Evening star., 1923-06-03

Disabled ex-service men and other
veterans of the world war will re-
ceive the support Of the American
Legion in a sweeping program
adopted at the recent meeting of the
national executive committee OF the
veterans organization held in In
dianapolis. The legion will .conduct
| a campaign to obtain changes In the
Sweet bill, which, according to re-
port submitted to the committee, pro-
vides relief for only 1000 disabled
men instead of caring for $4,000 vet
Grams as the legion had expected.
Among legislative measures which
the legion's governing body author
lied the organizat ton to support are:
Adjusted compensation for all vet
erans. declared to be certain OF adop-
tion by a safe margin in the next
Congress-: creation of standing
committee in the house of representa-
tiyes to handle only veteran legisia-
tion: retirement privileges for dls-
abled emergency Army ofncers,
enactment of a universal draft law
by which the President, In the eHeRt ],
of war, would be empowered to draft
ca apital, labor Industry and transpor-
tation. as well as man power; authorl-
zation of an. archives building IN
which to preserve records OF tne wa
investigation of the disposition OF
funds approximating ss.oov;oUo, re
naming in the treasures OF various
war relief organizations with a view
OF obtaining the unexpended FUNDS or
an association of administering aseH-
cies with the legion in order tnat tne
money can be used for relie1 WORK
among ex-service men: congresslonal
and state surveys Of federal ana state
prisons to ascertain conditions among
ex-service prisoners found mentaily
abnormal as a result OF, war service
Congress was asked by the COM
mittee to make appropriation LOT the
care of stranded and needy veterans
in foreign lands. which now taxes the
resources of legion posts in many
narts of the world. 1t was also de-
cided to proceed with the study OF the
Asiatic question by authorizing con-
tinuance of the orientals committee
on n1ea Of committeeman from Wash
ineton. oregon and California.
When members Of the committee
asserted that the present allowance
of 800 for the burial OF poverty
was voted to ask the government TO
Increase the sum to $3.50.
provisions will be made by the
legion to care for orphans of world
war veterans, according to action
taken by the committee, 1oli0Wlng
reuort that within Ave years the num-
Der of these dependents Will be SO
great that the work OF caring Tor
them will compare with that or re-
habilitating veterans
The Disabled American Veterans of
the World War has taken the iritla-
tive in urging a joint council OF All
recognized national former service
mems organizations to bring con-
certed pressure upon Congress 70 give
legislative relief to the nations war
manned.
The proposal to obtain unanimous
action on problems of the disabled
has been debated here for many
months when 1t was definitely estab-
lished that Congress seemed unable TO
gather exactly what was reaiiS
Representatives of the American
Red. Cross, American Legion ana the
Disabled American Veterans OF the
World War were called to the veter-
ans Bureau for consultation with the
legal department to work out a
scheme as to how far. the organiza-
tions were to be allowed to go in
examining folders Of claimants.
At that time the matter Of united
action Of legislation was informally
discussed and now H. H. Raege; legis,
lative chairman OF the Disabled
American Veterans Of the World
War, has put the matter. squarely up
to the other two orEanizations-tne
American Legion and the Veterans
of Foreign Wars in letter addressed
to Mai. William Wolff Smith. general
counsel Of the Veterans Bureau.
The American Legion Auxiliary
participated in the services at Airing
ton on Memorial day. and among
/ other speakers at the world war sec
tion of the cemetery. DR.. Kate Wal
Ter Barrett, national president OF the
auxiliary, gave a splendid address.
Auxiliary members helped to deco
| rate the graves on Memorial day
morning. More than 500 ppppies
were placed on the markers Of the
memorial trees on 18th street last
Sunday morning. Many small poppies
were sold in various parts of the city
to help cover the expense Of making
the large poppies for decoration pur-
poses. .,7s9sfa.j -ke9s
The Init of the Robley. d. Evans