New-York tribune., 1922-02-12

In New ork State there are more
ynan 1000 veterans who arc confined
10 hospitals as n result OF their war
activities. They include tubercular,
mental and general surgical cases
These men are compelled to take treat
nent in the institutions TO which they
are assigned by the Government. In
addition, there are several thousands
Sf "out patients is men who
are forced to visit the various institu-
tions for treatment yet whose condi
tion does not nccessltate their being
kepc in bed.
Suffering Veterans Scattered
There is no government hospital for
tubercular cases in the State of New
YORK" said Colonel Wickersham "The
consequence is that hundreds of men
have been sent to hospitals in various
parts of the country, some to Arizona.
some TO California and others TO make
Shift institutions ike the Fox Hills
Hospital
"On January 19 there were | .05o dis
and 1877 in the thirty or forty CON
tract hospitals in this state. There are
large number of men n distant
places because the government has no
facilities in this state to care for the
tubucular eX-service men. The Legion
should request the government to es-
ta5lish an institution for the care of
300 tubercular eX service men at once.
With the establishment of this hospi-
tai much Will have been done TO better
their care
AS means of caring for the men
IN these institutions would suggest
that legionnaire be assigned to look
alter the welfare OF every maA in a
government contract hospital, one
leglonnalre to each man 1t would be
the duty of this legionnaire to see
that the mans compensation was cor
rect and kept intact; that ne received
the proper decentralization. and, in
orlef, do everything possible for the
good OF his patient. This is our duty.
ana every man should be glad of the
opportunity"
Colonel Nickersham in a recent re-
port 10 the executive committee rec
cmm ended that the present form of
rating the disabled service man bv the
veterans bureau be changed to permit
the administration of compensation by
tocai bureaus. He said that the aver
age application took five months TO be
acted upon. He urged that a ranre-
sentative Of the Veterans Bureau. a
!ember of the American Legion and a
fhyslclan be assigned to each branch
'hG De empowered TO act INN ed a. elv
Inns board Of three men he continued
should have the power TO fix the rating
a. disabled man ana his compensa
aion should be governed accordingly.
Committee Has Task in Hand
The disqualification committee con
*lSts of Cornelius W Wickersham
chairman: Lucien S. Breckenridge. Dr.
Thomas W. Salmon. Francis l.. Robbins
pr. Samuel Bradbury. Harold l..
1)owney, James N. Blackwell. Charles
Pope Caldwell, George A. Wingate
= rank Pasta, DR.. Grant c. Madill. Or
+ Atwell, Fred Pierce. William J.
Donovan. DR.. V v McCabe. {. V. Hah-
llel and DR.. James n Nandervee-.
Inc recommendations submitted ia
the executive committee are:
That the Langley bin cor-ainjnr an
propriation for SIC 400 500 for new
hospitals be Immediately passed by
( ongress.
That the period OF .wo wears from,
discharge within which development o.
tuberculosis or mental disease IS pre-
Ssumed to be Of service origin ~. ex-
sended to five years and that the ma