The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1922-08-04

cure the patient, only RESTRAIN MN.
The result is that many whose rea-
son could have been restored n these
vile environs have become irretrlev-
ably insane, and unless conditions
change, will follow the same dark
path.
Mr.. James continues: Conditions
in Ohio are little different from these
elsewhere, but because Ohio is the
home of General Sawyer and other
high officials of the government, II
NAV be interesting to note the eX-
tent of the profteerin that is done
there on the helpless soldier VINO IS
farmed out because adequate facill-
ties in "high-powered" government
government hospitals are not avail
able. The state welfare department
of Ohio callously admits that an
average profit of 5000 a year has
been made on every mentally impair
ed veteran Ohio contracted" to take
care of for the government.
With these figures before him. 1t
seemed almost supe1'fuous for Or.
Sawyer to preach economy on the
hospital program, and yet he did IT,
In order to check the universally IN
dorsed hospital expansion program
he even went so far as to oppose the
purchase of any more land by the
government anywhere.
The Langley bill appropriating
100000, which was recently
signed by Mr.. Harding, places all
construction in the hands of the dl-
rector of the veterans bureau, and
for while the hospital building
program took on a rosy hue. But
alas, the monkey wrench" is thrown
into the works again. The federal
board of disqualification, of which
General Sawyer is chairman, has IN
terpmed itself between Director
Forbes and the president. A. A.
Sprague, chairman of the legion re-
habilitation committee, has written
Brigadier General Charles E. Saw,
yer, chief co-ordinator of the board
of disqualification, requesting him to
"stand aside and allow the program
of the veterans bureau to go into eff
feet at once" I feel sure that the
public heartily indorses Mr. Sprague's
request. Tnis request is in answer
to General Sawyer's letter of July
12, 1922. Mr.. Sprague's. letter
makes interesting reading, and
shall quote several paragraphs from
it.
"a national program for the hospi-
tai care of service men who are sui
fering with mental and nervous dis
eases was agreed upon between the
director of the veterans bureau, the
board of neuro-psychiatnasts, who
are recognized leaders in this coun-
try, and the American Legion. This
program was decided upon after
long delays, which have been dis
tressing to the legion, but still more
distressing to thousands of men who
might have been cured, but who are
now doomed to a life of menta
darkness.
"You say in your letter to me
Because the Langley bill has given
US these millions of dollars-nct
mandatory, thank heaven-to use
let us be careful in the disposition
of it, co that finally those who are
now charged with the responsibility
of laying the foundation for this
great proposition be given credit
with due sense and careful regard to
the interests of the general public
for, after all this same soldiery anc
their progeny are to be the ones who
must pay for what is given now
"If there ever was bill which
carried a moral mandate to the gov
ernment it was the second Langley
bill. You will remember that the
legion fought to have the money ap-
propriated under the bill awarded to
veterans bureau. We won in this
fight. 1t was fight against your
effort, against your appeal to have
this money awarded to the federal
board of disqualification, of which
you are chief co-ordinator. I want
to state that there has never been
shown any disposition on the part of
the American people to economic
at the expense Of the real heroes of
the war. I am confident that the fu-
ture citizen is far more liable to
condemn failure to provide the best
possible care than he is to complain
of hotter nroviSion than was ever