The New York herald., 1922-01-18
VETERANS NEGLECT
TALES STIR HARDING
President Resents Stories That
Manned and Diseased Are
Uncared For.

Specie, Dispatch to TIE NEW yonx HnRaLD
New York Herald bureau,
Washington, ID. c., Jan. IL.
President Harding. greatly annoyed
at continued reports that disabled vet
erans Of the world war are being neg
lected. let It be known to-day thai the
Government Is doing everything In its
power to care for the MANNED and dis
eased soldiers.
This was tho result Of the receipt Of q
memorial from the Disabled American
Veterans of the World War In which
they charged that more than $500 men
tally disabled former service men in
State institutions were victims Of such
''gross neglect. indifference and profit
eering" as to constitute a black re-
pfoacn on the honor Of the nation"
Mr.. Harding brought UP the matter
at the Cabinet meeting, declaring with
emphasis that the few complaints made
by veterans with respect to their treat
ment co not represent general condi-
tions.
One instance he cited which had come
to his attention. and of which he had or
dered specia. investigation. The vet
eran In question had been reported to
be paying his own hospital bills. The
investigation showed that not only was
the Government paying such bills but
that in addition the veteran was re-'
ceiving monthly allowance Of s1S7.
Mr. Harding explained to the Cabinet
that many of the mental cases arising
out of the world war had been treated
at State hospitals because these institu-
tions possesses better facilities for such
care tfan Government hospital
1t was plain that Mr. Harding was not
In sympathy with all the demands made
by representatives of various so-called
veterans associations to build large num-
bers Of hospitals. If all such hospitals
were to be built. he said, they would
turn out to be monuments to our folly"
Colncldent with the official declara-
tion that the Government Is doing all Il
can for the disabled veterans. the new
Federal Board Of disqualification. cre-
ated recently in response to an order by
Mr.. Harding, held its first meeting to-
day. The chairman Of the board IS
Brig.-Gen. Charles Z. Sawyer. the Pres
ident's personal physician, who declared
the purpose Of the organization was to
carry out the highest ideals OF modern
disqualification for the veterans Of the
war.
There are being hospitalized to-day"
said Gen. Sawyer Sin Government hos
pitals, under Government control
total Of 22.440 world war veterans
This does not take into consideration
patients in contract hospitals. which
now number 9.066. There are under
construction 1882 new beds. which will
be ready for occupancy within the next
few months and the Government is con-
templating at least $500 more beds
under the Langley bill.
ultimately the Government will have
under its direct administration hospital
capacity for minimum Of $4,000
patients. which is estimated to be the
peak load. Up to this time there has
been no coordination plan OF operating
these institutions"
| Gen. Sawyer said the board would
| adopt regulations providing 1S2 en-
ployees for every 200 patients. or almost
one attendant for every patient. ,4,..
President Harding and all his ad-
| ministrative assistants will be with you
heart and soul in everything you do for
the interests of the disabled soldiers" "
Gen. Sawyer told the members Of the
board. I'm everything you do you will
have the everlasting gratitude OF the
President as we'll as the applause of our
doughboys."