Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1922-10-06

be ready at all times.
| Veterans Bureau Needs More Money
| The veterans bureau is convinced
that the peak of disqualification of the
war wounded has not been reached
and may not be reached for probably
two years. In the meantime the work
of constructing government hospitals
in which the unfortunate will be treat
ed will go on. The bureau is asking
for S513, $4,000 for 1923, as compared
with approximately $481, 100000 fQr
| the fiscal year 1922.
Increase also was noted for the last
year of the bureau i. medical EN-
cheney, vocational training, compensa-
ton and claims and insurance.
The number Of men estimated as re-
habilitated during the fiscal year was
placed at 1926, with a total expense
for vocational training for the fiscal
year of $160501 ,936.33. Considered
| by months, the outlay of finance Tor
training steadily increased from 3D.
824,148.64 in July, 1921, to $l5'I'o'-
1888 in June, 1922. The bureau has
trainers in more than 5000 educa-
tional institutions.
| The total number of compensation
and death and disability claims hled
during the year reached 191,OlS, OF
which 77,195 were allowed, involving
a yearly compensation disbursement
Of $123, 494, 261. Monthly disbursements
reached a high point with $11.3O4,ll2
In October, 1921.
Forbes Advocates New Policies.
| Reviewing the hospital situation, a
statement from the bureau says the
number Of men placed in government
and contract hospitals during the year
totaled 113.024, Of which 62,315 cases
were general medical and surgical
| cases; 80, 466 were tubercular cases,
and 1928 were cases of nervous and
mental disorders.
Director Forbes, who returned re-
Gently from an inspection of hospitals
in the northern part Of the country.
announced In this connection that
new policies for disqualification of dis
abled veterans would be taken up
soon with President Harding.
| Colonel Forbes declared he would
suggest to the President the advisable
| ity Of turning some Of the present hos
pitfalls into training centers for quies-
cent tubercular patients and service
men suffering from mental ailments.
Sites for all new hospitals under the
second Langley bill, he said, were be-
ing selected and work was planned to
| begin within 90 days on the ten new
| institutions in various parts of the
country He estimated the program
would cost approximately $14,OO00OO,
During the first year Of the bureau,
the birthday statement pointed out,
control Of so hospitals had been trans
ferred from the public health serv-
ice to the bureau, and with this
/ change, patients in these hospitals
will be subject to the operation of
| onlY one organization, which will mean
closer supervision and improved medi-
/ cal service"
/ Increase in the treatment Of vet
Grams by government doctors, instead
/ Of outside agencies, for the year was
pointed to as resulting in more salts
| factory care and greater economy. Up
! to the beginning of the last fiscal
year, it was explained, only per
| cent of the medical services in the
field were provided by government
agencies and 90 per cent were pro-
vided by physicians and hospitals on a
fee or contract basis, whereas today
20 per cent Of these medical services
are provided by the veterans bureau.
Work on Insurance Claims.
Insurance claims filed during the
last fiscal year mounted to 1862, the
computed value of which reached S76,-
/ 1876, 622. 80. Disbursements covering
both life and term insurance aggre-
gated 500, 102, 800.
During the year the bureau con-
Quoted cleanup campaign" through
out the fourteen districts, during
which 1868 contracts with bene-
| ficiaries and claimants were made, re-
sulting in the filing of 1852 claims,
as well as the reopening of 80, 900 old
claims. More than $4,000 physical ex-
i
in the sending of thousands of dis
abled veterans to hospitals FOR medical
care and treatment to which they were
entitled This campaign was conducted
at a total cost Of $335,00
One of the big accomplishments Of
the year says the statement, was the
decentralization" of the bureau into
fourteen districts. "This first phase
of decentralization" consisted of dele
eating authority to administrative
representatives in the regional offices
so as to acquaint them with questions
of policy and equip them to act indie
pendent of the central office at Wash
/ ington The second phase Of the de-
Capitalization was concerned with the
delegation of similar authority to
representatives located in the sub
district offices for like reasons"
A Penny Saved.
They were talking together upon
i the bus. Both were obviously prosper