The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1923-01-03
Uncle sam LEADS
TRAINING VETERANS

The director has received the report
of Major Leon Fraser who left the
United States on June "a to make a
survey of conditions affecting Vet
Grams Bureau beneficiaries in Eu-
rope, and also to gather daata as to
what foreign countries are doing for
their war disabled. Major Fraser
visited England, France, Switzerland,
Italy, Greece, Jugo-Slavia, Hungary,
Austria, Czecho-Slovakia, German,
and the American occupied territory.
The survey discloses that bureau
beneficiaries resident in Europe are
receiving on the whole satisfactory
care and attention through the excel
lent offices of the U. S. consular serv-
ice and of the U. S. public health Of
ficerS attached to American legations
and consular offices. So satisfactory
does he find this method of handling
Veterans Bureau business, that Major
Fraser lays that there is no necessity
of creation of a European office IF
the bureau.
In Greece, where special arrange
ments have been made, the bureau
has a representative attached to the
American legation at Athens. In It
ally. the present method of distribut-
ing compensation and insurance
checks through the Bank of Naples
is recommended as satisfactory. Ma
icr Fraser recommends the physical
examinations of claimants be made by
physicians known to the consuls or
by a U. S. health service officer
where such services are available.
Some interesting facts are brought
to light on the administration Of SOL
der relief in European countries. The
report states that the U. S. was the
first country involved IN the war to
pass special legislation for disabled
veterans, leading the way in fixing as
a principle that compensation for war
injuries is due a mar as a matter OF
right and not as a matter Of gratulty'
England and France are the only
countries which pay for a disability
as low as 10 per cent, and other o
tries beginning at Is and 20 per cent
and in the case of Russia, 80 per cent.
While the United States accepts as 2
general proposition that ex-servlce
men accepted in. the military service
were sound at the time of their en-
listment, foreign countries insist on
positive proof that the military serv-
ice caused the disease.
Nearly all foreign countries excepi
England have legislation which pro
vides for the compulsory employment.
of disabled veterans. Such leglsia
ton on the continent is necessary be
cause of the great number of disabled
veterans who must be distributed be
tween industrial and commercial pur
suits.
Germany, with 100000 pensioners
is spending only 100000 annually
whereas the United States expend
approximately $500 100000 annual!
In France the disabled veteran is a
lowed many privileges; for instanc'
fare on state railways at one-fourt
the regular charge, a seat in a publ
conveyance, exemption from mar
taxes, protective rules against Il
creasing rents.
In France and Italy all hospital
alton and medical are is handled e,
c~lusively by the permanent and mi
itary establishments. Major Fras
states that foreign nations + e haviI
the same disqualification difficult
as the United States, particular
with regard to mental cases. In En-
land there is a bitter complaint co
corning the disqualification of the
sane veterans in county and boroui
hospitals, which are frequently h;
filled with paupers.
The report states that the Unit
States has gone into the field OF VOC
tional training on a larger scale tn
any European country, both as
number Of men in training and the
riety of training offered. Engla.
with over 1000, 900 disabled men, l
fewer than $4,000 in training. ]
United States today has $4,000
training, and has had as high as Ii
coo in training at one time. .
The recommendation OF Major +
ser in his report was that the Vet
ans Bureau should definitely ref
to give vocationala training abrC
basing his opinion upon investigat
of vocational training facilities
conditions under which training
provided in European countries.