Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-03-24
VETERANS ATTACK
BUREAU FUND USE
FOR WALTER REED
Disabled Men Unwilling to
Stand Conditions at Army
Hospital, They Say.
WANT 5000, 900 SPENT
AT OTHER INSTITUTIONS
Object to Discipline" and Use of
Wards for Care of Officers
Wives.

Charging that Veterans Bureau
hospitals throughout the country are
in many cases virtual FIRE traps"
and In need of every cent that can be
expended on them, two groups of
World War Veterans-the Disabled
American Veterans and the publish
ers of the Stars and Stripes-have
launched an attack against the an
nounced policy of the Veterans Bu-
reau of spending 100000 this Sum-
mer In construction of permanent
buildings at Walter Reed Hospital,
Tor which plans are now under way.
AT the same time Surg. Gen.
ireland of the Army. opposing the
position OF the veterans organiza-
tons, declared that the Army gem
eral hospitals throughout the country
nave been devoting from 40 to so per
cent or their bed capacity TO the care
or disa bled of the World War. He
contended that 1t was an equitable
arrangement to go ahead with the
construction at the Army hospital,
waiter Reed, using Veterans Bureau
funds.
Favored by Hines
Director Hines of the Veterans
Bureau was out of the city today. but
IL Is known that he is in full accord
with the principle of using these
funds at Walter Reed and has au-
thorized their use for this purpose.
FRANK J. Irwin, national command
er OF the Disabled American Veterans
today vigorously assailed the BRO
posed arrangement at Walter Reed
explaining. however, that his organi-
zation was not opposed to the devel-
opment of Walter Reed with War De-
partment funds.
Comdr. Irwin charged that the beds
allotted to Veterans Bureau bene-
ficiaries at Walter Reed were sell
dom, IL ever. all filled. on account OF
conditions there which he said the
disabled men did not like. At Wal
ter Reed, he explained, white and
colored are placed in the same ward
and military discipline" prevails.
On the other hand. Mount Alto
Hospital, on Wisconsin avenue, a
Veterans Bureau hospital, was said
by Mr.. Irwin to be always overflow
ing. Benefciaries much preferred a
bureau hospital to Regular Army
hospitals. Mr.. Irwin said. He charged
further that one reason why disabled
veterans at Walter Reed were housed
In temporary structures threatened
with FIRE hazard was because ward S
in the permanent part Of the hospital
were often used for the treatment OF
officers wives.
The position of the Veterans
Bureau in allocating about 100000
was declared by Comdr. Irwin to be
utterly indefensible"
The Stars and Stripes, local vet
eran's newspaper, with a wide circu-
IA Mt al har oil
has come out against the proposal
according to Mr.. Irwin.
Surg. Gen. Ireland, on the other
hand, declared that the allotment OF
beds at Walter Reed to Veterans Bu-
reau benehciaries was about 500 and
that according to the records of the
hospital there had been about an av-
erage of from $50 to 500 patients
The proportion of Veterans Bureau
patients at Walter Reed. the general
said, had occasionally run as high a,
so per cent of the patient population
the average number of patients there
recently having been about 1000
Gen. Ireland explained that the allo.
cation of 100000 from the $4,000, 00(
disqualification appropriation for the
Veterans Bureau was not only ap.
proved by Gen. Hines, tub was eQui.
table.
Proceeding With Plan.
The Quartermaster Generals OF
fee, Gen. Ireland explained, was pro
ceeding already with formulation o1
plans and soon expected to draw the
Specifications. The Veterans Blu.
reau money, he said, first would gc
into a new wing to be erected on the
west of the present main building
Some of it would also be used. he add
ed, to begin construction on the large
building in the rear of the present
structure, which will be used for {
dining room, kitchen and wards. Tt
complete this dining room and kitch
en- building, connecting on the nortf
with the main building. Gen. IRELAND
said, funds which were authorized
by Congress at the last session bu
not appropriated would be neces
sary.
1t Is expected, he explained, thai
this $2,000,000 authorized to be spen
| by the War Department on walte1
| Reed will be appropriated in a def
| cheney bill at the next session of Con
gress. The new construction, he es
timated, would provide about 500 ad
ditional permanent beds and il al
went well might be completed within
year and a half. Ground probabl,
will be broken during the Summe r
| he said.
| One of the objections set forth b,
Condr. Irwin to the use of Veterans
Bureau funds at Walter Reed was tn,
authorization of 100000 for tina
purpose to be spent by the War De
partment. If the War Department
spends $2,00o,000 and the Veterans
Bureau 5000 900 on Walter Reed Hos
pital, Mr.. Irwin said, 1t would meal
that Walter Reed would be gettinf
about one-third as much money Al
was in prospect for all the rest O.
the veterans hospitals in the Unitet
| States.