Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-07-26
CHARGES SAWYER
IS HOLDING UP
HOSPITAL PLANS
Presidents Personal Physic-
ian Also Stands in the
Way of Proper Care for
Vets, Says Sprague.
tBy The Associated Press. }

chicago, July Ebs Wy lilV ASSN
ciated Press Colonel A. A.
Sprague, chairman of the Ameri-
can Legion's national rehabilita-
ton committee, in a letter to Bri-
gadier General Charles Il. Sawyer,
personal physician to President
Harding and chief -ordinator of
the federal board Of hospitaliza-
ton, made public today charges
General Sawyer is standing in he
way of proper care for wounded
and shell shocked veterans and
holding up hospital plans voted by
congress.
"I recognize the fact" Col.
Sprague wrote to the presidents
physician, that before becoming
chief co-ordinator of tho federal
board Of disqualification, you had
no contact with the mon and wo-
men who were serving in the army
and navy during the war and no
experience either in the field or in
government service that would
give you n chance to really know
how men feel who lose their nerve.
their health and their minds in de-
votion to duty or how their fami-
lies look upon these men who went
out in the strength of their youth
to invest their life in their nations
service"
Asked to "Stand Aside.'
Appealing to General Sawyer to
stand aside" Col Sprague said:
"Over $500 mental cases are still
confined in contract institutions
and that of the remaining ATS
victims of mental disorders only
$500 are in government institu-
tions devoted entirely to their
care"
Quoting from a letter received
from General Sawyer, in which
the chief co-ordinator said: 81 am
convinced that the peak of hos
pitalization has been passed" and
that the government had sufficient
beds, except in two districts, Col.
Sprague replied:
at is almost unbelievable that,
having satisfied congress that
these hospitals are needed and
that they should be built to capac-
ity that we now have to reply to
your statement that they are I'M
necessary.
THE reply OF the American Le-
gion and every real American is
give these men the best care that
medical science can provide In
government institutions maintain
ed at the highest standard of
equipment and administration
and near to their own homes so
that, II rehabilitated they can be
returned to civil life with greater
ease, and II doomed to hospitaliza-
ton they can be nearest those
whom they love best"
The controversy between Gen.
eral Sawyer and the legion official
Is the outgrowth of a letter written
by the general July 10 to Col.
Sprague dealing with the legion's
demands for hospital care of the
wounded, under the Langley ap-
preparation bill.
After discussing the possibility
OF converting more wooden bar
racks at Great Lakes naval train
ing station to provide relief in his
district, General Sawyer wrote to
Col. Sprague:
think this matter over. Look
at it entirely in an unbiased, I'M
prejudiced way. I do not mean
under any condition to be offens-
i've to you. like your spirit. your
determination, your enthusiasm
and your Interest"
Replying to charges that he was
"penurious and mercenary," Gem
eral Sawyer said:
God forbid that q dollar should
ever be considered in comparison
with the results we are seeking for
the world war veteran, but at the
same time let me say that 1t is our
duty to oppose wastefulness and
senseless expenditure wherever il
is found possible to do so.
Because we have money Is no
reason why we should waste it. Be-
cause the Langley bill has given
us these millions of dollars. not
mandatory, thank Heaven, to use,
let us be careful in the disposition
of it,"
IF there ever was n bill which
carried moral mandate to the
government it is the second Lang
ley bill. The legion fought to have
the money appropriated under this
bill awarded to the Veterans Bu-
reau. We won in this fight. 1t
was a fight against your effort,
against your appeal, to have this
money awarded to the federal
board of disqualification of which
you are chief co-ordinator. We
were disguised with the delays in
the expenditure of the former ap-
preparation of s1S,600. 1000. We did
not want similar delays in the ex-
penditure of this new appropria-
ton"
This program is now being cur
tailed and delayed. The beds for
nervous and mental patients have
already been reduced 1870 from
the $500 beds to be provided by
that program"