Evening star., 1927-09-25
Disabled American Veterans

The action of the Veterans of For
eign Wars and the American Legion
in their respective conventions in TAX
ing a strong stand in favor of imme-
date extension of hospital construc-
ton by the Veterans Bureau was we'll
received here by the Washington office
Of the Disabled American Veterans.
In recent conferences here with Di-
rector Frank 7. Hines, William E.
Tate, national commander of the Dis
abled American Veterans, stressed the
point that the organized disabled men
Of the country feel that the most
urgent matter that will face the COM
ing session of Congress, so far as the
legislation for the disabled is con-
cerned, will be authorization of fur
ther hospital building by the bureau.
However. the position OF the Dis.
abled American Veterans is somewhat
different from the stand of the two
War associations. The V. F. w. and
the Legion each specified certain
States in which hospitals should be
constructed, while the D. A. V. pro-
poses that the hospitals be placed as
near as practicable in the center of
the disabled military population with
out regard to any State lines.
While the Disabled American Vet
erans' position 10 for the completion
Of the permanent construction pro.
gram at emergency speed, the organi-
zation has urged that priority be given
the institutions for the nervous and
mental cases, because of the steady
rise In the number Of patients in this
class.
The District of Columbia Depart
a% h. IAI
Grams Is particularly concerned on the
hospital building matter, because of
its effect upon st. EliZabeths Hospital
here. Because of the scarcity. of fa-
cilities for the insane in other sections
Of the country, there are scores of
benef1ciaries of the Veterans Bureau
in the Congress Heights institution
whose homes are elsewhere. AS soon
aG the bureau facilities are expanded,
II was explained, it will be possible to
relieve the strain on st. Elizabeth S,
and any veterans In Washington who
need treatment will then be hospital
lied near their homes.
The Luce bill for hospital construc-
ton passed the House in the last ses-
sion but was lost in the filibuster in
the Senate, so the Disabled American
Veterans plan to Immediately revive
bles and is hopeful OF having it enacted
before the Christmas holidays. 1t calls
for an appropriation of about IL mil
lions, but no part Of this will be spent
in the District of Columbia, as Walter
Reed Naval and st. Elizabeths Hos.
pitals are not under the control of the
Veterans Bureau, to which the appro.
priation is made, and it is not intended
to treat mentally disabled veterans at
the bureau clinic at Mount Alto, on
Wisconsin avenue.
AS he may be away from Washing
ton October Is, when the annual For
get-Me-Not day of the District of Co.
lumbia department Of the Disabled
American Veterans will be observed,
Walter johnson last week purchased
one of the symbolic flowers from
Miss Washington" Sam Rice and
George Sisler, most prominent former
service men on the Washington and
st. Louis ball clubs, respectively. also
purchased forget-me-nots.
George w. Phillips, past State com
mander of the Disabled American Vet.
Grams here, who is the director of the
forget.me-not celebration, reported fur.
ther encouraging returns last week in
the form of women and girls Volun.
teering - act as sellers of the flowers
October is.
During the present week another
meeting OF the forget-me-not commit
tee will be held in the campaign head
quarters, in the Munsey Building. to
receive reports on the canvass Of
women's organizations that have been
asked to furnish groups to dispose of
the flowers at different public places
when the disabled make their annual
appeal for funds to support the liaison
service which the organization main
tains at 1910 l street to assist the dis
abIed of this city and their dependents
The department has just issued
the following recapitulation or the
work of the liaison officer among
the disabled in this city for the past
year: Claims prepared and present
ed. ATS cases; claims allowed, l34
cases: claims disalloWed, 80 cases
claims pending, 242 cases; hospital
cation obtained, 38 cases; sick visited
5l3 cases; emergency relief, 5S cases
Warming has been sent to al
disabled of this city to make an inn
mediate check at the Veterans Blu
. Teau on the matter Of beneticiaries
ramed on the Government insurance
If has been found that in many
bases men took out insurance during
ervice and since beneticiaries nave
he'd or the veteran has been mar
hi Failure to change the original
heficiary has resulted in dlstlhc'
kculty when veterans have died.
Ill l-Kzs I'D