The Washington times., 1922-09-24
CONVENTION TO
PROBE CHARGES
Of MANY BEING
DRIVEN INSANE
Care Of Men Whose Cases Arc
Not Covered by Law Also
To Be Taken Up.
CHARITY HERE is STRAINED
Posts Flooded by Vets of Other
States-Many Pathetic
Instances Recalled.


The question of what to do
with the world-war veteran out
of job and how to handle the
cases of men who suffered physi-
cal disabilities during the war is
a more complex one today than
at any time since the end of the
struggle, in the opinion of Amer
lean Legion men here.
These questions are to come
before the state department of
the American Legion at its an
rual convention Wednesday and
Thursday. and the most impor-
liant sessions that body has had
are looked for by Watson B.
Miller. department commander.
Families Became Involved.
At the close OF the war the :agion
posts had only the eX.@ervice
man to deal with Since the war
hundreds Of ex-service men have
married. Today the problem is not
confined to the man alone, but now
involves the care OF a wife and one
or Two children.
The Government. after fash.
ion, made provisions for the man
who suffered injury in active serv.
ice, but no provision has been made
Tor the man who is now suffering
from disease which showed up after
thirty-two months time limit in
which a man may claim Compensa.
ton.
The legion posts here viii urg
Congress to extend the limit 10
five years after discharge in which
an ex-service man may claim COM
pensation for injury due to service.
Scores OF Pitiable Cases.
Last week a man was discharged
from Walter Reed Hospital and
record was made of active tuber.
culosis not due to service" Since
the war he had married and had
two children.
There is no provision for such
q case and there are scores of them
In the District of Columbia.
The District department of the
legion will take up at the annual
convention this week the charges
Of Vincent c. Costello Post that:
MANY sane eX-service men. in
need of disqualification for other
conditions, are being sent TO insti-
tutions for the care of the mentally
diseased because they are too aE-
gressive in the prosecution of their
claims"
The above charge is contained
I'm resolutions passed by the post
and was prepared by a physician
connected with the Public Health
Service.
1t is further charged that the
disability Of many sane ex.serTice
men has been materially aggra.
waited by improper disqualification
or other forms of treatment"
"Shanghaied" Is Charge.
In effect. 1t is charged ny the
legion that certain Government of.
ficials whose duty it is to handle
the claims o eY.serviCe men lie.
come irritateG by the insistence OF
the service men and have them
"shanghaied' to insane aSylums.
where assoCta ton with insane men
makes lInatiCs of them.
The legion convention this week
will call on the Veterans Bureau Ia
explain why 934 cX.service men are
confined in st. Elizabeth's Hospital
They believe that an investigation
Will show that many of them are
on.y slightly deranged and are grow.
ing worse because of being forced
to remain in. that institution.
Sent Back 10 Shack.
An ex-service man, drawing so
nar month, was examined at a Public
Health Service clinic here last week
and, according to the physician IN
charge. was 80 per cent mental"
81 could send him to ~. El'zabeths S
but he would SoOn DC n raving luna
tic" the physician said. I'VE have
no institution for the proper hand
ling Of such cases. The soldier was
sent back to his home, a little shack
across the river.
Since the war this soldier has mar
ricd and his wife and baby are oil
most on the point of starvation. Tie
soldier is suffering from hysteria.
From all the States eX.serviCe men
mentally deranged due to service. az
coming TO Washington each week tC
lay their claims before the Veterans
Bureau.
When told their cases do not come
under any existing law, they become
excited, make threats and grow hys
terical. They are put out of the
place. They appeal to the Legion
The question agitating the Legion
Is: what are we going to do wi;h
such men?"
Legion leaders will ask the con
vention to approve resolution
that asks Congress to give ths
Veterans Bureau broad discretion
ary powers as already enjoyed b,
the Civil Service Commission: &c
create a commission Of broad. lib
eral minded men TO administer IN,
affairs OF the bureau without re
gard to politics or hair-splitting: IL
effect. to give that body plenarI
powers.
At the present time, IL 4.
claimed, the bureau is restricted
by so many laws OF Congress that
IL virtually defeats the purpose,
for which II was created.