Evening star., 1928-10-30

Nearly 10 years have passed since
the armistice which closed the fighting
OF the World War, but the aftermath
Of that fighting has not yet passed.
Next week the Disabled American Vet
erans' Association will undertake the
annual drive" in the sale of forget-me-
nots and today the organization seeks
presenting the little flowers of kindly
sentiment to the public, with the urge
that the public indeed should not for
get the men who have suffered through
the years following their ordeal Of bat
tie. Volunteers should report to D. A.
v. headquarters In the Earle Theater
Building. Thirteenth and z streets
northwest.
There are four organizations which
have had off1cial recognition Of Con-
gress for the rehabilitation of the vet
Rehabilitation of the Disabled Ameri-
can Veterans, made up of such dis
abled victims themselves; the American
Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars
and the American Red Cross. The fact
that there are four organizations does
not mean that the work is being dupli~
Gated, for each approaches the objective
from different angle-at least TO a
very large degree. It is reported that
the Disabled American Veterans, with
their trained liaison officers, in working
with the United States Veterans Bu-
reau, make 40 per cent of all the con-
facts made by all organizations, the
American Legion and the two others
covering the other so per cent This
statement Is not deprecatory Of the
service OF the other organizations. The
D.. A. vs. specialize In aiding the dis
ais, but In legislative direction and adj
ninistration policies exclusively in the
interest Of justice TO the men who have
sacrificed their own strength upon bat
tlefields and in camps
Practically the only financial resource
of the D. A. VS.. is the annual sale of
the little forget-me-nots. The sale is
authorized by the District Commission
ers and 1t has the personal Endorsement
of President Coolidge, Chief Justice
Taft, Bishop Freeman, Bishop Nc
Dowell, Archbishop Curley, Rabbi Simon
and scores of other most prominent and
careful Washingtonians.
y X 4
In communication, President Cool
idge says:
"The annual Forget-Me- Not observ-
ance of the Disabled American Vet
erans Is particularly deserving of the
most sympathetic attitude on the part
Of the public. The Government Is en-
deavoring in every possible way to al
leviate the sufferings of those for whom
the war still endures. Yet there are
certain phases of this great problem
In which outside agencies may be of
vital assistance. The Disabled Ameri-
can Veterans has proved one of the
efficacious auxiliaries of this task. Its
cooperation with the Veterans Bureau
on administrative problems, and with
Congress on legislative matters, has
been impressively helpful, as has the
organizations direct contact with indi-
vidual veterans In bringing about the
prompt adjudication of claims"
1t is natural consequence of the
| years that the man or woman not In
direct touch with the sufferings of the
| disabled should grow less conscious OF
| the existence of that suffering Yet
| time has not lessened the actual dis
| tress, as Is manifested by the increas-
| ing-not lessening-ca1l for hospitaliza-
ton. Chairman Thomas Kirby of the
national legislation committee Of the
| .. A. VS.. says:
with the passing of time there has
been the cooling of the public enthusi-
asm towards the disabled, and all this
has brought the disabled to the most
real crisis that they have ever faced.H
A great hardship was put upon the
most severely disabled when a time
limit was enacted by Congress upon
vocational training, which was doing
so much in the way of rehabilitating
those who were able to take training
within that time limit, but which is
| now closed to those even more de-
pendent, who were not then able, By
! reason of their wounds or, other disa-
bility. to take advantage Of the op.