South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-03-18

Uncle sam; have offered TO solve the 4
problem for him. and no rep-v has
ever been received
Such is a summary OF highlights
contained in a report Ralph A. HOrr. |
vice commander OF the Disabled
Veterans or the World War. will
take 20 Washington after an investi-
cation here in which participated.
These statistics were provided By
Claude Smith. local commander OF
the Disabled Veterans organization
that pioneered the fight against ex-
listing conditions. In this fight A. l.
Irwin. head OF the local American
Legion post. is now Joined.
And supplying further data is DIT
s. IT, James, commander OF the
hospital
a real emergency exists he
says. 1T Will grow worse IN another
year, and within four years the peak
will be reached. BY that time the
I temporary wooden structures may
be falling TO pieces"
Says Claude Smith: "I have listed
the names OF each man in this sec
I ton entitled 20 capitalization and
/ not getting Il. am one OF them. but
7 have little money / have given
! this % Commander Horn. together
I with data OF what the fellows have
\ been and are now up against"
other Stations.
The government has in this dis
| Jrict tuberculosis stations at Prescott
Ariz.. at Camp Kearney. San Diego,
| Is opening another at Livermor-,
/ Cal, and Is prepared 70 send tuoer-
\ culRr veterans 10 a number OF other
camps
! But there are other elements 20
meet" points out DR.. James. Cases
/ involving heart disturbances, asth-
matte conditions, throat and nervous
troubles are affected by climate or
altitude Of these other stations.
In Tucson alone are all these ele-
ments overcome. The sufferers have
a Tucson psychology. You can send
, them 10 San Diego or Prescott or
where you will. but they won't stay
there. They feel better here and
/ they're going 20 come II they have
TO walk"
And they do come here. whether
the Mvernment provides for them or
not" declares Irwin. They come
by freight car or on the brakebeams
but they come and what are you
going TO do about it7"
Political Play Seen.
Political manipulation is also seen
in the background. An effort is seen
TO use a sort OF soldiers home at
Prescott for the permanent Arizona
quarters-but Prescott is TOO high"
for scores OF cases where heart
troubles are involved. says DR..
James.
Mrs. Mary Blair secretary Of the
Red Cross here. personally has cared
for as many as 40 cases a day.
Men have collapsed in tle street
while waiting for a chance in the
hospital. Red tape IN the Veterans
Bureau has held men weeks and
morths-periods when they were I'm
dire need Of attentiOn-befOre they
could enter Pastime Park.
u don't know what might have
happened TO scores Of the fellows II
we hadn't been on the Job to nelp. "
say Smith and Irwin in chorus.
We've dug down in our own pockets
and in the public pockets The Red
Cross fund has all but been exhaust
ed-for there have been 1000 men
around here who couldn't get in"
Passing Buck.
Who's to blame?
The Veterans Bureau blames the
senators and the senators pass Il
| along-but we do know that the
local Vet Bureau has its hands pretty
well tied with red tape" Smith
charges.
Officials OF the local Veterans Blu.
reau admit the emergency. Gen
, Forbes seems to have been mis-
informed" says one who cannot be
quoted.
t Citizens of Tucson. backed by the
y Chamber Of Commerce, did much
r toward building such places as now
I are provided.
While delays and red tape kept
r hundreds waiting about the city. Z
e field day" was declared. Hundred:
$ went out and threw together the
3 temporary structures.
For 1872 men there are but three
T showers and there are three more
? for the other men in the wards The
= frail cottages do not Withstand the
r. summer heat and bring only dis
3 comfort
The only solution Is a permane nj
and properly built hospital.
: Otherwise hundreds viii die from
governmental neglect.