The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-06-05
EX-SOLDIERS MEET
MANY CASUALTIES
Average of Two Ex-Soldier
Suicides a Day, Legion
Official Reports i
NEARLY ALL IN
FIGHTS IN FRANCE
Insufficient Hospitals For Care of Mental
Diseased-LegiOn To Ask That Cases
Developing Within Five Years After
War BE Given Care.

War he GIVEN Sare'
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, June 5.-The
worst casualties suffered by American
soldiers during the World war are just
beginning to show themselves. BY CON
trast troops wounded on the battle fields
are lucky compared with the greatly in
creased casualties of today, according to
II. Harris, an official of the American
Iegion's national headquarters here, in
charge of ex-soldier claims against the
government. l
There is an average of two eX-soldier
suicides day, Mr. Harris declares fol-
lowing a study of reports. These men,
Mr.. Harris finds, almost without eXcep-
ton were in the battle lines in France
These soldiers, the legion official con
tends. were discharged by army doctors
as normal. Since the war; however,
these men. struggling for living, have
undergone mental anguish that their war
racked nerves could not withstand.
Legion Plans Relief.
There are two ways in which the
| legion hopes to minister to these mental
cases and to prevent their increase, Mr..
Harris points out The LangIy bill, now
| law, provides $17,000,000 for the con-
struction OF new hospitals. The larger
portion of this money is to be spent in
| creating facilities for treating the neuro-
psychiatrics, mental patients. The
legion is also preparing TO petition con-
greSS to liheraliZe the present Sweet
bill. This bill now makes it impossible
for an ex-soldier to obtain government
treatment for war injuries which show
up more than two years after discharge
| from service. The legion contends that
| il might en- silly be five years after dis
charge before injurious physical and men
| tai effects of his service would appear.
Mr.. Harris further charges that the
United States veterans bureau, in charge
of the treatment and rehabilitation o.
| the World wars disabled. is in error con-
| corning the gravity of the neurO-psy-
chatric sufferers. 4 recent veterans bu-
reau report shows that the bureaus total
| capacity for treatment of neurO-pSychiat-
ric cases is 6,099 beds. Mr.. Harris says
| he has reports from legion liaisOn repre-
sentatives in each of the bureaus Il re
gional districts to show that in four of
| the ii districts alone there are 24.506
| mental cases on record. These four dis
! tricts include West Virginia, District of
| Columbia, Virginia, Tennessee, North
| Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland,
| Florida. Georgia, Nebraska, Iowa, Kan
| sas, Missouri. Washington, Oregon, and
| Idaho. OF the number 2119 are being
| treated in government hospitals and 99B
| in contract institutions.
! Wants Aid of Public.
| The veterans bureau reports but 4.62S
| service men in the entire United States
undergoing treatment for mental disorder
! in government institutions.
The legion is asking the cooperation
of the public in its efforts properly to
protect pOst-bellum shell-shock cases. Mr..
| Harris says that friends and relatives
| should be quick to report an ex-sQldier
| VINO shows signs of mental disorder, and
to induce him to submit to an examina-
! ton and treatment.