Arizona republican., 1922-01-27
ORDER WAR RISK
MEN At ONCE To
u. 6. HOSPITALS
All Ex-Service Men To Be
Out of Contract Hospit-
ais In 90 Days -Indigna-
ton Meetings Are Held

War risk patients in contract hos
pitfalls in Phoenix will all be affected
by the order received Wednesday at
the Veterans Bureau that all such
patients be removed to government
hospitals, movement to start at once
and to be completed within 90 days.
This order came like a bolt from
clear sky to the owners of contract
hospitals and to patients alike, caus-
ing CONSERVATION among the owners
and indignation among the patients.
A petition was Immediately started
by the war risk patients in the Phoe-
nix Sanitarium which was largely
signed by war veterans, endorsed by
the local organization of disabled war
veterans, the Disabled Veterans of
the World War and by the American
Legion, which will be forwarded to
senators and representatives at
Washington.
This petition states that many OF
the patients have been in other and
numerous health sanitariums in other
parts of the country and find that
they are better satisfied and that
their health is improving more quick
ly here than any other place they
have been.
An indignation meeting was held
y
day morning where the best means
of stopping this legislation were dis
cussed, and it was finally decided
that a telegram should be sent to
washington by Alexander M. Tuthill,
local commander OF the American
Legion. James d. Sellers, Andrew
O'Reardon and DIR. George II. Wood
all attended this meeting in the in
terests of the war risk patients
In Three Hospitals 155
The Phoenix sanatorium houses 100
of the tubercular cases, the St. |
Luke's hospital 25 and st. Joseohs |
hospital 80. Many of these are bed |
patients, and the change from the !
warm dry air of Arizona to the damp |
foggy climate now prevailing at |
Camp Keaney would work untold |
harm to everyone of them. according /
to Dr. Woodall. Many of them have |
brought their families to Phoenix at |
great expense and sacrifice. Some of
them have bought homes in the city,
while others have taken over home
steads or filed on desert claims, and /
these boys will now have to sacrifice
the money they have paid out of their
allotment for this prop
erty. Every one of these boys will
have to be out of the contract hos
pital within 80 days, as the govern
ment intends to maintain only 10 beds
in the city, and those at St. Joseph's
hospital.
1t has been represented that these
boys cannot improve in the Arizona
climate on account of the hot sum-
ners, yet in every case which has
come under the attention of DIR.
Woodall the patients remaining here
40 rfrv, la I
better condition when autumn came
han those who had gone out of the
heat.
Beside the injustice which this rul-
ng will work on the boys the city
Of Phoenix will suffer to the loss
1f some 100000 which is the amount
DR.. Woodall figures is spent in this
,ity by and for war risk patients
Many of the men draw 500 a month
from the government
n addition to their disqualification,
md practically every cent Of this
money is spent in Phoenix.
Says This Climate Best
1.-THE climate of the Salt River val
ey has been represented in some
quarters as being unbeneficial TO
hese men," said Dr. Woodall. Now.
eaving my own personal feeling In
ms matter entlfely ASIDE, ana speak
ng for the great good of the men,
would say that no climate in the
country is so truly beneficial as this
Let the government take the boys out
II the contract hospitals If 1t wants,
tut let it buy or lease one right here
n this valley in which these men |
nay have their fighting chance to
ret we'll. t
IF the order is put into effect, 6
ully so per cent of the men in the
Phoenix sanitarium will remain there t
t their own expense. | have agreed o
o keep them there at just what it
osts me to feed and house them s
nd intend to give them the same v
are under their own expense that I il
ave given under the government
think it is a serious mistake for v
hose in power TO arbitrarily wipe 4
he Salt River valley off the map, c
nd that the step should be recon t
idered." t