Evening star., 1922-08-25
Must Be No Saving on Treatment
of Veterans.

Any attempt to economize on hospi-
talization charges for disabled soldiers
will be bitterly resented by the ma
ton at large. according to the news
papers which have discussed the con-
troversy between Col. Sprague Of the
disqualification committee Of the
American Legion and Brig. Gen. Saw
yer, President Harding's personal
physician.
The sentiment generally seems to
be in complete support OF the Sprague
position, the editors declaring that,
regardless Of cost, the best possible
care must be provided for all men
still under treatment. The demands
Of the legion generally are character
lied as reasoned and reasonable, and
as such should be granted to the full
est extent.
"Dr. Sawyer has from the begin
ming" the New York Post says. "op-
posed the construction of government
hospitals for the disabled. DR.. Saw
yer, through his position as personal
physician to the President. appointed
himself chief co-ordinator' of the
federal board Of disqualification and
ance before him each week of the
heads of tho various agencies having
the hospital work in charge. And
what is the record? Simply this: Since
the armistice. although some patch
ing has been done hero and there, only
the government. 1t is our clear duty to
care for our disabled soldiers with
out thought Of petty economy. This
Dr. Sawyer has failed to see"
Unless Gen. Sawyer can prove with
all speed" that the charges against
aside" tho Nashville Banner insists.
because there is very little reason
to think that he is at all capable OF
passing upon any matter which con-
Germs the welfare of war veterans
with crippled minds and the happiness
enough If all conditions arc made ex-
actly as they ought to be-" And the
Cleveland Plain Dealer suggests that
'it is not to be supposed that tnten-
tionally he would make inadequate
provision. His mistake Is rather Of
failure to comprehend the nature OF
the problem and the tremendous
changes that have been effected in
medical science during and since the
war. No one asks the co-ordtnator OF
the country's efforts In this direction
abandoning his policy of rehabilita-
medical men. But there will be no
satisfaction with q program that falls
short of that sanction, however great
the cost may be"
That the controversy Is somewhat
of tempest in a teapot" however,
Ia the opinion Of the Salt Lake City
|Deseret News, which believes that
''the soldiers, OF course. must not be
neglected.; they must have the alton
tion they require. At the Same time
IGen. Sawyer has the right idea con-
cernins the disposition Of public
of his stamp in Official positions the
soldiers would not only be taken care
Of, but there would be money In the
Treasury to meet other emergencies"
Tho Omaha world-Herald very
sharply objects to this reasoning or
soldiers. There are many ways In
which the government ought to effect
economies" it declares, but ono of
these is not in the care of the helpless
linen who were brought back from
the battlefelds Of France shattsred IN
jPost-Dispatch declares that "just as
economy was secondary in winning
| the war, so it Is secondary in caring
for the men who gave their health to
win it. Virtually every visitor to this
country has compared our treatment
/
treatment accorded those Of the debt
ridden countries of Europe, where the
number of dependents, moreover. ia
| far greater. Others, with less, have
done far better by their heroes. II
tGen. Sawyer cannot reconcile his
Marion ideas Of thrift with tho neces-
sity for haste in this matter. he would
better heed Col. SpraEue's admonition
"rhe location Of psychiatric hospi-
tails away from medical centers can
NOT be justified" the Chicago Tribune
points out. "Psychiatric treatment
needs all available science and this
can best be had in or near great medi-
cal centers. The legion is not acting
an impulse. Its demands are reasoned
and reasonable, and they should be
given heed at onee."
Tho protest was to have been ex-
pected, according to the Peoria Tran
script, because of the delay in getting
the hospitalisation work properly
started, and ''the truth or falsity OF
Sprasue's charges matter little. Nc
doubt they are m0tived. in part. by
the fact that Sprague. IS q veteran
cannot conceive Sawyer - under
etSnding tho veterans psychology, b
view of the fact that the general Ii