The New York herald., 1922-04-09

FOX Hills PREFERRED
TOCHARITY HOSPITAL
Manned Veterans Object to
Transfer to Sea View,
Staten Island.
FEEL PAUPER STIGMA
tuberculosis Victims May
Go Upstate Through
Plea to Harding.
OBSTACLES POINTED OUT
Attempt to Get Aid for Heroes
in Washington Is Like on
OBSTACLES POINTED OUT
Attempt to Get Aid for Heroes
in Washington Is Like on
Merry-Go-R Round.

wretched as the Fox Hills Hospital
has proved to be-so wretched that the
Government is now closing 1.-THE
tubercular veterans OF the world war
would rather stay there, pending a real
solution OF their difficulties, than be
transferred to the city's Sea View
hospital at New Dorp, Staten Island
Mrs. Charles II. Patterson so re-
ported yesterday after passing several
hours with the patients at Fox Hills.
To a man, she said, the veterans who
We're able to talk at all protested
against removal to Sea View. They
call 1t a charity institution, feel that it
casts on them the stigma of a pauper
them are New York men, and they
want to get away from the city and
the sea level to a place where they
can get mountain air and treatment in
a sanitarium or hospital maintained by
the Government solely for those who
have served the Government. Yet
they want to be near enough to New
York for their relatives to visit them.
Recently Mrs. Patterson took to Presi-
dent Harding a petition from 900 Fox
Hills patients requesting that they be
sent either to Liberty in Sullivan county
or to the Adirondacks. The President
is giving the matter his earnest atten-
tion. But meanwhile the removals from
Fox Hills have continued, the patients
receiving their choice Of going to
sanitarium in q distant State or TO Sea
View, or Mrs. Patterson says, of being
discharged from the service. A number
OF them, she says. although badly in
need of treatment, nave asked for their
discharge.
Work Done by Mrs. Patterson.
Mrs. Patterson has been active In
welfare work for soldiers from the mo-
ment America entered the war. For
many months she gave all Ter time to
tuberculosis ~anitarium at Otisville.
y. Y. She opened her house to the men
going overseas and to the sick and
wounded coming back. At her home in
the country she has had rany tuber-
cular men.
I'VE have seen what sunshine, happy
surroundings and good fooo will do,
she said yesterday. 1--WE have seen men
come from the very shadow of death back
to useful life. The care OF tuberculosis
Is not merely medical Fresh, dry air
pure. nourishing good: rest. physical
and mental and happiness are the most
essential things in the arrcsting of the
diease.
These men at Fox Hills have had
only one of these essentials-rest. And
not always that, for in crowded wards,
where men are coughing incessantly,
there can be no real rest. Fox Hills is
now closing by order OF the director OF
thc Veterans Bureau tCol. Charles r.
Torbes) The American Legion and the
women who have worked steadily and
earnestly arc at last to be freed from
this constant source of anxiety but
there is no really peoper place in which
TO put the men.
"a year ago Congress appropriated
sls.600.0O0 for hospitals throughout the
country, of which 81 900 900 was set aside
by the Treasury Department for a tu-
hercuosis hospital in New York STATE.
A committee headed by DR.. William G.
White was appointed to select the sites.
but a location i'm our state has not vet
been found. Therefore the director of
the Veterans Bureau has had TO peddle
out our ex-service men to various in
stitutlons. Tubercular patients who do
not wish to leave the State because OF
family ties are to be sent to Sea View.
so tho director says.
Mems Objections to Sea view.
Sea View Is a city charity institu-
t'on. The American Legion has found
there Is ample accommodation for the
anlbulatory cases--that Is IRE men who
are not too i'll to waikiki, the Adiron-
dacks and at Liberty. the two known
curative resorts in New York State The
Director of the Veterans Bureau has
had great pressure brought to bear upon
him by the American Legion and the
women who are working for the vet
erare' welfare. He declines 20 send the
men to the Adirondacks and to Liberty
on the ground that there they would
not have proper Government disciplinary
supervision. because there are not places
for them in a saritarium. but in groups
Of cottages close together.
we ash the Government to take over
these cottages or a small hotel II need
be. send efficient doctors and place tho
men there pending tho building OF
Government hospital. which should have
been erected long ago.
This winter my work for the soldiers
has been in Washington. There Is In
that city a game which I will call Find
the Responsible Party The PLAYER
starts wherever he will--at the Veterans
Bureau, or Congress, or tho Treasury
Department. or the White committee, or
the Public Health Service. The starting
point doesn't matter He will 20 the
same rounds on a circular track wher-
ever no starts. When he has returned
to the starting point he viii know more
than he did before perhaps--but he Is
generally too dizzy TO focus his lSnowi-
edge. II would be an amusing game
were not human comfort and life In
volved--the comfort and life OF our dis
abled veterans.
Mrs. Patterson's Conclusions.
After winter of playing this game
] have come to some conclusions. OF
~hich these are two:
~Bfrst. that the Veterans Bureau
should control the funds now In the
hands of the Treasury. as under the
Sweet bill tho director of this bureau
Ia held responsible for the hospitaliza-
tion and medical care OF the men, and
II would centralize responsibility.
Second, that the man at the head of
tho Veterans Bureau should be an ex-
ceptionally big man. II Is one OF the
biggest Jobs. If not the biggest. In the
Government service. The director should
have tremendous executive ability. COM