Part 24

With regard to the matter of smuggling into the reservation, I sent a request to the Surgeon General to be allowed to put up a fence but I have never heard from it. I am going to recommend to my successor that he call attention to that matter again. The reservation at Fort Lyon covers 1100 acres, and a portion should be enclosed with a fence. There has been much stealing there, and we have often found the stolen articles in houses around the reservation. The building of a fence would be expensive, but it would counter-balance the loss of government property.

For the benefit of the gentlemen who may succeed at Fort Lyon soon, I might say that when I was ordered to Fort Lyon I was very much grieved; I knew it was in a desert, and everybody who had been there gave such a discouraging report. My sentiment in that matter has changed to such an extent that if the place had remained in the hands of the Navy, I should have liked to have remained there. We are a happy family of about fourteen commissioned officers and we have formed a little community of ourselves, being independent of the outside world to a large extent. We have our power house, ice plant, community house, social meetings, and in fact we are as independent as can be.

During the flood, we were able, for about two weeks to attend to our own things, and after that we were able to help the outsiders. So, to those gentlemen I want to say that they need not be disconsolate upon receiving orders to go to Fort Lyon.

I think it is ideal for the T. B. patients. We have the dry climate, constant sun-shiny days, cool nights, and everything conducive to the proper treatment of T. B. Everything is complete, and the people are greatly benefited by their stay in our vicinity, as can be attested by the fact that many former Navy People, who had been in the institution, are now living there and are as strong as any person in the East.

I might say that the people who have had T. B. and who are doing well out west had better make up their minds to stay our there for fear that change of conditions might bring about activity again in their cases.

Regarding a uniform system of treatment as suggested, I do not believe any strict rules should be set. We can have a sort of general system, but no uniform method as to the hours of rest, food, etc. At Fort Lyon, rest is now being enforced, and every patient gets two rest periods, i. e., from 9 to 11 A.M. and from 1 to 3 P.M. Liberty is allowed only once a week; and overnight, once a month. Those who would be discontented anywhere have left, and those who have stayed feel they have our sympathy and support and are doing well.

GENERAL SAWYER asked for resolutions from the Resolutions Committee.

GENERAL IRELAND: “Your committee has gone over the resolutions that have been presented, and we find all of them in order, with the exception of one submitted by Colonel Bratton with reference to transportation home. We would inform you that there will have to be legislation to carry out that resolution. We have changed the resolution to read as follows:

‘That the Director of the U.S. Veterans’ Bureau be requested to secure legislation so that the expenses of the patient’s transportation to his bona fide home, when he has been discharged for disciplinary reasons, be deducted from his compensation, when compensation is being given, or may be given thereafter.’

As changed, I recommend that the resolution be adopted by the meeting as read.”

This _Motion_ was seconded, and carried.

CAPTAIN N. J. BLACKWOOD, U. S. N.:—The Committee on Forms has held two meetings at which the general subject of this work was discussed and plans agreed upon. This work is so great that your Committee finds it impossible to report more than progress at present. The whole matter must be gone into carefully and thoroughly in order to avoid mistakes and duplications of the past. The work, to be a success, will require frequent meetings, careful study and cooperation. Therefore, it seems wise that all members of the Committee be officers on duty in Washington, and I recommend that the present chairman, Captain Blackwood, be relieved, and that his place be filled by Captain M. S. Elliott, Commanding Officer of the Naval Hospital; also, that all Commanding Officers here present shall, as soon as possible after returning to their respective commands, take up the subject of forms and paper work regarding Veterans’ Bureau patients, and as soon thereafter as possible submit to the Veterans’ Bureau, Washington, recommendations and suggestions for the elimination, provision and simplification both of the forms themselves and their numbers.

Upon receipt of these letters, your Committee will then take up the whole subject in a more comprehensive way and will, as soon as possible, submit its recommendations for your consideration and approval.

The _MOTION_ was seconded and carried.

Meeting adjourned at 12:30 P. M.

_Eighth Session_ Friday, January 20, 1922.

Honorable Charles H. Burke presiding.

The roll was called by Dr. W. A. White.

MR. BURKE: “We will proceed with the afternoon program. The first subject is “Foreign Relations of the U.S. Veterans’ Bureau in care of ex-soldiers of the former allied countries.” It will be discussed by Dr. F. D. Hester of the Veterans’ Bureau”.

DR. HESTER: read as follows:

“FOREIGN RELATIONS OF THE U.S. VETERANS’ BUREAU

IN CARE OF

EX-SOLDIERS OF THE FORMER ALLIED COUNTRIES.

Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen:

As I note that the program upon which I have been placed refers to foreign relations of the U.S. Veterans’ Bureau in care of ex-soldiers of the formed-allied countries, with your permission I will add to that, the care of U.S. ex-service men in foreign countries. The care of U.S. ex-service men in this country has been discussed from every angle, and it would seem proper that we should also refer to his care in foreign countries from a medical standpoint, as well as to the care of the allied ex-service man in this country.

[Sidenote: THE LAW PROVIDING FOR THE CARE OF U.S. EX-SERVICE MEN IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES]

As act of Congress, Public 104, Sixty-sixth Congress, approved December 24, 1919, provides that the Bureau of War Risk Insurance, now the Veterans’ Bureau, is authorized, to furnish transportation, also medical, surgical, and hospital services to discharged members of the military or naval forces of those Governments which have been associated in war with the United States since April 6, 1917, and come within the provisions of laws of such Governments similar to the War Risk Insurance Act, at such rates and under such regulations as the Director of the Bureau of War Risk Insurance may prescribe, etc.

[Sidenote: AUTHORIZATION FOR SERVICE]

You will note that this provision of the law stipulates at such rates and under such regulations as the Director of the Bureau of War Risk Insurance may prescribe. The regulation that has been issued by the Director of the U.S. Veterans’ Bureau provides that in all cases where application for treatment is made by ex-members of the military or naval forces of the allies, such treatment will be furnished only on the specific authorization of the Director of the U.S. Veterans’ Bureau upon authority obtained from the Government concerned, to incur the expense of treatment in each case. When treatment is so authorized, the same procedure is to be followed as in cases of application made by ex-members of the Canadian forces, which is as follows:

RECIPROCAL AGREEMENT WITH CANADA:

An agreement entered into between the Canadian and this Government upon reciprocal lines provides that when an honorably discharged member of the military or naval forces of the Allies, resident in the United States or its territorial possessions, requires medical or surgical treatment for a disability contracted in, due to, or increased by his military or naval service, he shall apply to the nearest medical representative of the U.S. Veterans’ Bureau. If such representative is not available, information regarding the address of the nearest medical representative of the U.S. Veterans’ Bureau may be secured through any local representative of the American Red Cross, the American Legion, the Y.M.C.A., the Salvation Army, the Knights of Columbus, or other volunteer agency.

METHOD OF PROCEDURE WHEN APPLICATION IS MADE FOR TREATMENT:

When application for treatment is made by an ex-member of the Canadian forces, the medical representative of the U.S. Veterans’ Bureau to whom such application is made will communicate with the District Manager in order to obtain particulars regarding the man’s military or naval status and medical history, and the District Manager will communicate with the Bureau (Assistant Director, Medical Division, Attention Foreign Relations Section), which will obtain from the Government of Canada the necessary information. If additional information is required, the District Manager, if speed be necessary, will request such additional information by telegram. In no case should treatment be undertaken pending receipt of authority from the U.S. Veterans’ Bureau, unless the call be one of emergency, and in all emergency cases the medical officer in the field is authorized to give prompt service.

LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS:

The articles of agreement with Canada have been supplemented with a letter of instructions that clearly sets forth just how service is to be given by representatives of this Bureau to beneficiaries of the Canadian Government. This letter of instruction is a guide for the representatives of this Bureau in the field as to proper procedure when any doubtful situation should arise, and has been sent to the District Managers in such numbers as to furnish each medical officer with a copy.

It is possible that some of you gentlemen are not in possession of these instructions; should such be the case, a number of copies are at your disposal here, and may be obtained from the stenographers’ table.

NUMBER OF CANADIAN EX-SERVICE MEN CARED FOR BY THIS BUREAU:

It may not be out of order to mention at this time that the U.S. Veterans’ Bureau through its Foreign Relations Section, Medical Division, has cared for over 9,000 Canadian ex-service men. When I say Canadian ex-service men, please know that these are not in reality Canadians, but that 95% of the number are American boys, who, through their valor and enthusiasm, rushed into the breach in the early stages of the conflict, having crossed the Canadian border in 1914, 1915, 1916 and 1917. Their Services having been rendered under the English flag in Canadian organizations, these boys are properly beneficiaries of the Canadian Government, and are being cared for by that Government through the U.S. Veterans’ Bureau, Foreign Relations Section, Medical Division, by cooperation with the Department of Soldiers’ Civil Re-Establishment, which is an organization of the Canadian Government, similar to the U. S. Veterans’ Bureau. The personnel of the Department of Soldiers’ Civil Re-Establishment is something over 6,000, divided into 10 medical units, or districts. The Foreign Relations Section, Medical Division, of the Bureau is constantly in receipt of requests for service from allied ex-service men with whose government this Bureau has no reciprocal agreement. These cases are promptly referred to the representative of that government located in Washington with a view of giving service if the Government under whose flag the man served will authorize the service.

