Evening star., 1946-10-23
S
$50 VA Patients
Want 10 Remain
Agency Says Home
Must Close Nov. IS
To Release Workers
By George Beveridee


roblem of having about $50 vet
ran patients who are too happy
o move from the agency's home
nd hospital at Fort Washington,
I'D.
They'll move any way, around
November Is, when the home is
lated to close, according to the
'eterans' Administration.
A visit yesterday to question
medical personnel and
;ivilian employees at the fort re-
'ealed a universal feeling-"We
Ike it here and we want to stay"
The home, with a capacity for
.37 patients, or members" as they
Ire called, houses largely World
Var veterans, most of them with
;hronic disabilities or ailments that
equire long periods of hospitaliza-
ion. With room and board free,
members may pick up extra money
~ working around the post Most
If them draw pensions for disabil-
ties. Function of the small, but
veil equipped 68-bed hospital is to
urnish emergency facilities for the
Jeterans.
Want to Be Left Alone.
The main reason we Like it here
S because we're left alone" one
said. We're not very sick,
,ut most of us will never be able
% work again. We just want to be
eft alone"
While several members complained
about the temporary nature of their
they praised admini-
'tration of the home and the pleas
INT surroundings of the historic
'ort on the banks of the Potomac,
lbout II miles from Washington.
A nurse, who said she has had
more than 10 years experience in
Veterans Administration hospitals,
eported she has heard fewer COM
,laints here than in any other hos.
oital I've SEEN" An official of the
home said he has hardly heard a
Jingle complaint about this place"
But a good many men have
,ome to me with complaints about
he added.
And our personnel like it here,
,oo," added doctor at the hos
pital "It seems a shame to leave
now. We've just about begun to
really operate smoothly"
Couldn't Fill Home,
Tho csf,,a{iNv, L.
because the Veterans Administrator
has never quite been able to fill
the home to capacity. Efforts of
ofhcias at Mount Alto Hospital here
to have chonic cases transferred
to the fort in order to make room
for patients requiring more medical
treatment have been unsuccessful.
p rWe can't force patients to 60 to
any OF our hospitals" a spokesman
OF the agency pointed out. Every
veteran must declare his willing
ness to go to hospital before we
can send him there"
The announced closing date will
coincide with the opening of the
| ,000-bed Newton D. Baker Veterans
Hospital at Martinsburg, w. Va.
Many local veterans at Fort Wash.
lngton are expected to be sent to
q branch of the new hospital.
Other will be routed to the home
at Kecoughtan, Va, the Veterans
Administration said.
A list Of all members in one dormi.
tory posted on a bulletin board yes
terday listed World War I members
as being sent to Kecoughtan, and
said World War II members would
go to Martinsburg.
Closing Is Protested.
M. G. Hobson, manager of the
home, however, said a survey was
begun Monday ito find out where
the men want to 60.
To protest the closing, meanwhile.
George w. Ellis, a member and
editor of the homes mimeographed
visited Veterans Ad-
Bradley's Office yester-
day. In the last issue of his paper,
Mr.. Ellis in an editorial that said
the only complaints found during
4 recent canvass of members was
about "the weather, bus service,
fishing and the movies" He added:
Why, when most of us are
getting well here do we have to get
out? If the station Is to be operated
On caretaker basis, why can't it be
operated for a few hundred veterans
who have proved, by others re-
that the environment
and treatment is adequate here?"
The Veterans Administration an
'wer is that 279 persons are needed
% man the station. In a release
the closing, the agency
said medical personnel shortages
would hinder the opening of the
new Baker Hospital if the fort were
20 remain in operation.
Outsiders" Resented.
Several members also complained
yesterday that two OF the forts
,hree largest residences are occu-
oied by nonpost personnel who hold
high positions in the Veterans Ad-
central Office here.
There's been a sort Of general
resentment that outsiders are being
allowed to move in,'' a Fort Wash
ngton doctor said.
The officials are R. E. Adkins, ex.
.cutive officer of the agency's medi-
al division, whose home, a doctor
aid, contains seven bedrooms and
hree baths, and DR.. j. A. Smart.
Who maintained residence at the
ort's old Manor House after mov-
ng to the Washington Office in July.
lie formerly was chief medical
,fflcer at Fort Washington. Rent
or the homes, spokesman said, is
nominal"
Mr.. Adkins declared that he OBJ
aimed special permission to reside
t the fort "as a temporary meas
ire" until he could find another
home. He has been there, he said,
ince April.
The fort, property of the National
'arks Service, was obtained by the
Teterans' Administration about two
ears ago and will be retained pend
ng studies for future use," it was
earned. Discussions by agency
'ficials have included the possibility
i using the facilities as an annex
0 Mount Alto.