, 1922-07-25
ACCUSATIONS Of
LEGION HURLED
AT CEN. SAWYER
Of j. s. BOARD
Hardng's Physician Is
Arraigned for Block
ing Proper Care for
Shells shocked Vets

CHICAGO July 25.-By
The Associated Press.)-Coi.
A. A. Sprague, chairman of
the American Legion's nation
al rehabilitation committee, in
a letter to Brig. Gen. Charles
E. Sawyer. personal physician to
President Harding and chief ~coordina-
tor OF the federal oar or Hospital
ization. made public today charges that
General Sawyer is standing In the way
OF proper care for wounded and she'll
shocked veterans and holding up hos
pital plans voted by congress.
IT recognize the fact" Colonel
Sprague wrote to the presidents
physician. that before becoming chief
-c~oordinator of the federal board OF hos
pitalization you had no contact with
the men and women who were serving
in the army and a during the war
and no experience either in the field
or Z government service that would
give you a chance 20 really know
how men feel who lose their nerve,
their health and their minds Fl devo~
ton to duty, or how their families
look upon the men who went out in
the strength OF their youth to invest
their life in their nations service"
Appealing to General Sawyer to
stand aside Colonel Sprague said
''over $500 mental cases are still CON
fine in contract institutions and that
of the remaining s.TI5 victims of men,
tai disorders only $500 are in govern
ment institutions devoted entirely to
their care"
Quoting from a letter received from
General Sawyer. in which the chief
coordinator said II am convinced that
tho peak of disqualification has beer
passed" and hat the government had
sufficient beds. except in two districts.
Colonel Sprague replied:
at is almost unbelievable that. hav-
ing satisfied congress that these hos
pitfalls are needed and that they should
be built TO capacity. that we now have
TO reply to your statement tina they
are unnecessary.
THE reply of the American legion
IND every reai American is give these
men the best care that medical science
can provide In government institutions
maintained at the highest standard
of equipment and administration-nnd
near to their own homes 90 that, II
rehahilitated they can be returned to
civil life with greater ease, and II
doomed to disqualification they can be
nearest those whom they love best -
h controversy between General
Sawyer and the legion official is the
outgrowth OF a letter written by the
general. July IL, to Colonel Sprague
dealing with the legion,s demands for
hospital care OF the wounded. under
the Langley appropriation bill.
After discussing the possibility of
converting more wooden barracks at
Great Lakes nava training station 70
provide relief N this district. General
Sawyer wrote to Colonel Sprague:
Think this matter over. Look at
Il entirely IN an unbiased, unpretu.
diced spirit. you determination. your
enthusiasm and your interest"
Replying TO charges that he wa
"penurtous and nercenary." Genera
Sawyer said:
God forbid that a dollar should eve
be considered In comparison with the
results we are seeking for the world
war veterans, but at h same time lei
me say that it is our duty to oppose
wastefulness and senseless expenditure
wherever it is found possible to do so
Because we have money is ne
reason why we should waste 1t. BE
cause the Langley bill has given vi
these millions OF dollars. not manda
tory. thank Heaven, to use. let US b,
careful in the disposition of it"
To this Colonel Sprague replied:
IF there ever was n bill which car.
ried a moral mandate to the govern
ment it is the second Langley bill. TIL,
legion fought to have the none ap
propriated under the bill awarded Il
the veterans bureau. We won in thi,
fight. 1t was a fight against your ef
fort, against your appeal, to have thii
money awarded to the federal boart
OF disqualification Of which you ar
chief co-ordinator. We were ~disgustet
with the delays in the expenditure o
the former appropriation of SIS, 500 900
We did not want similar delays in tn