Evening star., 1930-06-22

A meeting of the department exec
utive committee of the Department of
the District of Columbia. the American
Legion, will be held Thursday night
at o'clock in the board ROOM District
Building. Department Comdr. Charles
H. Knight will preside.
Action by Congress on the johnson
disabled veterans bill by which many
thousands of veterans of the World
War will be benefited is being anxiously
awaited throughout the country, not
only by members of the American
Legion but those not members of the
organization.
This bill has been favorably reported
out by the Senate finance committee
and action by the Senate is being looked
for any day. AS passed by the House
the bill would have cost Sis1 900 900 a
year, sum that many believe Presi-
dent Hoover would diSapprove. The
Senate finance committee thereupon
reduced this cost to about S74,0O0, 900.
In addition To this it has included an
amendment which will save a s25 ,O00.-
600 expenditure which would be neces-
sary under existing law.
Vice Chairman John Thomas Taylor
of the national legislative committee.
OF the American Legion, says:
The Congress has enacted many
measures at the present session, which
together with the additions to the appro-
priation bills will cost many times more
than the veterans measure and a ma
Jority of these increases were voted by
the Congress while the veterans bill was
still pending. The amendment deduct
ing s25 100000 from the bill as reported
by the finance committee of STA, 1000, 900
would make the net cost of the bill the
first year about $50 600, 900. This net
expenditure of $50,00o,000 will assist
countless distressing cases. Among
others it will connect with the service
the following: Twenty-three thousand
mental cases, 19. 900 tuberculosis, 2o 900
chronic and constitutional diseases.
This relief will be real and practical.
1t will be both generous and Just and
will reflect the oft-repeated attitude If
the Congress and the Nation-'every-
thing for the disabled The measure
will compensate about 100000 OF the
most distressing and deserving cases.
save an untold number of lives and
brighten tens of thousands of homes
now darkened through suffering and
financial distress-homes In which Wiu-
oWs and children have been ponderins
the gratitude of governments. These
men we're the flower of our country's
youth when the Senate selected them
to defend our country. Tens of thou
sands of them are wrecks today as a re-
suit of the World War. We are asking
the Senate, many of whose members
voted to send these men to wor. to
make certain now that such an urgent
relief measure is enacted into law"
President Hoover now has before him
for signature the bill providing that all
commissioned officers who served in
the armed forces during the World
War and who have been, or who may
hereafter be retired shall be advanced in
rank on the retired list to the highest
grade held by them during the World
War. No increase Of active or retired
pay or allowances will result from the
provisions Of this act The measure
also applies to officers who have died
Another measure ready for the Pres
ldents signature is that authorizing tie
razing of the existing Army and Navy
General Hospital at Hot Springs, Ark,
ana the construction Of a new hospital
on the present site to cost 81, 500, 600.
A measure granting retirement to
members of the Army Nurse Corps or
Navy Nurse Corps who have become
disabled in line Of duty. with retired
pay at the rate Of rs per cent In the
grade at the time of transfer TO The re-
tired list, has passed Congress and is
now before President Hoover for ap-
proval.
Alternate National Executive Com
mitteeman Andrew Gross of Honolulu,
Hawaii, was visitor and guest Of De-
1 partment Adjt. Howard S. Fisk at de-
partment headquarters during the Last
week. He Is here visiting his mother
/ at 645 @ street northeast, and expects
( to motor South this week, crossing the
/ continent in about three weeks time
/ for San Francisco, from which point ne
Will sail for Honolulu Mr.. Gross is a
/ native of this city and for the past elk
years has been connected with the
/ Y. M c. A. at Honolulu He is accom-
! panied on the trip by his wife.
/ Last Thursday morning at 10 o'clock
accompanied by a delegation Of Ha-
waiianites. he placed a wreath on the
/ Tomb Of the Unknown Soldier on be-
half OF the Department of Hawaii, the
American Legion. II. Edmund Bulls
chairman of the pilgrimage committee
to the Tomb Of the Unknown Soldier
directed the delegation. Others In the
party were Mrs. Andrew Gross, Lieut.
+. w. Mckinney, jr., U. S. A, and Mrs
Mckinney of Hawaii Mai. Charles B
Brown and Henry c. Brown, formerl;
of Honolulu; Carl z. Basler, Miss Janet
Basler and Clinton Basler of Honolulu
William l.. Prendergast, formerly oi
Honolulu; Capt. Samuel Mookini, Unitec
States Army Reserves Lahiana, Islanc
of Maui. Hawaii; Delegate in Congress
and Mrs. v. S. K. Houston and Danie
P. McGregor. Ir. and David K. Bent