The New York herald., 1922-01-05
MANNED VETERANS
TAKEHOSPITALPLEA
OFPALSTOHARDINC
One-Legged and One-Eyed
Man Will Protest Pro-
posed Changes.
GO FROM POLYCLINIC
1870 Wounded Soldiers Take
Up Collection to Defray
Expenses.
GO FROM POLYCLINIC
PHYSICIANS SEE DANGER
Economy Plan, Says Surgeon
General, May Cause Deaths
Of Many Ex-SOldiers.

A soldier who lost leg at Chateau
Thierry and pal who lost an eye
in Beleau Wood left New York last
midnight with the hope OF seeing
President Harding to-day and implor-
ing him not to sign the order trans
ferring to civilian status the medical
staffs of the nations reconstruction
hospitals.
These two delegates represent tho
1870 wounded men under treatment at
Polytechnic Hospital, who, in their bath
robes and pajamas. had a mass meet
ing at the hospital yesterday and
raised out OF their meager savings
s6s.70 to pay the expenses OF their
ambassadors to Washington.
The protest from Polytechnic follows
that of the patients at Fox Hills Hos
pital on Staten Island, and the men
OF all the seventy eight hospitals di-
rected by the United States Public
Health Service are pouring similar ap-
reals upon the White House.
In addition the President and mem-
bers of Congress arc being showeretl
with telegrams and letters of the same
tenor from the American Legion. the
National tuberculosis Association, the
War Mothers, the National Federated
Workers for Disabled Soldiers and other
societies interested in the welfare OF the
No ailF a
themselves.
Fear Disruption of stafSs.
The burden OF their petitions Is that
the order which President Harding has
been urged 10 sign ss measure OF
economy would disrupt the hospital
stasfs, that the doctors. would not stay
in the service as civilians at the reduced
pay, that only younger and inexperienced
doctors could afford TO work for such
wages and that difficulties Of restoring
the soldier patients to health would be
enormously increased and the results
disastrous to thousands of them.
The National tuberculosis Assoeia-
tion ,s specially interested because S.3s9
OF the men in the Public Health Service
hospitals are victims of the white plague
o,d the number Is bound TO increase for
several years. In a. telegram and 4
latter sent to President Harding yester-
day DIR. Charles ]. Hatfield, managing
director of the association. asked the
President TO give a hearing TO such men
of national prominence as Dr. william
II. welch OF Baltimore. DR.. Hermann M.
Blcgs of New York, DIR. James Alexan-
der Miller OF New York and others.
In his letter DR.. Hatfield said that the
medical personnel OF the Federal nos
ult.ls have been built up with difficulty
and that interferencs with 1t will re-
sliIt in decentralization and increase the
be rdships of the men under treatment
He also said:
"you arc. of course, familiar with the
Fact that the Reserve Corps Is COM
posed of physicians who have given UP
nrivate practice and entered the Public
Health Service. II Is our understanding
that they took this action under an
agreement which provided security OF
tenure OF office and assurance OF pro
motion at regular intervals. appoint
rnents 10 the Reserve Corps were in
many cases n recognition of military
services during the world war.
n Is our belief that the abolition OF the
Reserve Corps and the consequent re-
duction In salaries will rssult In whole
sale designations"
One Legged Man Is Chairman.
The Polyclinic Hospital lads assembled
I'm the arnphitheater where surgical
clinics are held. The chairman, one
legged veteran. d. Il Rotherrnsl for
merly OF the Twenty-sixth Infantry.
First Division. leaned on a crutch--a
Ia m
II. Deegan. State commander OF the
American Legion. addrsssed the crowd.
lie told them that the effect of the pro-
posed Executive order would bo a sub
stitution OF inexperienced for expert
enced physicians. OF doctors who did not
understand the patients and their cases
for those who did understand them.
I'm willing to spend a weeks pay--if
can get it-and 20 TO Washington and
see President Harding about this"
spoke up the chairman. RothermeL
The others whooped and hats we're
passed around and the fund 10 send
committee TO washington was sub
scrihcd The committee consists OF
Rotherrnel and stephen r. Bender, a
veteran OF the Fifth Marine Regiment.
Second Division. the sight OF whose
right eye was destroyed at Bellcau
Wood. The only objection to this
course came from a blind man, who put
il on this ground:
II don't believe we need send any
body. All we need TO do Is TO send word
to President Harding and let him know
what's on our minds and he'll come
right up here TO see us"
Message sent 60 Harding.
A telegram was sent from the meet
ing to the President. requesting him TO
give the two delegates an audience to-
day. A letter also was forwarded ex-
pressing n fear that political appointees
of less efficiency would succeed the
medical officers. and say
ing:
I'VE feel that any change from the
20 civil status OF the per-
sonnel would be detrimental TO the
Continued on Page Two.
BILLIE BURKE IN Booth rarkinetcu's Most
- - A. g. -.