The Washington times., 1922-09-22
Vets ARE
KEPT IDLE,
THEY SAY.
Two Posts Already on Record
and Matter Will Go Be-
fore Convention.

The aggravating question of
whether married women should
hold jobs in the Government de-
partments is going to be reopen
ed by the American Legion here
and a finish fight is promised.
Two posts, made up largely of
Government employees, have this
week passed resolutions, calling
on the Administration to see to
1t that married women holding
Government jobs where they are
= net dependent on them for a
livelihood, be removed in favor
OF ex-service men.
State Convention To Act.
These posts, the George Wash
tngton Post and Sergeant Jasper
Post are supported by other posts
IN the District. and when the State
convention of the legion is held Sep
tember - 2S, this will be one of the
Nvest questions before 1t.
Because most of our members
are employed in the Government de-
partments we are not at liberty to
discuss this question publicly" said
one officer of George Washington
Post today. But, because we are
In the departments, we know better
than any others that hundreds of
married women are holding jobs that
could be filled by sx-service men.
1T has been given out by the
Veterans Bureau that ex-service
men could not do the work as we'll
as these married women. / know
dozens of them here who are entitled
TO promotions, but are being held
back because their promotion would
mean displacing married women who
do not actually need the work.
Should these promotions be made,
II would make vacancies for a large
number Of ex-service men who are
out OF work, but who would make
valuable members of the bureau
staff. ,
Legislative Group Named.
I'VE gave Congress an opportunity
to do something substantial for the
ex-service man." said William f.
Franklin, commander of the Vincent
b. Costello Post. Nothing was
done. Very well, now we are at
liberty to make other demands.
The American Legion in the
District of Columbia has never made
q formal request of Congress for
anything. We will, at the State
convention, next week, take up the
matter of creating a legion COM
mittee to devote most Of its time
to telling Congress some of the
things the $4,000 ex-service men of
the District want.
"A legislative committee in New
York got twenty-five bills through
the State legislature affecting
former service men.
Some Of the things we will de-
mand is jobs in the Government
departments for former service
men. 1t will be necessary to re-
move many married women, but
in a great number of cases we
know that they do not need the
Jobs, while we have many worthy
men here who cannot get work of
any kind. Some of them are quail
fled to hold some of the most i'm
portant positions the departments
have to offer here"
To Back Bursom Bill.
The legion here will probably get
behind the Bursom bill, introduced
In the House yesterday which,
among other things, would provide
iOT repayment 10 eX-SOldlerS the
premiums they paid into the War
Risk Insurance Bureau before they
permitted their insurance to lapse
More than $340, 900. 900 is the record
up to the present time in lapsed
policies and more are lapsing daily.
The original 4.310, 900 policies has
dwindled to $4,000.
The problem Of placing ex.service
men In jobs here is becoming more
complex daily, due to the fact that
men coming here from all parts of
the country to seek adjustment of
claims by the Veterans Bureau are
unable to return to their homes, thus
becoming charges of the local legion
posts
The legion records show that so
per cent of the cases of men out of
work here are from other States
while only Is per cent are eX-service
men Of the District.
To BE Made an Issue.
When the legion holds its State
convention next week, some definite,
workable plan for putting eX-service
men into Government jobs, where
the legion claims they rightfully be-
long, will be mapped out and sub
mitted to the White House.
1t is also planned to take up the
question with the national body,
since most of the cases, 1t is claimed
should be handled by that body and
not by the local State body.