The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-06-17
Veterans Bureau Conditions.

To the Editor. The Washington Herald:
The United States Veterans Blu
reau apparently has completed its
process of decentralization. 1t has
established regional offices and sub
offices throughout the country and.
theoretically at least. has gotten
away from the old system of CEN
tralization. Is the new plan work
ing any better or affording more
satisfaction than the old? 1t is not:
and II the truth were known and
permitted to penetrate the public
mind IL would be found that a hor-
rible lull exists in the entire work
of soldier relief and rehabilitation.
Instead OF one myriad bundle of
hopeless red tame and concentrated
inefficiency at Washington. as here
tofore, there is a spreading and
ever-increasing web OF jackass de-
tail and rotten political inefficiency
In fourteen different parts OF the
United States. Politics-that's the
word. all-embracing and ominous in
its meaning. It is politics. cheap
two-by-four politics. i've and ten
dollar politics. tea and dinner dance
politics. and sweet and high fnan-
cial politics that is the curse Of
American administrative govern
ment. Some noted economist could
render a real public service by eN-
pandling and exposing this idea.
and by suggesting practical ways
and means for curbing II. But all
the Moseses of economies and po-
Iitical science would prefer writ
ing stupid Eush about the relations
between capital and labor than to
enI 'ghten the country about the real
canker that makes for SO much in
Justice and so widespread ineff1-
cheney in the administrative chan
nels Of the government
The Veterans Bureau. from the
high character Of the work intrust-
ed to 1t. should be the best-regulat-
ed administrative agency of the
Federal service. II should employ
only the most eficient lawyers and
physicians to 10 its work. and these
men should be highly compensated.
It should possess corps % clerical
workers superior to that OF any
other government department. and
should not be a promiscuous dump
ing ground for all the male and
female nondescripts that f1ocked TO
washington when the war broke.
Service men should occupy positions
of authority and administrative
control wherever possible. and In
M case should a norService man be
permitted 10 gloat in his fat place
simply because he was In the bu-
reau at the beginning and has
served his country we'll IN the emer-
sency Perhaps his less fortunate
brothers who surrenderei their ca
reers AMI went into the service ard
fought for their country could have
Gone and would do just as well al
the circumstances. This should be
the test. but there are Instances
in the bureau where II is not he
test. What Is the answer? And
the echo comes back-Politics. Re-
Gently II was proposed to rid the
bureau OF all married women whose
husbands are working and able -
support them. Some sort OF house
cleaning was effected. but there has
been discrimination. and exceptions
were made resulting in some mar
ried women being simply trans
ferred to other divisions and given
another kind of work, thus escau-
ing the axe, while their sisters pos
sessing less political influence. or
none at all, were separated from
the bureau.
The tine has come for Director
Forbes r. produce results. not mere
ly promises. II he cannot make tho
bureau what the people want II to
be; II he cannot correct IRREGULAR
ties In the new system Of decor
trai.zation; II he cannot remain i'm
mune tC the pressure Of selfish poll
ricians: II he, cannot give the fo--
mer service man every possible
concession and privilege consistent
with the liberal intent and purpose
Of the laws enacted by Congress. he