The Washington times., 1922-08-20
VETERANSPUSH.
FIGHT 0CLEAR
BUREAU TANGLE
Washington Post Threatens to
Take Campaign for Reform
to New Orleans Convention.

toN0 Sot'PotkV I0t NotS'"
to New Orleans Convention.
The most potentially powerful
drive yet inaugurated for refor.
nation of the Veterans Bureau in
general. and in particular the Fourth
district. which includes Washington,
Is now under full swing.
Dissatisfied at the partial improve
ments resulting from successive Con-
gressional investigations, George
Washington Post, No. I. pioneer chap
Ter of the whole national American
Legion, Is directing the campaign,
and announces that unless reforms
are at once effective, the fight viii be
carried to the floor at the convention
at New Orleans In the fall.
For more than two months a spe.
cial committee Of the post has been
daily at work on the disqualification
program to find the merits OF the
controversy between General Sawyer
and Colonel Sprasue, OF Chicago,
the legion's national hospitaiization
chairman. This committee has had
series OF conferences with Col. c.
r. Forbes. director Of the bureau,
and General Sawyer and has made
inspections Of some Of the institutions
here.
In it's work the committee is said
to have the unqualified support OF
Colonel MacNider. national COM
mander, although other officials are
reported to have frowned on the idea,
believing 1t a national task. The
George Washington people. however,
have contended that as long as they
were the original subdivision ana
are on the scene they can do the
work more effectively themselves.
Speaking before a post meeting
during the week, Watson B. Miller,
district department commander OF
the legion contended a large proper
ton of the scheme Of rehabilitation
Is an utter failure. due to the fact
that former soldiers are in training
who are not making any effort to
improve themselves while the Gov
ernment Is paying vast sums for
their training and maintenance.
Supporters Of the George Wash
ington campaign insist this Ia further
evidence of the breakdown OF the
bureau here. in not properly follow
ing up the vocational training and
dropping from the extensive payrolls
the trainees, cited by Miller, who are
not sincerely pursuing their courses
in shops, schools and colleges In this
section.
The most startling OF the legion's
expose thus far was the demand by
the post this week Of an explanation
by Colonel Forbes Of why wives of
men employed in the bureau and
other Government departments are
holding lucrative positions under
him, while former service men. quail
fled for the work. are walking the
streets jobless.
II was made plain that the list of
women read in supporting the resolu-
ion was not complete, as II is claimed
there are scores of highly paid mar.
ried women in the central office here
as well as In the fourteen divisional
offices throughout the country. II
was further rumored there are
great number Of married women
working in the bureau who are still
listed BY their single names while
heir husbands also draw Government
pay.
A peculiar feature of this resolu.
ton was the fact that II was passed
unanimously, and among the more
than 1000 members Of the George
Washington Post are many en-
ployes and officials Of the bureau.
In passing this resolution the
pioneer post made II plain that un-
less Colonel Forbes took immediate
action to clear out the highly paid
married women, the fight would be
carried before the whole country
through the national convention.
Although there are already more
han $4,000 employees OF the bureau
II was pointed out that his num-
ber continues to increase and the
most not only wants married women
separated, but wants their highly
maid Jobs to 60 to men who were
in the military or naval service.
Two other matters that have been
brought to the attention OF the
legion here has been the agitation
for compelling the nurses In the
hospitals and the employees in the
hureau to address the disabled vet
Grams as Mister instead Of Smith"
or Jones" as at present prevails
and the separation Of the races in
the hospitals.
It is said there have been numcr.
GUS Misunderstanding because
the officials Of the district here have
persisted in placing whites and
blacks in the same hospitals.
A forerunner Of the present CRISIS
between the bureau and the legion
here came sometimes ago, when the
department frowned on employees uf
| the bureau being officials IN the
legion organizations.
Some time ago employees Of the
bureau organized the Lincoln Post
and elected Capt. A. z. Ham,
manager for this district, command.
er. The post then held a series Of
meetings at which bureau officials
told of the achievements Of the
agency having to do with the relief
OF the disabled. This aroused consid.
erable feeling and Commander Ham
recently quit his legion position.
Those who have followed the Open
ing Of the hattie. which the oldest
chapter in the national orga MIA zion
intends to pursue to the finish, are
watching the reaction on the other
posts Of Washington. II IL said a
number Of resolutions supporting the
fight against the married personnel
are being prepared and will be colt
sidered at forthcoming meetings.
Il