REPORTS TO BE MADE UPON CANADIAN FORMS 346,399 and 76.:

Your attention is particularly called to the necessity of forwarding to the Bureau reports required by the Canadian Government regarding the hospitalization of Canadian ex-service men; and I desire to stress this point, that, when a medical examination is made of a Canadian ex-service man, the report of your findings should be furnished on S. C.R. Form 346 (S.C.R. meaning Soldiers’ Civil Re-Establishment), this Form being similar in requirements to the Bureau Medical Division Form 2545. It is upon the findings in this report mode upon S.C.R. 346 that the Canadian Government gives its approval for hospitalization. S.C.R. Form 399 is a Progress Report, and should be rendered monthly during the man’s stay in hospital, for the reason that until this report is received no pension will be paid to the man or to his dependents. When a Canadian beneficiary is hospitalized his compensation is reduced, but the family allowance, should he have dependents, is increased. $40 is the maximum pension payable to a man while in hospital, $10 of which is paid to him and $30 held in reserve, which is accumulative, and is given to him upon discharge from hospital. The family allowance is increased according to the number of his dependents, and is paid to his family direct. S.C.R. Form. 76 is a discharge report from hospital and should be rendered promptly in triplicate, as all these reports should be. If you are not in possession of these Canadian Forms, 346, 399 and 76, they may be obtained from the District Manager in whose district you are located.

EX-MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY AND NAVAL FORCES OF THE UNITED KINGDOM:

At this time the Veterans’ Bureau has completed agreements whereby service is being given to British ex-service men, which includes ex-members of the military and naval forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa, as well as those of Canada.

RUSSIAN ALLIED EX-SERVICE MEN:

In addition to the above named may be included the Russian allied ex-service men, an agreement having been entered into with the Russian Ambassador now located in Washington, whose official status has not changed since his appointment as a representative of the late Czar. When medical, surgical, or hospital treatment is requested for a Russian ex-service man, it must be approved in advance by the Russian Ambassador, who certifies that any expense incident to this service will be reimbursed by the Russian Ambassador.

CZECHOSLOVAKIAN EX-SERVICE MEN:

Through an agreement with the Czechoslovakian Minister, this service is also furnished to the Czechoslovakian allied ex-service men upon request from the Minister of that country, accompanied by a statement that any expense incident to service will be reimbursed by his Government.

RECIPROCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT:

An agreement is pending at this time with the British Government to provide service for all U.S. ex-service men who may be permanently or temporarily domiciled in the United Kingdom.

CO-OPERATION OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT IN GIVING SERVICE TO U.S. EX-SERVICE MEN IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES.:

All medical, surgical, or hospital service that may be required for U.S. ex-service men now in foreign countries is provided for by this Bureau through co-operation with representatives abroad of the Department of State, this Bureau authorizing such service upon receipt of information that the man is in need of such service, and upon the establishment of his identity and the fact that the disability for which treatment is requested was due to or aggravated by his U.S. military service. Any expense incident to this service is provided for by this Bureau and is paid for through the State Department by transfer of appropriation. This procedure has been found very satisfactory, for the reason that it expedites the service to the man and simplifies the accounting problem by the prompt payment of any expense that may have been incurred.

MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES MADE BY PHYSICIANS DESIGNATED BY U.S. CONSUL:

For the past six months a ruling has been in effect that where a Bureau beneficiary in a foreign country was ordered for examination, he must appear before a physician designated by the U.S. Consul only, and that unless a report was received within three months from the date of the letter directing him to appear, or to furnish satisfactory evidence to the Bureau as to the cause of his inability to report, his compensation, if he received such, would be held in suspense pending the report of his medical examination. The result of this procedure in securing an examination by competent physicians has been that more satisfactory reports are received.

CHECKS SENT TO BENEFICIARIES IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES:

The records of the Bureau for the month of December show that at this time there were 5,977 beneficiaries of the Bureau to whom checks were sent, totalling in value $489,714. These beneficiaries are resident in foreign countries located in all parts of the earth, as is shown by the tabulated statement submitted.

SOME CASES OF INTEREST:

In order that you may have a slight conception of the far-reaching effect of the strong arm of this Government in giving aid to its ex-service men wherever located, which means that they are scattered all over the earth, I believe that it will serve my purpose if I cite a few cases that may prove of interest to you. I shall with-hold the names of these men and refer to them by numbers only.

