The Washington herald., 1922-06-23
POOR TREATMENT
OF VETS ASSAILED
BIZ LEGION WRITER
Continued From Page One.


surance set forth his urgent needs
as 1928 more beds. There was
no action. .-
In January. 1921, the American
Legion. which was in the fight
from the start. published an ex-
pert opinion giving the need of
beds as 1890 more than the gov
eminent had available.
Thus warned and urged. Congress
appropriated s1S.600.o 900 to build hos
pitfalls. the money becoming available
March 4. 1921. and the building pro-
gram to care for $500 men was
launched.
No Progress Made.
Fifteen months have passed. and
instead of $500 beds, Veterans Blu
reau figures of May 25 show only $50
new beds. These are all in remodeled
structures or additions to previously
existing institutions, as no new hos
pitfalls have been completed. In parts
Of the country where the need is
greatest, sites have not even been Sc
lected.
This is the situation in June, 1929,
when by July 1 of this year every
hospital projected under the March 1.
1871, appropriation should be complet-
ed and occupied.
so great has been the failure Of
the Treasury Department. which was
entrusted with the location and con-
struction of these hospitals. that the
Veterans Bureau. backed by the
American Legion. succeeded in put
ting through Congress an additional
appropriation of s17,oO0.0o0.
of even greater Importance. the
tenacious attempts of the Treasury
Department and the Federal Board OF
Republication. headed by Brig. Gen.
Charles B. Sawyer, to control this
fund. have been defeated. as the bill
providing the appropriation stipulates
that the location and construction Of
the additional hospitals shall rest SOLE
iy with the Veterans Bureau.
White Heads Committee
White Heads Committee.
Or William Charles White, Of
Pittsburgh, was appointed head of
committee OF eminent experts in hos
pital planning and in a short time the
major disqualification program was
arranged.
However. the workings of this
program was impeded by pet hob
bies and sponsors of all sorts of
schemes. When the White commit
tee agreed on a project 1t would so
state In a letter to the Secretary of
of the Treasury. This statement
would go to Edward Clifford, Assis-
tant Secretary in charge of the
medical division. Then the letter
was passed on to the Secretary of
the Treasury, who "ok'd" 1T and
passed in on to the President.
while in the precincts of the
White House, the plan came within
puryiew of General Sawyer. who
was a civilian and a Marion. Ohio.
physician. prior to the time that
Mr.. Harding became President, and
Is now the Presidents constant
associate and is credited with WELD
ing considerable influence with the
Executive on all questions of the
care of disabled veterans.
Divergence of Opinion.
There is a wide divergence of
opinion entertained by the American
Legion and some of the country's
best known medical authorities as
compared with the views of General
Sawyer. Hence, General Sawyer
and the members and the united
associates of the White committee
were not at all time in accord.
Fro mthe hands of the President
and General Sawyer, authorization
to build hospitals went to the SUI
pervising architects of the Treas
ury, or in cases calling for enlarge
ment of these facilities. to the Board
of Managers of the National Homes
for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers
The writer then refers to the OBJ
jections launched when a hospital
for tubercular patients in the VI
entity of 'Vassar College was pro-
jected-the objections being made
by member of the United States
Congress. on the grounds that
the 1000 wealthy girls attend
ing the schoold would be In
convenienced by the proposed hos
"191S-i922. four
short years. but they span the gulf
between hero and an outcast, one
and the same man."
What has the man done?" is his
next question; to which he makes
the following answer: Nothing
much. only fought for his country;
got his lungs burned out by Ger