New Britain herald., 1922-01-13
F.S. AUTHENTICATE
 HAS EXPLANATION
ccontiuued From Preceding Page,

(continued From Preceding page) work steadily grew and for many months one assistant and l conducted the central office along developing our organization among the poHts and our policies, and performing also the du- ties of treasurer for the Legion For nine months no rent was ever asked of the state or paid, none was ever asked of the Legion; no furniture cN- cept flc purchased as we used mine, The committees around the state used their own offices of the posts faeili- ties--thcy gave their time and serv- ices generously, The growth in the work has been enormous, the care given requiring many and incessant activities, All kinds of cases arc handled including tuberculosis and mental oncs disabilities of all kinds, widows and children and the aged and derendants of many sorts, An arc handled as individuals and help is prompt. No one is q number" or q file of papers, to us but always Il comrade or his dcpe"arnts in need. Each case must be studied and the right course thought out. Money does not do it all. Morale is often gone along with hope We cncour- age, we hospitalize we find employ ment
 50O-6OO Cases Weekly
 Just now we are handling between 800 and 600 cases weekly in more than sixty different localities with about twenty cases in other states, and we have handled as many as 2,S00 cases in single week. That meant a study of 2,Soo cases, 1t meant 2,S00 checks and that records be made of each of the 2,Soo cases as we always keep records and notes Of each case. It means contact with the many committees in reference to each case and that the committee main tain touch with each case. We seek pensation for those who claim it of the government for which there is maintained a service activity. We are introducing a policy of orders for food. clothing, and shoes in order to achieve greater economy and eff ciency and we are interesting the women's auxiliaries to help us and we have always worked closely with the II. s. P. H. s. and with the Red Cross.
 /. Many Men Required. It takes from 70 to 200 men all about the state to handle this fund as the needs vary and only in the larger cities where all, or most, of some mans time is needed for this purpose is a small weekly allowance made. No others than soldiers would do this--none but soldiers could do it as well. Such service is not bought with money.
 The Office Staff.
 Our central office staff has now in- creased to four beside myself and we have one room and one-half of an other. For nine months of this year VIC distributed $200,00o to thou sands of comrades (the state having made another appropriation for us) ,at n expense of four per cent. of the amount dsbursed The investiga- tons and the activities connected with these eases were enormous. There has been some one of my force work ine in my office every night and many Sundays and there has been no extra payment therefor.
 We have made reports in detail every three months to the Board of Control and I and my associates on the committee have frequently ap- peared before them to consult or ad- vise. We will be glad to have our record correctly presented to the public
 Need of Salary.
 The future occupant of this office must, if conscientious, devote all his timc-a good long day and some nights-to this work. He should be a soldier selected for his fitness and not because he sought the office by log rolling or scheming or criticising. It is because we must have some one fit, and able to give all his time that we asked for small salary for the performance of those duties; and it was done in the interest of the fund. I had announced at our convention in September the necessity for my early laying down of these duties If we can find suitable man who can do this for nothing he need not ac cept the salary; it can remain un- touched. But after a survey of the field the need of q salary for that position was indicated
 As have, from a vantage point, in all these activities, seen them grow, seen suffering allayed sickness treated, hope restored; seen a states debt to it's citizens who had done their duty to the state partly paid, for state owes a duty to it's citizens as truly as citizen owes one to a state), I have had an unusual chance to see the ravages of the war growing as these years have passed. I have thanked God that I could do some thing; and if I had seen even a part of the suffering and neglect l have seen and been helpless to aid, l would