The Washington herald., 1922-06-16
The Bureau and the Legion.


under way world societies watched and
waited hoping for better things. Now regional
offices and subofices have been established through
out the country. Theoretically, at least, the old
system has been discontinued
But is the plan affording any better salts
faction than the old? 1t is, according to Col
Forbes, his votaries and his press agents 1t is no
according to members of Congress who saw active
service in the world war. officials of the American
Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars and hun
dreds of former soldiers and sailors who must do
business with the organization.
1t is only fair to Mr. Forbes and his assistants
to admit that small number of difficulties were
encountered in the work OF decentralization. The
movement was opposed bitterly BY employees who
resented leaving comfortable homes in Washington
for the less desirable surroundings Of other Amer-
can cities. Just national officials Of the
American Legion are investigating claims that some
OF these workers deliberately sent records astray
in order to hinder the work. Certainly heads Of
district offices have encountered all sorts of trouble
because of misplaced papers.
But the American Legion has built up a case
against the Bureau which is based only on ascer-
tanned facts, officers say For the past two months
the investigation has been under way. The first of
series of articles by Marquis James is published
in tie v-""tv magazine OF the organization today
and will be followed by ten others. Mr.. James
will follow If that is fact the Veterans Bureau
needs housekeeping at once. The American
people will demand that the old scandalous neffi-
cheney which has afflicted the Organization from
the start be ended
Mr.. James Investigations were undertaken with
the sanction and assistance of the national legis-
lati"" committee of the legion, which has offices
in Washington.
The legion places scant blame on Col Forbes
because it realizes the difficulties he has encoun-
cred 1t offers him support in putting an end to
disgusting conditions.
Most of what the public and the veterans have
been permitted to read OF the bureau" says Mr..
James, "has from the bureaus publicity Office
in Washington. 1t is to be regretted that these
utterances frequently have been misleading. Just
now the bureau is spending S52S,6ooooo year, and
the Presidents signature to the Langley bill
increases this total to $545, 5,6ooooo as much as it
cost to the whole government IS years ago.
We hear that 10000 in hospitals, and that
100000 are taking up vocational training. The
inference is that all is lovely. This inference is
false. Thirty thousand men in hospitals means little
unless we know they in fit hospitals and that
there others not in hospitals who should be
there. We know the. contrary OF this to be true.
One hundred and nine thousand in vocational
training is significant only if these men are getting
training which will enable them to come back to
your town and mine and living Such is
not the So much for figures as instruments
OF propaganda. Though the government is SPEND
ing than half billion dollars annually the
disabled veterans do not get benefits in any way
commensurate with that vast outlay. Between the
taxpayer who gives and the veteran who receives
intervenes the old familiar bucket brigade-incom-
petence, jealousy, mismanagement, greed waste,
extravaganSe and shortsightedness. OF the golden
stream Uncle Sam pours forth, far too few drops
reach the ultimate beneficiary, the disabled service
The sinister figure of politics, in its worst
manifestation that of the spokesman turks in ante
and dark corners. Literally thousands of
appointments made within the Bureau. What
plum crop! Before it pipped its shell the new
bureau felt the hypnotic influence of political pres
sure and political interference.
at seems unthinkable that politics and private
greed could delay for a year the location of hos
ptals while men who have fought the country's
battles dying and going insane for the need of
those hospitals But this is the case. Site on site
has been chosen, agreed upon by eminent experts,
only to be abandoned in the face of objections aris-
ing from politics selfishness or both There was
the millionaire who knew Secretary Mellon. He
didn't want a soldiers hospital his country
estate and he had his way. An exclusive young
ladies' college viewed with repugnance the same
thought; another rich man saw influential Con-
Rressman: rival chambers of commerce created a
Sargasso Sea which impeded all progress. These
incidents seem unthinkabe, but they are true.
These only few of the factors which brought
about the failure OF the hospital building program
inspired by Commander Galbraith and for which
SISooo,ooo was appropriated fifteen months ago.
Vocational training is only 70 per cent eff
cient by Mr.. Forbes own admission. The direc-
tor speaks conservatively. The present vocational
training situation is doing large part of those
100000 students good, but positive harm"
If these be facts then it behooves Colonel
Forbes to act Immediately to put his house in
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