New-York tribune., 1922-03-12
Patients at Fox
Hills DenOu1lce
Removal Plan
Glow Can Our Folks Come
TO Sec Us if We Should
BE Sent to California;"
They Query Col. Forbes
Official Urges Patience
More Than Half Provided
For in Metropolitan Dis.
trict and Others Later

A majority of the 856 wounded vet
Grams receiving treatment in the United
States Hospital at Fox Hills, Staten
Island, expressed dissatisfaction at
meeting yesterday over tho order clos
ing the hospital and shifting the pa
tients to hospitals in Distant parts of
the country.
Colonel Charles Forbes, head Of the
veterans bureau at Washington, was at
the meeting to confirm the order and
to tell the veterans that there was no
appeal. This news was met by long
groan from the assembled patients,
MANY of whom were carried into the
hall on invalid chairs.
A vote, conducted by Colonel Forbes
at the conclusion of his talk, left no
doubt that the men themselves feel
strongly about the closing of the hos
pital. The majority of the patients
have their homes in New York aud
New Jersey. Several interrupted
Colonel Forbes's address to ask him
"What chance fellow had whose folks
were in Brooklyn Of having his folks
call on him if he was sent to Cali
California ~
More Than Half Provided For
Colonel Forbes answered that every
effort was being made to get beds in
hospitals in the metropolitan district
for such men. He said that so far
accomm odations for more than half Of
the patients now in Fox Hills had been
found in institutions in and near New
York city.
Bellevue Hospital, he said. would
take care Of $50 patients and 200 would
be sent to tn Naval Hospital in Brook
lyn He said that by April l he hoped
the remainder of the men who had
made application for transfer TO local
hospitals would be able to receive
treatment at the new veterans hospital
TO be opened in the Bronx.
How many Of YOU" Colonel Forbes
asked, "would prefer to be sent TO
California.
Thirtyfive affirmative answers were
counted.
"To the army hospital at Denver?"
Two men said that they were willing
to be sent there.
"To North Carolina ?"
There were no answers.
"Now, how many men feel that they
should be transferred to hospitals in
the metropolitan district?' the head
of the Veterans Bureau asked.
A totai of o75 men answered, some
by the raising OF hands, few by
standing, a majority BY shouting 'I"
and "Me"
Forbes Counsels Patience
Colonel Forbes then reiterated his
plea to the men to be patient lie said
that plans were being made for the
erection Of large hospital at Rhine
beck-on-the Hudson. This institution,
he explained. would not be finished for
more than a year. He promised, how
ever, that if any men were transferred
to distant hospitals at this time who
felt when this hospital was opened that
they still wished to be near New York
they should be transferred back
He then told the men what was being
done with the $2l 100000 appropriation
made by Congress for the welfare of
the wounded veterans
Throughout his address Colonel
Forbes stressed the point that any ar
rangements effected at this time must
be considered by the mon as merely
temporary. He spoke of the great
problems facing the Veterans Bureau
and urged the men to be patient with
their lot, declaring that final adjust
ments would find them in as good if