SENIOR SURGEON J. E. DEDMAN (R): I am glad this subject came up. A year and a half ago, a committee of T. B. experts came to our hospital and we discussed that question. I made the statement that many of the men in our hospitals were getting too much money. It was immediately taken up by the American Legion, and they said all kinds of unkind things about me. I said that men who never had any money in their lives single boys, etc., were getting $80.00 a month and that this was too much money.
I cited the instance of where a lady came into my office, weeping. She said she had been dependent upon her son; that he had gotten that day a check for $1200; had bought an automobile for $1500; and had gone $300 in debt.
The greatest set of vultures we have to contend with are the automobile salesmen. For instance, they come and sell to our boys for $700 cars which would sell for $400. If the boy has $500, they charge him $750 in order to get notes and keep him in debt.
I am in favor of getting an Act of Congress to put the man’s money at interest, so that when he is rehabilitated he will have something to take care of himself. As it is now the boys are spending their money for hootch, automobiles, etc., and instead of rehabilitating them we are ruining them.
MR. M. SANGER, St. Elizabeths’ Hospital: In regard to the question of General Ireland, the pension regulations include a provision that one part of the pension shall be devoted to reimbursing the hospital for part of the care. I think that would serve in a way to admit of those in hospital getting less while there than when outside.
SENIOR SURGEON G. B. YOUNG, U.S.P.H.S. While on the subject I offer the suggestion that something might be done along this line in connection with the disciplinary regulations, which provide that when a man is discharged for disciplinary reasons his compensation will be withheld for a certain period. We all know that we sometimes will have to discharge people for disciplinary reasons, and it may happen that the offense is of such a character and the man of such a character as to make you feel that the sentence you have to impose upon him as compared to that which you have to impose upon a flagrant offender is lacking in elasticity. It seems to me that it would be well in this connection to consider whether the regulations could provide for the with-holding of compensation by the Veterans’ Bureau for a greater period as an incentive to better conduct, so that the man might be returned to the hospital with the incentive that if he behaves satisfactorily that this money which had been withheld would be restored. As it is a man has to be discharged and he goes out penniless, because he hasn’t anything coming to him for several months. If he could look forward to a suspended sentence, I think that would save some of the better element among these possible unintentional offenders and get them back into a line of good behavior.
COLONEL JAMES A. MATTISON, N.H.D.V.S. This question which was brought up by Congressman Madden, General Ireland and others is a very pertinent one. This method of handling the funds of men of former wars has been in effect in the National Home service for many years. The matter just spoken of in regard to handling this money in a disciplinary way has also been a feature. In regard to the men who have been offenders, who have been continually guilty of getting drunk, the commanding officer of each hospital had the authority to with-hold, as a disciplinary measure, any part or the whole of a man’s pension until such time as he saw fit to turn the money over to the man or a part of it. Of course the matter of with-holding pension money in the case of men of former wars is of much less importance. Formerly, these men were getting $10, $20 and $25 a month, and when Congress passed a pension law providing $30 a month, they saved money. That does not compare with the pensions our soldiers of the recent war are receiving, $80, $100 and $150 a month, and, as has been stated by several men already, it has been and is going to continue to be one of the greatest factors in preventing these men from being restored to an active state in life again.
In the matter of the corrupt conditions which have been described as existing around these hospitals, it is something that cannot be prevented. Every effort has been made. The civil authorities have been appealed to and in most cases they have given undivided co-operation. Personally, I feel that it is an exceedingly important matter.
SURGEON J. B. ANDERSON (R): If I have interpreted the regulations correctly, we are not permitted to have a canteen around the hospital. If I am in error, I should like to know it.
LIEUT. COL. W. H. MONCRIEF, U.S.A.: Contrary to the impression given here yesterday afternoon, revelry does not maintain at Fitzsimmons Hospital. I think we have a well-ordered institution. The matter of compensation does give us some concern.