The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1922-08-15
No Change FOR
HOSPITAL Plans
in This STATE
Fell Asserts GOV ern ment
Would Treat Both Whites
and Black Patients, But
Races to be Divided.

declaring lnat ne nuU peen HilsQuol'u
in the Ardmoreite of last Sunday Har-
old b. Fell. chairman of the Soldiers
Relief commission, Tuesday morning
gave out personal statement in which
he asserted that should the govern
ment take over the Oklahoma Men,
orial hospital it would be used for both
white and negro patients. but that the
races would be segregated, the same az
in other general hospitals for soldiers.
Following is the statement in full,
which was signed by Mr.. Fell
His Statement.
''In reading a news article on page
one of the Daily Ardmoreite of sunday,
August 18th, headed Whites ana
and Blacks May Mix at State Hospital
| was greatly surprised to find myself
misquoted. The heading OF this article
conveys the impression that a certain
action is contemplated. From reading
the Washington dispatch quoted in the
article, l cannot see from this dispatch
that the action referred to was con-
templated | can see how, through
reading this article. the negro ex-service
men might readily feel that an injustice
was contemplated against the mem.
bers of their race who were suffering
from disease and disabilities incurred
in the service of our country. Since
this article has been published and does
not, to my mind, properly convey the
thought as to what is contemplated OF
desired, ! feel that | should definitely
state such information as ! have rela-
tive to the matter and what action I
have taken.
Is Personal Statement
81 wish II fully understood that this
is not a statement from the Soldiers
Relief commission, as the commission
has no official information on the sub.
ject. but from me personally.
"On Friday. August llth, Mr. Lydig,
secretary of the Muskogee Chamber OF
Commerce telephoned me that the news.
papers there had received an Associat
ed Press dispatch from Washington
to the effect that a high government
official had stated that the veterans
bureau was going to use the Muskogee
hospital exclusively for negroes. The
appropriation for this hospital was
secured from the last state legislature
through the efforts OF the American
legion in order that as many Oklahoma
ex'service men as possible could be
hospltalized in Oklahoma
Injustice TO Men.
"If the veterans bureau used the Mus
kogee hospital solely for negroes II
would mean that a very large percent
age Of Oklahoma ex-service men would
still be in hospitals outside OF the state
while negro ex.service men from other
states would be in our Oklahoma hos.
pital. / felt most strongly that this
would be an injustice 10 the Oklahoma
men in hospitals outside of the state
who are begging TO be brought back
To Oklahoma. In view Of this fact | inn
med.ately wired Senator Harred and
Col. 7. II. Scott OF the veterans bureau
protesting against this action and re.
quested them TO investigate the matter
and II they found this action contemp.
lated TO use every effort to block IT,
"On Saturday, August l4th, a repre-
sentative OF the Ardmoreite called me
relative TO this matter and l told him
there was nothing official on the sub
ject, but that | had wired protests a
gainst the institution exclusively for
negroes The representative of the
Ardmoreite must have misunderstood
me AS the article published in the IA.
per quoted me as protesting against
something entirely different
THE first paragraph in the body Of
the newspaper article referred 10 is
under a Washington dating and mere
ly states that the government will pro
badly treat both white and negro SICK
and disabled ex-scrvice persons at the
Muskogee hospital the same as they
do al all government hospitals.
Nothing New in Policy.
"A wire which received from WASH.
ington yesterday states that any ex
service person regardless OF color VIII
OF course, be admitted. The wire also
states that in existing hospitals the
patients are segregated according TO
race and that this policy is always
followed. There Is absolutely nothing
new In this policy and il has always
been understood that all sick and dis
abled eN-service persons. irrespective
ot color. religion. political belief or
other conditions. would receive the very
best hospital care and attention thai
can be given them. White and negro
eS-servico persons are now being treat.
ed at the University hospital in Okla.
homa city and always have been since
the hospital has been used as a con.
tract hospital by the federal govern.
ment; the patients. Of course, being
segregated according to race
81 firmly believe that every ex.ser.
vice person, who is suffering from dis.