New-York tribune., 1921-10-11
L 'ederal Inquiry
At T OK Hills
Is Considered
50 a Day Required for Vet.
Grams Angers Legion Men,
Who Call Hospital a Fire.
trap, Poorly Constructed
City Pensioners in Jobs
Ex-Firemen and Policemen
Found Doing Work There
and Service Men Ignored

State officials OF the American
Legion yesterday began consideration
# the advisability of seeking a Com
gressional investigation OF government
hospitals for ex-servicc men through
out the country, as a result OF infor-
nation obtained Sunday concerning the
Fox Hills Hospital Of the United
States Public Health Service by a COM
mittee Of Legionnaires.
Thoroughly reused by admissions OF
the hospital officials that among the
members Of its police and hre-tight-
ing forces are pensioned retired em-
ployees Of the New York Police and
Fro departments who were not in
military service during the war, and
that it IS now costing Sl95, 600 q
month to maintain the institution~-a
rate or So dag for each patient
William f. Deeean. state commander,
and other Legion officials expressed
themselves as fayoring nation wide
Inquiry by Congress to ascertain
whether the conditions disclosed at
Fox Hills prevail elsewhere.
While this move was being discussed
the Legionnaires obtained aid from an
unexpected quarter in their efforts 10
hospital In favor of ex-serv!ce men,
This came from Henry c. Coles, eecre-
tary OF the Federal Civil Service
Bureau of the I'd District. Despite the
fat refusal of DR.. J. 0. Cobb and the
other hospitals heads to take any ae-
ton to replace the pensioners by W.
veterans, Mr. Coles said that there 4
"no doubt" but shat this would Oe
accomplished by about the middle Of
next week, so far as the members Of
the hospital fire department. were con-
ccrned.
"The situation" he said, "is that the
firemen at Fox Hills have been holding
their Jobs only on temporary civil
service appointments. find that there
are twenty-seven ex-service men who
have made application TO become fire
men at the hospital, and who have
been rated as eligible.
"They will replace the members Of
the hospital fire department. who are
not war veterans They will be certi-
led for the Jobs by the middle OF next
week"
pital fire fighting force, according tc
Or. J. s. Boggess, executive officer Of
the institution. OF this number but
two arc on the civil service prefer.
enccr list for permanent appointments
indicating that those are the only
members Of the force who are ex-
service men VINO took tho civil service
examinations.
May Ask National inquiry
'Following completion Of the inves-
tigating committees report it will bf
submitted to the state executive com.
mttee of the Legion aud then probably
TO the national heads" said State Com
mander Deegan. "As the facts appeai
at present it is likely that some move
for Congressional action, probably AT
investigation Of similar hospital:
throughout the country, may result.
"Certeinly it seems to me that FoA
Hills should be subjected to thor
ough inquiry by Congress. An Impair
tial investigation of such character
should result in the ordering of ar
immediate abandonment OF that lire
trap institution and the removal OF It's
sick, wounded and disabled eS-servic'
rnen to q hospital properly construct
ed and snfeguarded' -
ANY investigation regarding Foy
Hills should include probe into why
it is costing S195,o00 a month to main
tain il. the Legion heads believe. i
was said by Richard T. Bell, director
of the service division, that whereas
this maintenance amounts TO SO a dal
for each patient at Fox Hills, accord
ing to the hospital officials own figure
tubcrcular eX-scrvice men are caret
for by the government at Saranac LAX