Evening star., 1937-11-07
By Lucy Salamanca.


a or visit in Washington, there once
sounded discussion that later led to
the national payment annually of
$800,000,000. Here may be heard first
murmurings that may later lead to
legislation affecting the destinies of
millions of men in their forties who
once wore the khaki of World War
days, and, according to those murmur-
ings, one may predict fairly correctly
what may be expected in the years
ahead, what the Legionnaires want
next of Uncle Sam.
Those who have been expecting the
word pensions" to be shouted with
increasing vigor until the drawing
room murmur becomes fiery demand
on the floor of the House and the
Senate, will be surprised, perhaps, to
learn that the next and immediate
want" of the veteran is far more
simple one than that. In one word
he wants a job. The one important
thing to the man who fought in the
World War and jeopardized his
chances for resuming normal life after
the conflict was over, is to find en-
ployment. He wants, above every
thing else in the world, to be given
a chance to earn his own livelihood,
and he is asking with fervor and
insistence that must command at
tention that he be given it.
Just what is the picture, so far as
our Youngest veterans are concerned,
20-odd years after the celebration OF
the Armistice? Aside from the spec
tacular fact of the payment of the
bonus, what has been done for the
vast army of 1918? And what has
happened to them in the years that
lie between Verdun and the present?
First of all, the agencies that have
made the welfare of Veterans their
especial business are the Veterans
Administration, ably directed by Gen.
Frank T. Illness and the Committee
on World War Veterans Legislation.
Of which Representative John E. Ran
kin of Mississippi is chairman. Before
considering the accomplishments OF
these two agencies in the interests OF
veterans, let us consider some of the
men in each primarily interested in
taking care of the veteran.
ORIG. GEN. FRANK T. HINES was
appointed Director of the United
States Veterans Bureau on March 2,
1928, by President Warren G. Harding.
A veteran of the Spanish-American
War in the Philippine Insurrection, he
served as sergeant, first sergeant and
second lieutenant of the Utah Field
Artillery and was recommended for
the Congressional Medal of Honor for
distinguished service performed in
action against the Spaniards on the
night of July 3l-August l, 1899. In
1901 Gen. Hines was appointed in the
Regular Army as second lieutenant OF
the Coast Artillery Corps, and as
result of his studies during this period,
became an authority on highly tech
nical subjects such as materials and
Notifications, writing book, THE
Service of Coast Artillery" which was
used as a text book for years.
After promotions in rank and wide
Army experience, he was appointed
brigadier general in the National
Army and in 1918 accompanied the
Secretary of War abroad. Later, as
a reward for service, he was appointed
q brigadier general in the Regular
Army. He has received Distinguished
Service Medals from the Army and
Navy Departments of the United
States, the British Order of the Bath,
the Belgian Order de Leopold, the
French Legion of Honor, the Japanese
Order of the Sacred Treasure and
the War Cross of Czechoslovakia. His
administration of the Veterans Bu-
Yeau has shown savings of more than
$10,000,000, effected largely by con-
solidation of veterans relief agencies.
The Veterans Administration Build
ing no Vermont avenue, over which
he presides, is the scene of all activity
In connection with the annual pay
ment Of an $8O0,OOO,OOO veterans
bill
The Veterans Administration is
now operating hospital facilities in
80 locations in 43 States and the Dis
trict OF Columbia, providing for ap-
proximately $4,000 beds. More than
10000 veterans of the World War
ere hospitalized annually.
IN ITS present program the Fed
eral Board of disqualification pro-
vides for the addition of 1000 beds
annually, to take care of the neu-
ropSychiatric patients, and the num-
ber so afflicted is increasing every
year-a sad and graphic commentary
upon the results of war and its i'm
preston upon the human mind. Corps
Of nurses are trained regularly in the
care and treatment of such patients
and schools are operated for the
training of attendants. Post-gradu-
ate courses Of four months duration
in general medicine are given twice
yearly for physicians already in the
service and for younger associate
physicians entering the service, be-
fore they are assigned to duty.
This disqualification board also con-
ducts centers for the special surgical
treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis.
There are six of these centers. The
Veterans Administration also has six
cancer centers, equipped with radium,
and these centers provide beds for
b02 patients suffering from this
disease.
Under the jurisdiction of Gen. Hines
organization is the vocational training
for veterans. More than 10000 Of
these men are now taking advantage
Of this training and are thus equip
ping themselves for positions in civil
ian. life, prevented, because of war
: injuries, from returning to their pre-
war occupations.
One of the most tremendous jobs in
connection with the Veterans Admin
istration is taking care of the claims.
Approximately 1,724,000 claims have
been fled for compensation on pen
sion benefits by World War veterans.
In addition, there are about $4,000
!, veterans receiving pensions for service