The Sidney herald., 1957-03-21

Helena - Modernization ant
expansion Of facilities at tn,
Fort Harrison Veterans Admins.
tration hospital on the outskirt
of Helena is being urged by
Montana's congressional delega.
ton, supported by veterans or.
~ganization and the state veteran.
welfare commission. In the fore
front of this most worthy I'M
dertaking is Congressman Lee
Metcalf.
Pleading the case for Fort
Harrison before the house COM
mittee on veterans affairs, Con-
gresham Metcalf emphasized the
inadequacies, both as to the need
for many more beds and for
modern laboratory, x-ray and
surgical and clinical equipment.
The insufficiency of the hospital
plant has been officially recog-
nized for years, but no substan-
tial steps to correct the situa-
ton have yet been taken.
Despite its critical shortage Of
beds and its other functional han
dicaps, Fort Harrison Is doing a
remarkable fine job which is
all the nor creditable because
this is a converted army post
built before the turn of the CEN
tury, with some squat wooden
barracks from World War ii
thrown in. That there is such
efficiency under such makeshift
conditions is indeed remarkable.
From recent personal expert
ence l feel / am somewhat quail
fled to comment on what Fort
Harrison is doing for the veter-
ans of three wars, including what
some choose to call the police
action in Korea. An eye ailment
kept ne "immobilized" at Fort
Harrison for a solid month i'm
me diately preceding the legisla-
tive session. ! a most CRATE
fully say tina. the devoted care
the patients receive and the high
degree OF competence of the med
ical, surgical and nursing staffs
merit utmost commentator Not
too much can be said in praise
Of the service being rendered by
Claude l.. Meredith, manager of
he Fort Harrison VA station,
lis associates and the personnel
Ill down the line.
Being blindfolded and on my
pack was not exactly the most
pleasant situation to be in, but
compared with the condition of
most of those around me, my in
convenience was indeed trivial.
began to understand a. | had
lever understood before that the
ost of war in the aftermath is
lot in money alone. Some of
hose in my ward were gray
nd faltering veterans of the war
0 end all wars - the war to
make the world safe for democ-
acy. Among these, while | was
here, were several who answered
he last muster.
pQl liHOSL VI lllOOC "a NY ~
f the hospital were either mere
oys or relatively young men,
hose broken bodies skilled sur
did their best to repair.
was a story of mere youths
nd young men limping courage
Lsly into whatever future there
be for them. 1t was a
DRY of the inevitable cost Of !
ar. ;
Tort Harrison, the military
ost. goes far back in my MEM
ry. Like other military estab-
shments on what still was ex-
sGiently considered the troubled
'ontier, Fort Harrison was erect
l for the asserted purpose Of
and discouraging In
ians with a yen for white mems |
Cut by the time Fort {
'arrison was garrisoned, the |
lining magnates and cattle kings
he had reared Victorian MAN. :
ems in the nearby capl-al city i,
Helena were in 10 perils from =
oorigines with murderous and =
.undering intent. 1t was some r
me since Sitting Bull had been +
ersuaded to rest on his launches 4
fely remote from Montana and v
nief Joseph had been exiled.
In those days when Fort Har- v
son came into being - as is 6
i'll the case on a vaster scale q
day = people whom we send :
Washington to represent us
included the rogram and the =