White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1923-07-20
SUMMARY OF YEARS
WORK, VETS BUREAU
Great Amount Of Good Accomplished
for Disabled Men in Pacific
Northwest.


developed many hundreds of employ
ment opportunities, which made 1t pos
sible to place in positions all but few
of the 955 disabled veterans who com
pleted their training courses during
this period.
The job of putting this most impor-
tant touch on the vocational rehabili-
tation of injured war veterans of dis
trict No. 10 is being tackled with I'M
firing zeal. Employers of the Pacific
northwest are urged to cooperate with
the veterans bureau even more ear
nestly than in the past in this cam
paign of placing in employment re-
habilitated ex-service people. The load
of training competitions is now at its
height and quick action is necessary
In order that hundreds of war veterans
of this district who are scheduled to
complete their courses soon will be
taken care of.
Chambers of commerce of the larger
cities in the district and members of
the West Coast Lumber association
are actively supporting the drive to
stimulate employment of these men
who have learned new occupations to
'eplace the ones who they lost because
of the war service. Governors Of
Washington, Oregon and Idaho recent
ly released statements urging the peo-
pie Of these staes to meet this just
plea for employment
At no time since the organization of
the United States Veterans Bureau
has there been a lack of hospitaliza-
ton facilities to properly care for in
jured ex-service people of the Pacific
Northwest with the exception of tuber-
culosis treatment before the opening of
the Veterans Hospital at WaIla Walla
year ago. A veterans hospital for
mental and nervous disability cases is
now under construction at American
Lake, Washington. With the compile
ton of this hospital, practically every
injured war veteran of this district
will be cared for in government in
stitution, eliminating the necessity of
contract disqualification. Medical au-
thorities have pronounced the Vet
Grams hospital at Walla Walla, Wash
ington, an ideal place for tubercular
ex-service men.
Benefits offered by the government
through the Veterans Bureau have
been heralded in practically every
city. town or village of the district by
field representatives. Approximately
1000 veterans were contacted in this
manner the latter half of 1922 and
early this year. An Alaskan tour of
10000 miles was undertaken by Cliff
Wood. contact representative, in order
that every ex-service man in the dis.
trict might have an opportunity to
file claim for benefits offered. He
contacted 1888 ex-service men; filed
80 new claims for compensation and
training; reopened IS old claims; re-
instated insurance for 1873 veterans;
converted IT'S term policies into per.
manent forms of government insur-
ance and assisted 648 men in the mat
ter Of securing their bonus, allotments,
travel pay, liberty bonds, lost dis
charges, and Victory medals. The
10000 miles were covered by foot,
horseback, boat and train service.
Alaska has furnished a number Of
employment opportunities during the
last year. Radio operators, experts in
fisheries and gas engine men were
sent to the northern territory this
spring.
The Pacific Northwest district of
the bureau took the initiative in fur
nishing expert agricultural instruc-
lions for trainees working their own
or leased projects. Arrangements were
made last fall with state colleges to
furnish agricultural instructors to Wis
it project trainees at certain times for
the purpose of teaching these war vet
Grams intensive farming There are
approximately ESQ project trainees in
the district, and several instruction
units have been formed. Another
move benefiting trainees was the ar
rangements made with the University
Of Washington whereby disabled vet
Grams may enter special accountancy
unit at the university without the U.S.
ual educational requirements. Nearly
300 men have taken advantage of this
course and many of these are men al
ready placed in responsible positions.
Rehabilitation supervisors have found
that the trade of shoe repairing is
proving bread-winper for many ex-
service men with little schooling.
A total of approximately $4,000, 900
of war risk insurance was reinstated
or converted into permanent forms of
government insurance during the year
just ending. Between $4,000 and 30,
900 veterans of this district are carry
ing government insurance amounting
to more than $10O,000.0OO. Ex-service
men who have allowed their insurance
to lapse are urged to renew their
policies at the earliest date possible.