The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-04-19
PLANS MADE TO
CUT FORCES AT
U. S. HOSPITAL
APPROXIMATELY TWENTY TO
BE AFFECTED IN NoTIFIcA-
TIoN RECEIVED BY HEAD
SURGEON

Employees OF the Marine h0splt-
al have been notified they will be
given furloughs OF undetermined
length without pay at some time
in the future. Approximately 20
of their number will be affected.
When these furlough periods
are to become effective is not
known at the present time Major
M. S. Lombard, surgeon in charge
of the institution, told The Citizen
this morning.
Major Lombard said that no
veterans are being taken in at the
hospital at this time, not even
emergency cases. But the exact
status Of the situation has not
been fully determined.
Surgeons and employees are
awaiting orders outlining The flu
ture status of the hospital and al
so what disposition is to be made
Of the veterans now undergoing
treatment. Nothing definite is
known.
Commerce Body Gets Busy
AS soon as announcement was.
made Of the curtailment relative
to the veterans bureau and the
possibility Of changes in the status
Of the Marine hospital in Key
West, the chamber Of commerce
got in action.
Letters were sent to M. Bryson,
regional manager of the u. s..
Veterans Bureau in st. PeGcrs-
burg FIa, To Senator Duncan U.s
Fletcher and Congressman Mark
Wilcox.
The gist Of these letters is that
tsthe chamber of commerce is deep
ly concerned to learn what effect
the looping off of $400, 100000
from veterans bureau appropria-
tions will have on the local vet
eran's bureau beds assignment to
the Marine hospital at Key West.
The chamber concluded by asking
for any information relative to
this matter that could be given
and also that every effort be
made to retain as many beds as
possible.
Senator Fletcher's reply gave
assurance of every effort to do
all possible in the matter, ending
with 'You know. of course, that
under the Economy Act every eff
fort is being made to economize.n
In the reply of Mr.. Bryson he
advises chat the bureau is not OPP
Grating under the new laws and
regulations sufficiently to deter
mine Just what the future hos
pitalization program will be. He
believes that the number Of vet
Grams entitled to disqualification
win be SO limited in comparison
to those prior to the new law. that
no facilities win be needed at Key
West except perhaps in an oeca-
sional case in South Florida where
il will be cheaper to hospitalize
in Key West because Of transpor-
tation costs.
Gives Assurance
He gives assurance that the
bureau fully appreciates the very
splendid cooperation this city has
always given the work. and if
consistent with new regulations
the veterans bureau viii do what
eyer possible 10 maintain some
kind az contact for veterans IN
Key West.
The letter from ]. Mark Wilcox
expresses deep interest in the
matter Of retaining the beds in
the Marine hospital and assures
the chamber the matter will be at
once taken up with the Director
of Veterans Affairs in Washing
ton and see If some program can
be worked out there that will
bring about the results in which
Key West Is interested.
Mr.. Wileox tells the chamber
that rs soon rs he is able to get
report from the administration he
viii advise the secretary Ut the re-
suits.