The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-11
PEACE PATIENTS
! GIVEN BULK OF
HOSPITAL. AID.
! thousands Are Admitted to
Veterans Institutions
in Year.
Continued from Pare u

Continued from Page II
treatment, he is entitled to COM
pensation "as though such disabil-
9ty' aggravation, or death was the
result Of military service during the
word war" That is the law.
Inc case OF certain former Off
ger SHOWS to what abuses this pro-
vision may be subject. This officer.
VINO mad ample means, discovered
tllat ne had an abdominal cancer.
MS surgeon said it would cost 81 900
70 operate. The officer went to a
government hospital, where the sur
geons performed a most skillful
operation, free Of charge, saving the
PATIENTS life.
Profits by Operation
OF necessity the surgery was so
radical that it left the officer with
weakened abdominal muscles. He
could no longer bowl, which was his
iaVorlte sport. He claimed the
operation had visited disability upon
hlm, and he now is receiving regu-
lar monthly compensation, lust as
though his troubles had been caused
py German bullet.
Men with service connected dis
abilities also stand chance to
proft financially when they ere
hospitalized. Suppose a man is re-
eeiying compensation for an all
ment that happened to him in the
army, disabling him to the extent
Of only 10 per cent.
II he can arrange to get into a
hospital for treatment for this dis
ability, his monthly compensation
automatically scars from $40 a.
month to $50 a month, with addi-
uonal allowances to his dependents.
Which might run his income up to
we'll over 500 a month.
In other words, the former soldier
IS living in a hospital at govern
ment expense, getting the best
treatment possible and receiving an
additional bounty of $50 a month.
Warning Is "Smothered"
A sharp warning given congress
concerning the evils into which the
relief Of veterans was drifting is
contained in a study of the whole
subject prepared for the pension
committee of the house of repre-
sentatives.
Printed by the government print
ing Office last year, its contents
never were made public, nor was the
authorship ever revealed. It was
understood, however, that the re-
port was the joint effort of num-
Der of experts on veterans relief.
The governments obligation
should extend no further than the
provision of medical treatment for
diseases or injuries held to have
been incurred in or aggravated by
military service" said the report,
fatty.
There is no more sound reason
for granting free treatment to vet
Grams for diseases or injuries not
due to military service than there
IS for extending like relief to any
person who faithfully has served the
government ina civilian capacity, or
even to any other citizen, regardless
OF his service. for the government"
Report Kept Under Cover
No action has been taken to date
on this carefully guarded report, nor
have its contents ever been under
official discussion, so far as could be
learned, except in secret executive
sessions of the congressional COM
mittee.
Meanwhile, the costs of this free
medical service are rising to as
founding heights, despite the fact
that hospitals are treating fewer and
fewer cases of service connected
disabilities.
1t is impossible to estimate the
millions of dollars that will have to
be spent in years to cone for new
hospitals and hiring of nurses and
doctors. The average age OF a
World war veteran today is 40 years.
AS the normal infirmities of age in
creaseS this class of citizen will de-
mand more and more expensive
treatments, which must be provided
by the people at large.
Cost Rises Rapidly
Trend in the cost of government
disqualification can be summed up
in few words: The grand total of
cases treated during the fiscal year
ended 1925 was S9.542: the grand
total treated at the end of the fiscal
year 1881, was 139,960
THE grand total of cases treated
which had service connection was
So 500 at the end of the fiscal year
1925, and 26,799 at the end of the
fiscal year 1881. The grand total of
cases not service connected treated
at the end of the fiscal year 1925
was 1928, against S2,85o at the end
Of the fiscal year 1881.
ITO Re Continuedl