The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-03-18
Veteran Gives
 Soldiers Side
Shows How Economy Bill Operates to Penaize Soldier
 and Next of Kin

be easily determined by reading the above list of savings
 Item No. 1-Only means that lot of old women are going to the poor house.
 Item No. 2-Restricts hospitali- zation to service connected disabil- ities. For example, out of about 230 patients at the Newington hospital at the present time only about 32 veterans are eligible under the 'new deal"
 Under item No. 3 reducing ben- efits for single men while they are hospitalized. This is approved by all veterans even though it is a fact that some single veterans have greater obligations than some mar ried veterans.
 Number four item is approved and always thought of as gift to the emergency officers.
 When we come to item five we must be satisfied that the depres- sion has it's effects.
 Item number six means the gov- ernment is violating an agreement whereby the veteran paid the gov- ernment who acted as the insur- ance company-all we can say is "let the purchaser beware" Lucky number seven has been a gift from Coolidge and Hoover in- volving $101,652,000.00. This has been the bone of contention. Vet erans cannot defend it properly un- less they might refer to some who are suffering with tuberculosis or ofI aIcoo that iS 1nf SorV- ice connected. The veterans would like to have the public understand that the most a man can get under the disability compensation act is $40, a month if 8 total disability otherwise a part thereof according to the degree of the disability. The veterans are willing to say thank you to the Indian Giver." The fact that this item is done away with means the larger state hospitals are in order-additions can be put on municipal hospitals and char ity funds increased,in in other words the little taxpayer will carry the burden.
 Item No. 8, eliminating certain Spanish war pensions. How can these veterans at this late date prove service connection? This is unfair and unreasonable to ask a man to prove service connection after thirty-five years.
 In clause number nine to elim- mate presumption for disability this is the greatest shock to the veterans cause. Most of the veter- ans cases or claims even where gun-shot wounds are vouched for with a certificate signed by the Ofa h. Nf disability is presumptive-menw who were gassed, shell shocked, etc. their cases are presumptive, still all such cases are to be eliminated. Sometimes we marvel about the ability of our representatives in Washington and we wonder why we did not elect lot of rubber stamps and send them to the pres ident so that he might use them at will.
 Items 10 and Il are approved by veterans. They were considered gifts and we were thankful for them. But again the twelfth and thirteenth item is going to place the burden of maintaining tuber- culosis hospitals in every state. Many veterans who received bene- fits because they are afflicted with that dread disease will become pauperized and in time public charges. This is truly government obligation where men who served in France suffered exposure to gas. severe cold and damp weather without shelter and are now suffer- ing with tuberculosis. All we want is fair play and justice but in this great land of plenty it seems that the sacrifices, privation and hard ships suffered by those who gave their best during that great con- f1ict back in 1917 and 1918 will continue to suffer from the bangs of war and to their dependents. well, let them all join hands and march to the poor farm, the re- ward that comes from grateful nation.
 In other items we find millions upon millions saved" by the elim- ination of rating boards; recentral- izing veterans activities. This prob- ably means a great loss to Connec- ticut by the removal of the veter- ans bureau from Newington to either Boston or New York, ana again the only veterans hospital in the state might have a "For Sale sign hanging on the door, who can
 
 tell?
 am informed that since the new veterans hospital was opened at Newington about 4,200 veterans re- ceived treatment at that institution (this includes service connected cases as well) and out of that mum Der less than six percent of them were financially able to pay for the treatment they received. Where are these men going to get the medical attention? It is my opinion that the state and municipal governments have a problem on their hands put additions on the poor farms enlarge municipal hospitals-im- prove the insane hospitals and ap- propriate additional funds for charity departments. The number of T.. B. cases cared for by the state will be almost doubled when