The Washington times., 1922-12-01
FOUGHT IN TWO
ARMIES; AID
X. DENIED a
Juraz Katina, Soldier for Both
U. s. and czschoslovakia,
Refused Operation.
fpternst tlonsI News servics.

fpternationsi News Service.
PITTSBURGH. Pa. Dec. LII
war lis what. General Sherman said
t was then what Is peace?
Juraz Katina L. 8. world war vet.
ran and later solder of the Ameri.
Legion Of the Cxechoslovakia army,
who. did a stretch" up In Siberia
y save his country from the Reds.
probably is better qualified than
most any other man in this country
give the. answer. II he would.
He 10 the champion hard luck
veteran United States red tape al
most finished HIM 1t happened this
way:, ~ ..,t5y
Bniisted In U. 8. First.
He enlisted In an American regi.
nent at the outset of the. world
war and fought through that great
onflict from the start to finish as a
Yankee soldier. Likewise. he In a
rauralized American. Then peace
came. The big war was over. The
Reds In Russia were mepacing
Czechoslovakia. He volunteered.
with fellow Americans. to go up to
Siberia to help save his native
country. In course of time he.
with his comrades. returned to the
United States. He came to Pitts
burgh and worked hard for months:
then his health broke down due to
the rigors OF war service.
Surgeons were called. They
wanted to operate. He was broke.
geon said. Then II was suggested
that he be put In a Government
iospital for disabled soldiers. It
was discovered he had enlisted In
mothers country army after the
Americans quit fighting In Ger.
many. 80 II was declared he was
not an American citizen. because
there In a Federal law to the effect
hat any former foreigner who
tights in another country without
his Governments authorization
loses his citizenship.
Up 20 America.
He applied for aid to Cxechoslo-
vakia through diplomatic channels
for help. Czechoslovakia was good
o It's disabled vets. Word came to
Pittsburgh that the Czechoalo-
.akian government was sorry. but
katina had renounced his citizen
'ome an American. therefore Il was
'p to America to take care Of him.
Door Katina, valiant fighter for
10Th countries. was now. officially, a
'eteran without a country.
St Francis Hospital, In Pitts
Nurgh. handles disabled soldiers for
he u. s. Government. the Govern.
ment paying the soldiers bills.
Kind friends got poor Katina out
70 st. Francis Hospital: but. aside
'-om landing on n patients cot. that
= as, far as he got. No one Of
4 friends had the price for an
|rDeration, and Shere could be no
|''peratioB untH the csfsh TO pay ror
I wase4n sight. Pathetic appeals
went to Washington bureau chiefs.
Jerks and others down there pass.
II the buck from one section to an.
other.
In Red Tape Thngle.
Formidable looking documents
were prepared about this man:
chiefs and sub-chiefs rubber stamp
ID the papers and passed them
nlong. But Katina still reposed on
his lonely cot In st. Francis Hos.
pital, in Pittsburgh. and 30 II went
rom week to week. Clerks In
Washington went about their bust.
ness with their accustomed calm.
ness and elaboration.
Finally Dr.. Bedrich Stepanek.
Czechosloval<ian minister. thought
something ought to be done about
II instead Of 30 much red tape. He
wrote q letter. It Just sixzled. Then
things happened mighty fast. Word
came to st. Francis Hospital that
Katina might be hospitalized along
with other American veterans. He
could have his operation and what.
ever else he needed in the way OF
medical attention. The U. 8. Gov
ernment could be charged with his
srnment would reimburse the United
Qfafaa G0vernunauf