The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1955-03-12

ailments plus the free treatment Of The truly indssni sx
soldier.
stop Of oil construction Of Veterans Adminsrs
lion hospitals.
hospitals and complete suspension Of free
merchant marine sailors the only privately smpoyed GROUP
now cared for by Washington.
HOSPITAL MERGER
merger Of Army. Air Force and Navy hospitals now
running In composition and at only half capacity
Establishment Of eonirbvfory health insurance for
all civilian employees Of government.
Establishment Of federal advisory council Of health
to coordinate the haphsrad federal medical programs
run by 10 federal departments agencies
The report URGING THE CLOSING OF 10 Veterans AID.
mnIsfraon HOSPITALS, including the At Iron Mountain
THE head of the Iron Mountain Hospital, Dr. Joseph
Fi1slmmons expressed surprise the recommendation
He said lbs Of the hospitals $50 beds use and plans
call for use Of 40 more in the near futursJ
30 MILLION AIDED
The other three VA hospitals in Michigan at Dearborn
Ann Arbor and Fort Custer. named in the Hoover
report.
The commission said Washington has undertaken sps-
ehe responsibility for all part Of the medical Of
approximately 100000 Americans"
These include 100000 active service psrsonnsI g..
100000 veterans sick result Of service 7sooooo
other veterans who get free hospital bed their
checked statement that they pay 10000 military
dependents and 2sooo 900 federal employees entitled limited
care
OBLIGATION NOTED
To handle this the federal government employs 10
cent Of all the nations doctors cent of the working
dentists and per cent Of the graduate nurses.
On care OF Yersn' the commission report to Congress
says
There cannot be the rsmoest doubt that The federal
government has continuing obligation for
who have incurred disabilities in the service and that they
have right TO the highest obtainsbs quality Of medical
service. A grateful nation cannot do less.
The commission (also believes that the sentiment Of
the American people that sick and really INDECENT vsts
should be provided in Veterans Administration
hospitals"
Tracing the origin Of the present system, the commits
recalled that in 1873 when reduction in ssrveeeon
neced illnesses created surplus of VA hospital space Con-
grsss authorized free for nonsevies illness Of Spanish
War Philippine instruction veterans space avail
able" basis.
EXCESS SPACE
Ever since the VA has been building hospitals to
get excess space for the general illnesses Of
veterans Of all wars.
The 10000 beds the VA had in 1888 the report notes
would have provided for all the cases from
ell wars But the last n years the VA has increased the
bed-espsety total to $4,000 and is still building.
In 1853, with veterans organizations approving. bill
was introduced permitting the VA TO authorize the
prssy forbidden eheekvps on statements Of need filed by
applicants for nonsevesonnseted hospisIafon Congress
refused 10 pass IT,
CHECK ON NEED
apparent veeafon that all the $4,000 cases handled
in VA hospitals last year not truly needy the Hoover
commission reported 336 where the veterans had
SAL 600 or more annual income; had $4,000 income
rs had assets $4,000 four had assets between 100000
and soo,ooo-yet all got free hospital beds.
The commission would stop the $l4oooooo annual
vrs for free disqualification for merchant sssmsn that dates
back 10 1873 called this subsidy longer justified
since American among the most highly paid
GROUPS in industry and there many health insurance ia
eIiiies open TO them and their employers"