The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1922-04-21
Scores Conduct of
Veteran Bureau
Continued from Page l


vestigated conditions in the
Boston office. What he saw open
ed his eyes at the gross negligence
| OF needy veterans, in whom the
ravages of the Argonne, and Bel
leau Wood are now becoming ap-
parent. Physically perfect ex-
soldiers are daily breaking down
in health. Many die soon; some
find their way to insane asylums
to spend broken youth in a liv-
ing death.
Col. Jackson is a medical man,
with an NJ ID. from the Univel-
sity of Vermont and a wealth of
experience in business. He went
to Boston. He went to the u. S.
Veterans Bureau.
Here was a crowd of eX-ser-
vice men. They were sick. 1t
was ffightfully hot. These bud
dies chung together, trying to
| help each other. A stenographer
sat at a desk powdering her nose.
"I am disabled, | said, and
want to see DR.. Brides!
"'Who are you,' said the stem
ogfapher.
am an ex-service man, I re-
piled.
you'll have to wait, said She,
indicating the long line Of suffer
ing eX-soldiers waiting for attcn-
ton.
"Then | told her who | was. 4
am Jackson of Vermont, national
vice commander Of the American
Legion and chairman of the rehab-
ilitatlon committee, but | don't
want to use those titles to get in
here, if | can't get in as an ex-
service man.
81 went to my hotel, and they
came to see me. They called me
up on the phone and everytime |
told them that | was out. So |
came back to Burlington, satisfied
that conditions were exceedingly
grave"
Col jackson said that the
Legion has fought for two years
to get the disabled hospitalized.
At Waterbury, he declared, the
government is paying $14 a week
for each eX-service man. Yet
the authorities there, he said,
place some of the veterans iii
criminal wards, although the
charge for private patients is only
50 per week.
At the Mary Fletcher hospital,
the government pays $21 a week
for a bed, while the private
charge is but S14 However, the
most of the ex-service men are
placed out in the wards. One
poor fellow. was incarcerated in
the basement.
Another eX-service man was
discharged from the hospital, al
though he was near deaths door.
i haven't any money to pay. They
tell me I've got to get out of here.
Sometime later he died, cursing
the doctors, cursing his country.
Next day, unfortunately his COM
pensation, which would have aSSur-
ed his continuance at the hospital,
came through.
On the speakers platform last
night were seated order; Lieut..
Col John w. Tinker Of St. Johns
bury, Major c. B. Amory, national
vice commander H. Nelson Jack
son of Burlington, Allen Fletcher
departmnt adjutant, John Sullivan,
asst department commander, Bern
ard H. Daniels, past commander
and now adjutant of w. r. Knapp
post, and Harold Powell, past COM
mander of the local Legion post
Co. Tinker introduced Mr.. Powell,
who in turn introduced the other
speakers.
Bernard H. Daniels told of the
good work that W. R. Knapp post
has been doing for the needy eX-
service man. During the past year
between $1,000 and $500 have been
spent for food, clothing, fuel lodg-
ing and transportation called for
by eX-service men. There are 80
claims of disabled ex-soldiers now
being handled through the local
post.
Major C. B. Amory told of the
organization of the Reserves, the
work in which he is now engaged.
1t was up to the American Legion,
he said to hel p organize the re-
serves-a sort of army on paper,
which can be depended upon in a
national emergency to hop into ac-
ton at moments notice.
John Sullivan, past deparement
of Vermont commander, and now
national, executive committee, told
of the splendid work of the Ameri-
can Legion Auxiliary, as he appeal
ed to the women of St. Johnsbury
to enlist their services in behalf of
the needy eX-service man.
"The Auxiliary" said Mr.. Sulli-
van, "is the link between the family
and the funds Women have a way
of rendering aid to ex-service men
so that it does not seem ike char
ity."
There are nine ex-selvice men
in Waterbury hospital for the in
sane, he stated. They are men with
wives and children. Six more are
in the Brattleboro retreat. 1t is eX-
pected that three of them will re-
cover. The recovery of the three
Others is problematical.
Allen Fletcher, department adj
iutant was the last speaker.
Everything that Col. Jackson has
said tonight is true" said he. aft it
had not been for him during the
past two years, l don't know what
the American Legion in Vermont
would have done"
Mr.. Fletcher's talk was along the
same lines as that of Col. Jackson's
He emphasized the critical need
for speedy action in the care of ex-
service men, and the necessity of