The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-09-25

AR PROFIIEER
FIGHTS BONUS,
SAYS M'CAULEY
.peeartnent Commander Confleat
q State Compensation Though;
Raps Sawyer Activities.


Fight against the Illinois state
compensation bill-the state bonus.
which will be submitted to voters
November lis being fostered by
the same interests which opposed
the federal compensation bill, "the
men who profited most during the
war" declared State Commander
william R. McCauley. this morning
in his annual report.
The strength OF the legion in IL
linois Sept. is, 1922, was 52,SS9,
4 loss of 4.143 VIXEN contrasted with
the report Of Sept. l. 1921, when
the legion membership was 57.042.
Decentralization of the veterans
bureau has failed to secure results
anticipated, the commander charg-
cd but disqualification program has
gained relief for the ex-service men.
Sixty per cent of the cases ham
died through employment bureaus
Of the state department have been
non-members, his report stated.
Approximately 5000 disabled
former service men and women are
in the hospitals in Illinois. among
them almost 500 in the state insane
asylums, according to the annual
report.
Each year 1t has become harder
TO obtain satisfactory adjustments
of many claims from the veterans
bureau" the commander reported.
1.-THE legion was in great hopes that
when decentralization took place
1t would become a simple matter to
secure the adjustment of claims,
but we find that it is harder today to
obtain an adjustment than ever be-
fore. chiefly because of the time
that has elapsed since discharge
and through failure of the medical
rating section to make fair awards
in cases where the disability has
been absolutely connected with the
service.
in numerous cases, the decision
Of the rating board has been re-
versed by the appeal board on the
game evidence which was consid-
cred when the claim was rejected.
In my opinion the medical rating
section is doing more to retard the
adjustment Of these claims by their
unfair rulings than any other
agency of the government"
10 n.
mander McCauley reported that the
situation has been relieved some
what. There are now five govern
ment hospitals and approximately
60 contract hospitals in the state.
The government hospitals were re-
ported as being virtually full and
the attendance at the contract hos
pitfalls decreased to large extent.
Need was shown for a neuro-psy-
chiatric hospital for the state. I'm
der the original plan Of the White
commission, the report reads. a
neuro-psychiatric hospital of 1900
beds was allotted to the Great
Lakes, but through the interior
ence of Brigad'er General Sawyer,
the coordinator of the federal hos
pitalization board, this plan was
abandoned and 1--WE have been in
formed that 400-bed hospital will
{ be built at Camp Custer"
Need Illinois Hospital.
McCauley said over 60 per cent OF
the neuro-psychiatric cases in the
eighth district, which is composed
of Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois
are Illinois men and this hospital
should be built so as to provide
care for the largest number of men
at the least expense"
More than 300 comrades are now
housed in the Elgin state hospital
which was dedicated by the Legion
May 2S. The cottages at the Jack
sonville hospital will be dedicated
this fall, when It is hoped to obtain
the transfer Of all mental cases in
the various state hospitals Of ILL
nois to Elgin and Jacksonville
where they will receive better care
Commander McCauley also said
that almost 10 per cent Of the
claims in the Chicago service office
of the American Legion are for nom
members. The following work Of
the Chicago office since November
1920, is shown as follows:
Number of claims settled
compensation. back pay, al
lotments, liberty bonds, insur-
ance and state bonus, in which
over $1,000. 900 dollars was col
lected for these claimants at no
expense to them)-40,000.
Ten thousand claims are
pending. -
Funerals have been conduct
ed for more than 900 overseas
veterans VINO were returned to
Cook county. bringing the fir
ing squads from Fort Sheridan
and paying for their expenses.
Five hundred men were as
sisted in obtaining naturaliza-
ton papers.
Eight hundred and seventy
nine duplicate discharges were
obtained.
Aiding Needy ~BuddieS."
Under the heading Of unemploy.
ment. the report said that during
the last winter. unemployment con-
ditions became so serious that II
was necessary to open a hotel al
Ill North LaSalle street to heir
care for the homeless and 'unem.
ployed veterans. The figures fol.
3 low:
i 1865 were furnished beds.
$3.50 were given meals
S,l95 were given baths.
500 pairs Of overalls were
distributed.
300 pairs of shoes were given
to them.
1900 suits of clothes were
furnished.
Other items furnished were 50(