Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-20
over the land on which the hos
pital was later built.

EAse~S "e~S eeNSS@ SNN~S'
Washington a Stakeholder
George Washington, it is
thought. probably owned stock
in a tavern on the property ac-
cording to a check which turned
up at the Treasury Department
some time ago bearing that we'll
known veterans signature)
The Welfare Department owns
a number of desks in the build
ing while the Navy Department
owns the chairs. The Navy also
provided a heating plant and
the Board of Managers, a deep
freeze. To make matters still
more confusing, the Veterans Of
the Spanish American War, who
rent the home for regular meet
ings at So a night, payable to
the Board Of Managers, keeps
its paraphernalia there. Butter,
it should be mentioned, comes
from the surplus stores of the
Department of Agriculture.
This year again the Welfare
Department as well as the Com
just dropped the home
from the 1857 budget. Up to
the House it went considerably
lightened by the missing $35. 900
item. Nobody said anything.
But when the bill was reported
out of the House, there appeared
this notation from the House
Committee on Appropriations:
Committee Surprised"
1.-THE committee was very much
surprised to learn that funds were
not being requested for the con-
tinued operation Of the Tempo
rary Home for Soldiers and Sail
ors. The committee requests that
the home be continued in opera
ton and feels the department
(of welfare) can absorb the cost
of operation within the funds
provided"
While the committee was
Every much surprised" District
officials were not.
Precisely the same thing has
happened before since the mid
|1940s-except that each year
Congress has provided the funds.
According to several sources.
when all has been said and done.
the Senate will restore the item
with an increase of a few thou
sand dollars this year.
Just who has carried the day"
for the home each year?
More than anybody else, it
appears to be Watson B. Miller.
former administrator of the Fed
eral Security Agency and former
commissioner of the United
States immigration and Natu-
ralization Service. He is the
boards legislative liaison between
the home and Congress.
Mr.. Miller describes his fight"
over the years with the District
Government as a friendly one
and kind of fun for all of us"
He calls the situation "one you
can't see with the naked eye"
Support Sought
His main concern is continued
support Of the home. He is SYM
pathetic towards the District and
Its financial troubles but feels
Congress has treated the home
Jas something Of a separate
agency with funds coming out
Iof the Welfare Department. 1T
has been satisfactory to me-" he
says. His father. incidentally,
took his physical examination
for the Spanish-American War,
lin the old home.
Just who does have Jurisdiction
over the home has been the sub
ject of number of investiga-
tons by the District Corporation
Counsel's Office. The investiga-
tons have never provided an
answer TO the question.
The home was organized as a
private corporation by a few
members Of the Grand Army of
the Republic on September /,
1888. 1t had several other
"homes" before winding up at
its present site. Its purpose was
to laid ex-Union soldiers and
sailors Of the late rebellion, by
providing and maintaining a
home, where those who may be in
need can be temporarily pro-
vided for with food and shelter
during their stay in this city"
Today, veterans Of all wars
coming to the District can get
the same type Of temporary
shelter handed out to members
of the GAR. Roughly 80 per
cent. according to officials Of
the home. are referred by the
Veterans Administration. The