Evening star., 1923-01-23
CAPITAL KEYNOTES
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

Congress is to be asked by the Secre-
tary Of the Treasury to approve and
authorize complete reorganization of
all governmental hospitals throughout
the country. 50 as to put all under one
control. That will include the hospitals
Of the Veterans Bureau. all Army,
Navy, Public Health Service, Interior
Department and other hospitals, support
ed for various purposes by the govern
ment. The project originates with the
White committee OF the Treasury De-
partment, which has had much to do
with the plans for building new hospi-
tails for the veterans Of the world war
under the first Langley appropriation of
S18,000,0 900. 1t is backed by the Federal
Board of disqualification. the official
advisers of President Harding, the
board headed by the Presidents per-
sonal physician, DR.. Sawyer.
X 4 X X ...
The details of this plan have not yet
been made public, but Judging from the
attitude of the American Legion in re-
gard to hospital control, for the care of
the veterans of the late war, there will
be considerable debate among legion
naires before approval will be given by
that body. The general complaint Of
the soldiers has been against the "red
tape" already wound around the relief
of the sick or wounded soldier. To
fasten that system upon still greater
reorganization" say the buddieS, will
only magnify the wonders of the great
system" and lessen the chances of the
patient to find a bed and a. doctor com
petent and interested in studying his
case The wider the rannifica tions of
the great system" the more the red
tape and the less Sof the human touch.
= 4 Z
Within the last week Senator Ashurst
grew bitter in his discussion Of the red
when he told of his own observa-
tion in a western hospital, where
there was need for an immediate am
putation of a soldiers leg: The, hos
pital was short of nurses, and it was
impossible to amputate the leg without
hiring another nurse. There, were com
petent trained nurses at the hospital at
that time, seeking employment, but al
Though it delayed the serious surgical
operation, the superintendent refused to
employ a nurse without first telegraph
ing to Washington. for authority and
through the Civil Service Commission.
In the meanwhile the patient continued
to suffer, and risks were run as to
serious complications. If that be the
situation while the Veterans Bureau is
independent of the Army hospitals, the
Navy hospitals and all the other gov
ernment hospitals, what would be. the
delays-not necessary. but probable
under more top-heavy system?
X X X. y.
Some wiseacres who have attended
of the subconscious mind over mat
ter and the wonderful cures effected
through his magic" words declare
that they believe 1t is Just hypno-
tism." Exactly Couse said. in an
swer to one questioner. that he could
not explain how electricity worked
and caused light. yet there was the
light. Suppose it is "all hypnotism"
then what. about it? 1t works. no
matter what is its nomenclature. If
we are to refuse to accept any truth
which we cannot explain, let's begin
with gravitation. It is well TO start
at the ground and work up. After
we explain how the apple fell in New
tons sight. then let us tell how the
universe keeps on swinging through
infinite space. This everlasting eX-
planning is what gets us nowhere
except into a fog.
J: X X f.
Much ado because policemen will
appear on ice skates upon the Lin
coin memorial pool, if the water
freezes so that there can be public
skating Why should policeman on
skates amaze? Once upon time. in
big snowstorm, a Minnesota repre-
sentative arrived at the Capitol on
skis. Other representatives some
times come in airplanes. Let the po-
lice cut all the didoes they can. Maybe
If they would use roller skates they
could get over their long beats
oftener.
Senator Pat Harrison of Mississippi
says there is no better time than now
for Congress to begin TO study. the
timber shortage of America and TO
recommend a wise economic policy of
reforestation. The senator is about
sixty years behind the times. for the
better time" was about 1860 or
earlier If there was ever an instance
OF locking the door after the automo-
bile had been stolen it is related 10
the woeful squandeTing of our forests
The bureau of forestry is authority
for the estimate that some of the
standard hard timber will all be gone
in ten to fifteen years, and in less
than forty years we shall hardly have