Evening star., 1947-02-26
Letters to The Star
War Veteran Comments on
Benefits and Security

The House Committee on Veterans
Affairs has begun work on bill to in
crease veterans benefits. At present a
veteran with no dependents is guaran-
teed a monthly income of SITS One
with dependents Is guaranteed 5000
tprovided his job meets VA qualifi-
cations).
1t is intended that these ceilings be
increased, perhaps doubled. Representa-
tive Kearney. Republican, of New York
has proposed bill to raise these cell
ings to $3.50 for vets with no depend
ents, $500 for vets with one dependent
and 1925 for those with two or more
dependents.
am veteran and have two depend
ents. My monthly income is approx
mately $3.50. Top salary for my job is
around 1925. Mr.. Kearneys bill would
substantially increase my income My
employer considers me an employe with
five years service, though three Of
those years were spent in the Army.
My friend, whose job is the same as
mine, has worked 18 years for the COM
pany. He has two dependents and an
income of 1925 month Under Repre-
sentative Kearneys bill my income
would be the same. My increased pur-
chasing power would decrease that of
my friend fair).
The Republican Party is chopping
away at the Presidents budget. I, for
one, would prefer a cut in veterans
benefits instead of War and Navy De-
partment appropriations. National Sc
pay check. A VETERAN.
Memories of an Old Organ
To the Editor OF The Star:
am writing to thank you for the Edi-
torial, "Parlor Organ" which appeared in
the Saturday issue of your paper My
old heart was cheered and warmed as
read it, and there came before me q pic
ture OF my own childhood home in
Southern Maryland on the banks of the
Patuxent River. There we gathered
around the parlor organ and sang the
old hymns and the old songs of long
ago. AS you say, now and then the
neighbors would drop in and join in the
singing. Many happy hour was spent
in this way, and the recollection of it
calls up many sweet memories of her
childhood home to an old woman who
has passed the s5th milestone on the
road of life. MRS. J. S. FOWLER.
PSychiatriSts and the Insane.
To the Editor of The Star:
Replying to DIR. Winfred Overholser s
letter of February IA, the combined
wisdom of ages has bestowed upon an
individual the right to protect him
fron personal violence at the hands of
society, just as society has its rights to
protection from harmful acts of the in
dividual. 1t would seem the passing of
trial by Jury for those accused of insani-
ty has been a most dangerous step, mas
much as said persons can be deprived Of
liberty without notice, without chance to
be heard in their own defense, without
any trial on definite facts and upon
law, and may be incarcerated for life
upon opinions merely of a group Of
professionals who place their own opin-
ions above all. other considerations.
Psychiatry is supposed to be the
knack or art of caring for the insane,
feeble minded and like cases; that Is
one thing the army of well-paid
psychiatrists cannot do. These experts
are going to branch out into every other
field of human endeavor to run things.
They will tell industrialists how to
handle their employees; the employees
how to succeed in their jobs; parent
teacher associations how to manage
schools. Their mental hygiene experts
are to grade and advise and to be the
confidants of the students from pre-
school age up to the highest university
degrees. They want and have estab-
ished child clinics everywhere, in con-
nection with schools and juvenile courts.
They possess the deciding authority in
insanity trials. They are even going
into our homes to inform us how to
carry on our family life.
Yet, the one thing the psychiatrists
cannot do is toa run properly the in
stitutions they themselves superintend.
Our insane asylums or "State hospi-
tails" from one end Of this land to the
ether are disgrace to humanity, to
our flag and to civilians. In them
the most brutal care of the unfortu-
mates is the rule, not the exception.
1t is the illegal, unlawful, criminal
incarcerations that produce the over
crowdings Illegal methods are used to
intern and then to forever retain in
internment persons sane in law and
in fact. RABBI SAM BLOCK.
Higher Taxes for Officers
To the Editor of The Star: