The Washington times., 1923-06-18
VI I
PLANS NEAR
A HEAD
June Expected to Be Fruitful
Month for Aiding Wars .
Wounded.
BY HARRY WARD, !,
international News Service.


"June is expected to be the most
vital period for the cause Of the
wars disabled since the guns were
silenced on the western front: in
November, 1915"
This was the declaration of
Capt. C. Hamilton Cook, of Buffalo,
N. Y, national commander Of the
Disabled American Veterans, fol-
lowing conferences with the Fed
eral officials designed to stimulate
cooperation in working out the
problems of former service men.
"Plans, proposals and sugges-
crucible for five years, until we
cision," Captain Cook said. At the
J national convention of the Dis
abled American Veterans, to be
held in Minneapolis beginning June
Is, a. specific constructive program
will be presented which is expected
to solve ''the vast proposition or
how the Nation should solve the
narrowing problems Of the men
SCARED in the Nations service"
Made Much Progress.
THE past year has been marked
with definite achievements in the
cause Of the disabled" said Cap
tain Cook. '.but we are still far
from satisfied.
THE so-called Sweet bill to lib
eralize the Veterans Bureau act,
which affected more disabled men
than any legislation in the last
Congress, reposed in committee for
eight months, until our organiza-
ton inaugurated an aggressive
campaign for action: got the for
mera service men in Congress in
meeting and finally had what was
left Of the. bill rushed through the
closing hours Of the session. The
bill was horribly emasculated in
committee, but q drive for it's final
enactment was made because even
it's remnants would aid thousands
of veterans"
One Of the drives to be, made at
the Minneapolis convention, &C.
cording to Captain Cook, will be to
secure enactment by Congress Of a
bill to give every man who has
been In a veterans hospital for
one year payments on his insurance.
This clause was in the Sweet bill,
but was knocked out. The forma-
ton of new Congressional com
| mittee to be known as the Veterans
Affairs Committee also will be urged.
Pressing Problems.
Commenting on the various prob
lens of the world war veterans, Cap.
tain Cook said:
Thousands of crippled men who
were trying to readjust themselves
were unable to receive examina-
tons or treatments because the
Veterans Bureau dispensaries were
open only during the day. We have
secured the issuance Of an order to
have night clinics for the convent
ence Of disabled men.
From the armistice on various
reputable veterans organizations
have been striving for the same
purpose by different routes, which
weakened the cause and brought
disorder. It was in our Washing
ton office that national represen-
tatives Of the American Legion, Vet
Grams of Foreign Wars. American
Red Cross, Veterans Bureau and
Disabled American Veterans brought
about unanimous agreement as to
procedure on expediting claims.
In cooperation with the Depart
ment of Justice our organization is
now in the midst Of a Nation wide
campaign to protect the general
public and disabled former service
men by securing the Indictment of
promoters of spurious organiza-
tons and magazines that have
been fleeing the public Of vast
sums under the guise of relief for
the wars MANNED"
Plans Outlined.
Some of the other plans for
which Captain Cooks organization
is striving were Outlined Ivy Cap
tain Cook as follows:
1--WE want a clear definition Of
'rehabilitated,' and we want a
diploma for every disabled man
whose training has really been
completed that will be recognized
by an American employer at the
prevailing scale of wages. Even
the enemy countries have laws
making 1t compulsory for a certain
proportion Of employees to be i'm
proved disabled veterans.
when mans physical or men,
tai condition Is such that he Is not
available for training we want him
to get a temporary and total rating
as long as he cannot re reha bill
tated. We want summer camps in
| every section, where the disabled
may enjoy the vacation period
| amid healthy surroundings, away
from the smell Of medicines and
the sight of a field of beds.
These are some of tho things
we are going to insist upon for the
benefit Of the men who came out
L. u