Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-04-30
WILL RUSH WORK ON
VETERANS HOSPITALS
Will Spend 100000 in
Construction Of Additional
Facilities.
NEED CONSIDERED INGENT
Sum OF S17,OO0.O0O Immediately
Available for buildings md New
Equipment for Men Suffering From
Tuberculosis and Mental Discusses.
CONSIDERED
INf.I;S'r
by John Glcissner.
fIk,. IT-t..l

WASHINGTON. April 2o.-Thc
government is prepared to rush work
on the construction OF hospitals for
cost of s35.600,Oo0.
The need for additional facilities
is considered so urgent that $1,000.
900 Of this sum. Just voted by Con-
grcss. IS Immediately available for
the use OF the Veterans bureau
Tho usual red tape, cstrictions and
delays surrounding government
building projects have been elimin-
ated. and tho money has been placed
unrescrvedly in the hands OF tho di-
rector of the bureau. 1t is his job to
get hospitals ana get them quickly
Congress found that divided au-
thor!ty in matters pertaining to hos
pitalization had caused delay In con-
nection with previous appropria-
lions. So. in the appropriation just
, made, full discretion and complete
authority were given 10 the Vet
Grams Bureau. subject only to sane
ton by the President.
Only One Hospital built.
The remainder of the sum to be
spent was voted nearly thirteen
months aGo-s1S.6e0,o 600. Congress
at that time sought speed by elimi-
mating some of the usual restrictions
accompanying building. by giving
the Secretary OF the Treasury broad
powers. He named commission to
pick sites and arrange for the build
ing. And after more than year.
according to Senator Fcrnald. OF
Maine, only one hospital has been
completed out OF this appropriation,
that at Fort Logan r. Root, In Ar
kansas. This hospital has 900 beds
for mental cases.
Work has commenced on mum
her of other projects, and extensions
have been made to some hospitals
already existing. But the major part
| OF the construction has not even be-
gun, after the lapse OF a year. II
was to avoid delays like this tina,
Congress. for tho first time in his
tory. departed from the customary
procedure and made one man, and
not the Treasury Department. re-
sponsible.
According to officials OF the Vet.
Grams Bureau, ample beds now are
available for all men requiring hos
pitalization. But that does not alter
the dire need for new pcrmane mt
pitfalls.
5000 EARNED Out.
Out of the 10000 men receiving
treatment OF one sort or another
some 5000 are Harmed out" Some
are In State hospitals and asylums:
! others are in private institutions
operated for profit. Some OF the hos
pitfalls arc antiQuated: others are fro
traps. The hope Is that all patients
can be speedily placed in the gov
crnments own institutions.
Particular criticism has been
aroused by the euro-psychiatric
cases. the veterans suffering from va
rious mental ailments. Hundreds OF
these are in asylums. where their
care amounts to detention. Treated
properly, many are durable. but un-
der existing conditions hundreds who
might have been restored are becom-
Ing permanently incapacitatcd.
Number Incrensing.
There are thousands OF ncuro-
psychiatrir cX-scrvire men who will
become hopelessly insane unless de-
quate hospital facilities are quickly
provided for their care" Senator
Walsh. of Massachusetts. told the
Senate. Many others are in the
early stages of tuberculosis, and in
dire need OF special hospital facili-
ties TO promote and hasten their re-
covery."
Aside from the immediate need for
additional hospitals. the number OF
veterans receiving care Is continual
ly increasing. The peak. It Is ex-
pected. Will not be reached until
1926. at which time specialists figure
3b,oOO men Will be in hospitals