Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-01-08
6TATE LEGION To.
HAVE HOSPITAL.
Federal Appropriation Prom
ised at Big Mass Meeting
Held at Trenton

TRENTON, Jan. S.--New Jersey is
at last to have a government tuberc-
ulosis hospital for the care of vet
Grams of the world war. Just when
actual operations on the project will
hegiu or Just where the institution
will be situated is not known at the
present time. However, word from
President Harding and Senator Ere
linghuysen to the effect that 8. hos
p.tal for this state has been officially
authorized was transmitted to more
than 400 members of the American
Legion, assembled here Saturday aft
ernoon at a monster mass meeting.
The word from Washington was
given to the legionnaires by the past
commander of the New Jersey de-
partment, Joseph D. Sears. of Ridge
wood. He declared that Senator
Frelinghuysen communicated with
him by telephone Friday night and
advised him that he and the Presi-
dent, together with Colonel Edward
Forbes, head of the United States
Veterans Bureau at Washington had
been assured of an appropriation for
that purpose.
Senator Frelinghuysen urged that
the state commander Of the New
Jersey department appoint COM
nittee to decide on site for the in
stitution. Although no committee
was appointed to discuss the situa-
ton, there was some intimation that
the site would be in the South Jersey
pine belt. The government. 1t is
said, will have nothing to do with the
selection of a site.
In addition to the announcement
of the above, Saturdays meeting as
sumed the proportion Of sort of an
Interstate American Legion con-
ference. In addition to the presence
OF Bruce A. Conlin, commander OF
New Jersey, state commanders of
five neighboring states were there
and told of plans in vogue in their
respective places to increase the
membership in the organization. 1t
was for this purpose, increased mem
bership, that Saturdays meeting was
called.
National Commander Alvin A.
Owsley, of Texas, was unable to at
tend.
Another outcome of the booster"
meeting was the announcement that
National Commander Owsley would
be in New Jersey three days during
this month, January %, "a and 20.
He has already promised to spend
one day at Jersey City one at
Bridgeton and the third at Atlantic
City. However, the posts of these
three cities have issued invitations to
all members of the legion to come to
the meetings to be held in their re-
spective cities 30 that everyone in
the state will have an opportunity of
hearing the message that the Ma
tiona Legion head has to deliver.
Past Commander fears, in his ad-
dress, intimated that an attempt
would be made this year to have the
legislature appropriate the unex-
Tended balance of the soldiers
bonus money for use in the CON-
struction of a hospital for the dis
abled.
The work of the legion men dur
Ing the war was praised by DIR. ].
j. Savitz, principal Of the New Jer-
sey State Normal School, in which
building the meeting here was held.
Another -peaker was Commission
er of Labor Lewis 7. Bryant, who
outlined the many clinics that the
state has established in cities and
invited their utilization by ex-service
men who hive need for medical as
sistance.
The State Commander appointed
a legislative committee composed. of
the following. Thomas f. Meany, of
Hudson, chairman; Major Leonidas
A. Coyle, of BridgesoA; Assembly,
nan Clifford Powell, of Mount Holly,
Walter H. Bacon, Jr., of Camden;
Harold Hoffman, of Middlesex; and
James E. Mitchell, of Trenton.
This committee will meet in the
near future and pare acts for the|
benefit of ex-servic' men for intro
duction into the legislature. DR.. A.
S. Loveman, of Toms River, was
named chairman of committee to
arrange for the annual convention of
The legion to be held in Wildwood
during the coming year.