Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1922-10-05

THOUSANDS OF COMPENSATION
CLAIMS ADJUSTED BY IT
FOR TIE VETERANS.
MARkHAM'S CASE IS TYPICAL
Seaman in Navy, Discharged Because
of tuberculosis When He Had But
One More Hitch" to Serve, Rescued
From Disaster by the Bureau.
BY JAMES p. HoRNApAY

BY JAMES p. HoRNADAY
Washington.-The service bureau
maintained by the American Legion in
Washington is perhaps well known to
all Legionnaires, but little known to
the public However, should the aver
age citizen become interested in the
case of a disabled veteran who has
had difficulty III obtaining justice, he
probably. will learn Of the Legion's
Washington service bureau, because a
large portion of the difficult cases find
their way there in the end.
A report recently made to the Le-
gion's national headquarters in Indian
apolis showed in cold figures some Of
the things this branch office of the
Legion had accomplished for the serv-
ice man during the present calendar
year. These included 1861 compensa-
ton claims adjusted. bringing back
pay to disabled veterans of 1884,. $50
and 279 insurance claims paid depend
ents of soldiers. S4s9,314. besides mis-
cellaneous sums. bringing the amount
paid out to service men and their de-
pendsnts through the efforts of this
Offices of the Legion to total Of $685.
O43 in less than eight months
Typical of hundreds of these cases
is that of Harley Jasper Markham
seaman. an elisted man in the United
States navy since 1903 AS h~ terms
of enlistment expired. Markham re-
enlisted four times. until he had only
one more "hitch' TO serve to be retired
on half pay with the accompanying
perquisites for the remainder of his
life.
In the meantime, Markham had
saved his money. SO as TO go into bust
ness when he had completed his serv-
ice. But he had not counted upon ILL
ness wrecking his plan. During the
early part of 1918. the exposure to
which he was subjected began to tell
on Markham. and he broke down.
He Could Not Re-Enlst.
He was taken out of active service
and sent to the hospital at TT Lyons,
Colo where medical examination on
July is, 1913. showed that he was suf-
fering from pulmonary tuberculosis.
He remained at the hospital year and
recovered somewhat but on August
/ -, 1919, was discharged from the sery-
ice over his protest. He attempted to
\ re-enlist, hut was denied this because
/ of his tuberculosis Markham found
! himself at n loose end, Although his
| life's occupation had been taken away
from him in this arbitrary manner, he
made the best Of a bad job, and deter
mined to live in the open, as the surest
way of restoring his health, lost in the
service of his country. He purchased
a live stock farm at Stanton, Kan.
| For short time things looked as II
4 they were coming Markham's way.
His condition improved, he married.
4 and his farm prospered. But as time
went on. the health he had regained
/ by his own efforts after his govern
! ment had cast him adrift gradually
began to leave him. His farm ran
| down. he became involved in debt. and
/ his wife became Ill. In the spring of
| 1921, Markham was forced to spend
I the greater part of his time in bed.
4 At this time he learned from the Kan
! sas American Legion that he was en-
/ titled to hospital care and compensa-
I tion from the government to support
4 his wife
In reply to his application at Wash
! ington, Markham was ordered to
! Hutchinson. Kan, for examination In
June. 1921. where his condition was
/ diagnosed as pulmonary tuberculosis,
advanced stage, and he was advised
! TO enter hospital Immediately. Mark
/ ham declined to do this. as he could
not leave his sick wife without means
/ of support, .and told the doctor he
would not 20 to the hospital until his
claim for compensation was allowed
! How the Service Bureau Saved Him.
Finally on August q, 1921. Mark
! hams claim for disability and compen-
sation was allowed. but based on only
10 per cent disability rating, it enti-
tied him to only 50 a month accrued
! compensation since his discharge two
years before. The Kansas Legion and
! the American Red Cross tried to get
this compensation increased without
success.
On April Is, 1922. Louis DeLane.
service officer in charge of the Lee
gion's Washington office, succeeded in
getting Markham's disability rating in
creased, and ON that date he wired the
TT Bayard hospital, where Markham
had been transferred, that the govern
ment had forwarded Markham check
for S542.70 as back compensation pay.
But DeLane was not satisfied. He
kept pushing the case, with the result
that on April 26 temporary total
disability rating was awarded by the
veterans bureau and check for ac-
crued disability pay was forwarded
Markham for $20l794 just in time to
take~up his loan, which came due on
hIay !, and save his farm.
| nirirfarfirr Erainh4