Evening star., 1924-12-05
IN TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

A bill was introduced in the
House yesterday by Representative
Royal c. Johnson and in the Senate
by Senator Capper on behalf of the
American Legion. In the Presidents
annual message he said, concerning
the veterans of the World War:
TT will ever be recognized that
their welfare is of the first concern
and always entitled to the most
solicitous consideration on the part of
their fellow citizens. They are or
ganized in various associations, of
which the chief and most representa-
tive is the American Legion. Through
its officers the Legion will present to
the Congress numerous suggestions
for legislation With many of
the proposals l join in hearty ap-
proval, and commend them to sympa-
thetic investigation and consideration
of the Congress"
While the President does not indi-
cate which suggestions for legisla-
tion he will approve, his general
sympathy for the cause gives the
present measure added interest.
x X n
The scope of the American Legion
plan is covered in a letter outlining
it, submitted to President Coolidge
over the signature of the national
commander, Gen. James A. Drain. It
is set forth under five special head
ings:
/. Universal draft-the Johnson
bill in the House and the identical
Capper bill in the Senate. Also a
McSwain resolution of last May "a,
referred to the committee Of the
whole House on the state of the
Union. These measures provide that
in the event of war, capital, labor,
industry and transportation, as well
as man-power, shall be Immediately
drafted, to the end that the sacri-
fees of war shall be equalized among
all elements and the profit taken out
of war. This plan has the approval
of the general staff of the Army and
of the Republican platform of 1924.
The McSwain resolution would not
make the draft mandatory, but would
appoint a commission to consider 1t.
The legion proposes to make the
draft absolute upon property as well
as men, under the Johnson-Capper
bill.
2. The legion also proposes re-
tirement of emergency officers of the
World War on the same basis as
officers of the Regular Army. This
would affect about 1000 disabled
emergency officers.
8, Certain interpretative amend
ments are proposed to clarity the ad-
justed compensation law-referring
particularly to the rights of parents
of deceased veterans, and also en-
abIing veterans who do not want
compensation to assign it to the le-
gion for the benefit of the legion's
homes for orphans of veterans.
4. Completion of permanent hos
pitals with the addition of 1916 beds.
The peak of the load on hospiealiza-
tion is not yet reached, and judging
by the experience Of the G. A. r.
after the Civil War, 1t may not be
reached for ten years yet. The maxi
mum veterans Of the Civil War was
about 2,000,000; of the World War 1t
is 5000, 600. There are now 20 600 beds
in the IA hospitals; by 1885 there Will
be need of from $4,000 to 10000 beds,
not including those needed for vet
Grams of previous wars, now eligi-
BILE to disqualification. The occu-
pants of hospital beds already in
clude $40 veterans of the Spanish
War.
s. Some adjustments OF details of
the adjusted compensation law are
recommended: Improvement of the
Medical Corps; greater permanency of
rating of veterans found unable to
follow any gainful occupation, by
reason of wounds or disease; broaden
ing of "hospitalization" to cover
"out patients" and dispensary treat
ment; where veteran has been over
paid through no fault Of his own, he