
HEM TO BE GENEROUS IN II
HE ENACTMENT OF LEGIS. VI
ALTON FOR APPROPRIA- B
IONS FOR THE BUILDING n,
r. ALTERATION OF HOSPI- lo
AIS We must not save dol q
lrs at the expense of human II