The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1946-01-24
Golden Opportunity For Vets
To Manage Fletcher Hospital;
Ceases Operation March |


dous support behind efforts to have
Fletcher General hospital turned ov-
er to the Veterans Administration
for operation when the big institu-
tion is surrendered by the U. S.
Army, it was announced today.
The Veterans Administration has
expressed itself as interested in the
operation of Fletcher hospital and
has requested the Army not to de-
clare it surplus property until the
administration has had an oppor-
tunity to secure an adequate staff.
This in effect, means the Veterans
administration will take over the in
stitution after the Army has gwen
it up, providing a competent staff
is secured.
Depar ment Commander Eaton
expressed the Ohio American legion
desire to have the Veterans Admin
istration operate Fletcher General
hospital in a communication to John
Thomas Taylor, director of the
American Leg:on's National Legis-
lative Committee at Washington,
D. c., and emphasized that abandon
ment of the hospital would be sheer
tragedy for the returning veterans"
He has requested Mr.. Taylor to
bring the situation of Fletcher Gen.
eral hospital in relation to Ohio war
veterans to the attention of Gen.
Omar Bradley, director of Veterans
Affairs.
The action of Department Com
mander Eaton came after he had
made a surrey of veterans hospital
facilities in Ohio and found them
entirely inadequate. With demobii-
zation completed and steadily
growing demand for disqualification
by war veterans, the state is con-
fronted with alarming conditions in
caring for those who served in
Word Wars l and II.
One objection of the Veterans Ad-
ministration in operating Fletcher
General hospital has been that 1T is
not located near a medical center,
where the advice of specialists could
be obtained. However, this has vir-
tually been eliminated with a law
passed by Congress and now effect
i've that empowers the Veterans Ad-
ministration to pay salaries suffi-
cient to provide expert medical and
surgical care for patients.
The American Legion post in
Caldwell is 100 per cent behind such
a movement and approximately two
months ago, the newly organized
Veterans of Foreign Wars adopted
a resolution favoring the Vets Ad-
ministration and sent it to Washing
ton.
Veterans of Noble county would
benefit in many ways, if Fletcher
hospital should come under their
control.
Grille hospital at Cleveland is
filled to capacity with approximate
ly 1000 patients in that institution"
Department Commander Eaton says.
FLETCHER hospital is also loaded to
capacity with 1000 patients. In ad-
dition there is a waiting list for
disqualification at Chillicothe of 70
veterans. In the Rayton hospital a
waiting list of 500, and at Brecks-
vile waiting list of $50 exists. In
addition to these waiting lists there
are now housed in state institutions
ATS veterans of World War | and
World War ii, a great number of
these veterans with service connect
ed disabilities.
81 firmly believe that Fletcher
General hospital should be turned
over to Veterans Administration in
order that those on the waiting list,
and those in state institutions with
service connected disabilities, can be
hospitalized and given an opportun-
ity for recovery.
"May | suggest that you bring
this matter to the attention of Gen
eral Omar Bradley, director Of Vet
erans Affairs, and point out to him
the lack of sufficient hospital beds
to take care of the load, and that to
Abandon Fletcher hospital would be
sheer tragedy for the returning vet
Grams who will require this kind of
service"
Approximately $5,OOO,OOo was the
initial outlay of public funds at
Fletcher General hospital and it is
thought the institution cost approx
imately twice that amount. To aban-
don these facilities when they are
SO distressingly needed by the boys
who fought to preserve these Uni
ted States would be breach of
faith to them and an insult to the
taxpayers.
Under present plans Fletcher hos
pital is to close March 81. After that
there will be a 60 day period in
which the Veterans Administration
will have an opportunity to take ov-
er the facilities. Should operation
of the hosp tai be rejected by the
Veterans Administration, it would
be declared surplus property and
the State of Ohio, which has ex- ,
pressed a desire to acquire the prop ,
erty, would have a chance to buy
the facilities from the surplus prop .
erty administration.