The New York herald., 1922-03-04
New York Representatives
Deluged With Letters From
Children.
sUPERINTENDENTS' IDEA
Notes Tell Of Disabled in
Street. Yet SIS Vacant Beds
Have No Call.

Representatives in Congress from
New York city are being deluged with
letters from school children and prin-
cipals stating that 1000 ex-service
men are walking the streets of the
city without proper hospital treatment
and criticizing the alleged lack Of in
terest of the Government toward
these men," Some of the children, ap-
parently misinterpreting the instruc-
tons OF their prompters, placed the
number OF neglected men at 10000.
Represen .ative Isaac Siegel, who rep
resents a Harlem district. said his at
tention first was called to this by a
telephone message from his secretary
in Washington last Friday informing
him that 400 letters had arrived at his
office. The mail had greatly inter-
fered with the ordinary routine. the
secretary said. and asked for instruc-
tions.
There is not single member from
New York city who has not received
said Mr.. Siegel. "Our two Senator'S
have also been swampcd. The moment
I heard of these letters got into COM
munication with Col. Z. X. Sprague. who
informed me that there were SIS vacant
beds In the various Government hospitals
throughout the city and there was ample
provision for all service men who applied
for treatment"
In addition to these facilities II was
pointed out that the Government Is con-
verting a former orphan asylum in The
Bronx into a hospital which will have
1900 beds ready within the next three
weeks Furthermore IL was stated BY
Mr.. Siegel that there are sixteen contract
hospitals in the city at which limited
number OF men can be taken care Of. in
| addition to accommodations at the New
York Navy Yard.
"The letters are stirring up sentimen,
and doing a great deal of harm when
there Is absolutely no foundation for
criticism or protest." Mr.. Siegel said.
1--WE can't fathoin 1t out unless II is part
az an i-Administration propaganda
plan"
Tic school children, II must be under
stood, did not spontaneously burst forth
into a sudden epidemic OF solicitude for
the disabled veterans. The suggestion
to write the letters was made by public
school principals. These principals had
received their instructions from the Dis
| trict Superintendents, whose pamphlet
covering the subject was approved. ac-
cording to Mr. Sicgel. by DR.. William
| Ettinrer. head OF the school system
DIR. Ettinger is In Chicago at a school
convention. and his acting superintend-
ent. Mr.. O'Shea. professed to know
nothing OF the order. The instructions
were framed by the Board of District
Superintendents of which DR.. John r.
Conroy is the president. They covered
four pages OF closely printed matter.
giving the substance OF the letter TO
he written and instructing tho district
superintandents to communicate with
the principals and the assistant prin-
cipals and the supervisors OF schools
and have them in turn pass the orders
along 10 the teachers.
Mr.. Slegel wrote to two OF the school
principals. from whom he received per-
sonai letters asking them for detailed
information or the subject and request
ing that specific cases OF negligence
toward veterans be furnished. He has
received no reply TO these questions. nor
to a letter written to Superintendent
Ettinger requesting similar information.
Several OF the principals with whom
Mr.. Siegel communicated over the tele-
phone said In substance we simply
got instructions from our superiors and
are carrying them out. What else could
we do?'