The New York herald., 1922-10-20
VETERANS DEMAND
SAWYER'S REMOVAL
Legion Makes Formal Call for
His Retirement From Hos
pital Board.
BACKED BY 601-375 VOTE
Deegan and 0wsley Chief Ri
walls for Commander at Elec-
ton To-day.
BACKED BY 6O1-375 VOTE

NEW ORLEANS. La, Oct. 10 ASSOCIATED
Press) The American Legion, after a
long business session in which a reso-
luton severely crlticizing Brig.-Gen.
Charles T. Sawyer was adopted over
the protest OF the legions hospitaliza-
tion commissioner, "A. A. Sprague of
Chicago, tonight entertained Gen. John
j. Pershing, head of the army in France.
and prepared for the election tomorrow
OF national officers.
OF the many candidates for national
commander William +. Deegan of New
York and Alvin NJ. Cwsley of Texas
stood forth most prominently. Both in
dorse the policy and the record of Han
ford MacNider, the present commander
A resolution demanding the removal
of Brig. Gen. Sawyer from the post OF
chief coordinator of the Federal Hospi-
talization Board was adopted by the
convention by a vote of COL to 375.
Col. Sprague. mentioned as candi-
date for National Commander. vainly
tried to stem the tide against Gen.
Sawyer. Col Sprague precipitated the
issue several weeks ago by bitter
attack on Gen. Sawyer. but pleaded to-
day that the convention give DR.. Saw
yer "a chance" on the strength of his
recent promise of cooperation with the
Legion's rehabilitation committee.
The suggestion by Delegate Bettman
of Ohio that Reputation of DR.. Saw
yer would hurt the cause OF the dis
abed veterans by making President
Harding "sore' was greeted with boots
and jeers. mingled with applause.
Text of Resolution.
Reputation of Dr. Sawyer came in
the form of an amendment to the re-
port of the rehabilitation committee,
This report was more conservative in
tone than had keen expected and car
ried the recommendations that the
American Legion accept for the time
being" the pledge of cooperation given
by Gen. Sawyer, "in the hope that it
will be carried out by him in spirit as
well as in the letter"
State Commander Baron of Minnesota
presented the substitute resolution at
tacking Gen. Sawyer and demanding his
removal.
1t follows in part:
Whereas, Although four years have
elapsed since the signing of the armistice
and vast sums have been appropriated
by Congress for the disqualification of
sick and disabled veterans suffering
without hospital care or in State or
contract hospitals or in unfit Govern
ment hospitals and
Whereas, in many cases more than
one year has elapsed between the date
of Congressional appropriation and the
selection of sites for new hospitals while
many of the men, for whom such hos-
pistals We're intended, have died for the
lack of proper treatment and.
Whereas, the director of the United
States Veterans Bureau has made COM
mendable efforts to get these hospitals
completed while there is yet hope of
saving many of the veterans in need
of them: and,
Whereas. Brig. Gen. Charles Il. Saw
yer has hampered the efforts of the
director of the Veterans Bureau to ac-
complish this result, and has repeatedly
made public statements which can only
be construed to mean that he is more
interested in economy than in saving the
lives of the men who gave their health
TO their country, and has
shown himself by speech and action 10
be temperamentally unfit for the position
which he holds and responsibilities
which he exercises, therefore. be it.
Resolved. that the American Legion
Of the United States OF. America in con-