The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-03-01
Review Board Agent
 Tells Of Injustices
Attorney Fred J. O'Donnell Describes How Disabled
 Vets Did Not Get Their Day In Court

l Indianapolis, Ind.-A member of cases of disabled veterans last sum- mer and fall has written a letter to the national commander of the American Legion here, according to national headquarters, describ- ing how thesveterans did not get their day in court" The Legion News Service announces it has ob- tained permission from the writer of the letter to make it public, and states that thousands of cases were unjustly taken off the rolls and have not been put back on pending appeal, despite news an- nouncements that such step is contemplated by the administration through legislation.
 The letter, according to national headquarters, was received by Ma tional Commander Edward A. Hayes from Fred J. O'Donnell, at torney, of Providence, R. I. It follows:
 "Following with interest the re- ports in the daily press of your efforts in behalf of the legion's rehabilitation program for 1884, perhaps the following may be of some assistance:
 Last August the writer was honored by appointment to the presidents board of review for Rhode Island. As department judge advocate of the legion at that time, entirely opposed to the Economy league, did feel that rorsI1 r,s, ceiving compensation to which they were not entitled. When our group organized it did not take long to correctt his idea. Without excep- tion, and our board heard some 425 cases, every veteran appearing had good reason to feel in his own mind that he was entitled to com pensation.
 Although the state department of the legion had worked zealously and State Commander Risk had freely devoted the major portion of his time in endeavoring to acquaint the veterans of their rights, in the great majority of cases the veteran presented a pathetic appearance before the board. III in mind and body, he was not able to procure | the present the evidence necessary to service connect his case and the entire board felt that the individual cases were presented in a manner which left much to be desired. In many instances the veteran was unable to employ counsel as local attorneys on finding out the mass of red, tape hedging their appear ance before review board could not afford to taket hese cases. Tt is my belief that the con- sensus of opinion of members of review boards throughout the coun- try would be to the effect that it was great injustice to remove from the rolls any veteran who had been granted Service connee- tion under laws in existence prior to March 20, 1883.
 "Of course. the above represents only the writer's personal observa- tions but it occurs to me that it might be well worth while to poll the members of the various review boards (omitting those in the em- ploy of the veterans bureau) to see if their views coincide with mine. If so, the opinions of those | men who have watched this new army of helpless veterans pass in review should have great weight with congress as feel the mem bers of the house and senate want to be fair to the disabled veterans and now realize their error in list ening to the propaganda last March which resulted in the pas sage of the so-called economy act"