CASE NO. 1:

In this case a member of Congress came to the Veterans’ Bureau and stated that he had been excursioned around from department to department in his effort to obtain assistance in coming to the rescue of a boy who had been discharged from the U.S. military service against medical advice, suffering from melancholia, and who was sent to his home at the earnest request of his parents, as it was believed that his return to normalcy would be more quickly effected in the environment of his home and under parental care, than in a hospital. The Congressman went on to relate that after remaining home for about four months, the boy was one day reported missing. Diligent inquiry and searching parties failed to locate him, and a river nearby suggested the possibility of an accident or suicide. We will drop the curtain on this distressing situation, for we know by the law of the universal heart of the suffering that must have followed in that afflicted home.

LOCATED IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA:

After a lapse of fourteen months a letter was received from Sydney, Australia, addressed to a small town in a Southern State, signed by the Christian name of the writer, Henry, we will call him. The letter was a rambling, disconnected communication, addressed to no one, not even to the Postmaster, but simply to the town. The Postmaster, being the self-appointed recipient of the Communication, incidentally mentioned it to the father of the missing boy. The father did not associate the letter in any way with his lost son, but that evening upon returning home, he told his wife of the letter which the Postmaster had mentioned. I can almost see in your faces now that you have read the sequel to my story, that the mother’s love quickly put the question: “Did you see that letter?” and when the father said, “No”, the mother insisted that the letter must be from her lost boy. A visit to the Postmaster was made immediately, the letter was produced and identified by the mother as having been written by her boy. The letter was then two months old. The Congressman had come to see what could be done as to locating the boy in far away Australia.

Although the distance between the yearning mother and her lost boy was over 12,000 miles, I do not think I am exaggerating when I state that within thirty minutes after learning the facts a cablegram was under the water, requesting that the Consul General at Sydney cause a thorough search to be made in the hospitals and other institutions in the city with a view of finding the boy whose personal description was furnished, and to hospitalize if necessary and cable results. Within two days a reply was received, stating that the boy had been found and placed in a hospital. He has subsequently been returned to the United States, where he is now being cared for as a beneficiary of this Bureau, and I am glad to say that he is progressing satisfactorily. Is it strange that the Congressman and the Bureau should have the gratitude of these parents?

CASE NO. 2.:

A medical officer of the U.S. Army while traveling in Northern Africa stopped over night at a hotel in Algiers and there learned of the presence and illness of a U.S. Ex-service man. This young officer was out of funds and in need of hospitalization. The attention of the Surgeon General of the Army was called to the case, who in turn advised the Veterans’ Bureau of the man’s distress. The State Department was called by telephone and requested to cable the U.S. Consul at Algiers, directing him to give immediate service to this American boy and report action taken, with the result that the boy was promptly cared for and sent by first available transportation to Marseilles, France, where he was hospitalized.

CASE NO. 3.:

This case is that of a navy man whose disappearance was a mystery to his family. The first information as to his location was obtained through the U.S. Veterans’ Bureau, Medical Division, as the result of a telegram received from the Director Medical Services, Department of Soldiers’ Civil Re-Establishment, Ottawa, Canada, which stated that a man had been arrested there as a vagrant; that he was apparently a mental case, and had been in the U.S. Navy. His name was furnished and his identity established through the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery of the Navy. He was promptly hospitalized by the Bureau through the co-operation of the Canadian officials and returned to this country with an attendant, where he is under treatment at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital.

PURPOSE OF THE BUREAU’S ENDEAVORS:

I might go on to cite many such cases, but my time allotted is insufficient. My purpose is simply to inform you that it is the wish of the Director and his associates in the Veterans’ Bureau that it and its co-operating agencies may give to each case a human touch, reflecting personal interest and I can think of no better maxim for our guidance than the title of Charles Reade’s book, “Put Yourself In His Place,”—and give service as you would have it given unto you.”

MR. BURKE: stated that in the absence of Major Fraser his subject would be taken up by Mr. Milliken.

MR. J. B. MILLIKEN, of the U. S. Veterans’ Bureau, discussed the subject “Relation of U. S. Veterans’ Bureau to other existing bureaus in caring for its beneficiaries”, as follows:

“Ladies, Mr. Chairman, and Gentlemen: The subject of my twenty minutes talk to you might more appropriately be termed the relation of the U. S. Veterans’ Bureau to all the Executive Departments of the Government, for indeed, there is not a Department of this government with which the U. S. Veterans’ Bureau does not have a vital and immediate contact.

Probably there are three Executive Departments of the Government with which the Bureau has more contact than with the other Executive Departments—that of the Treasury Department, the War Department, and the Navy Department. Inasmuch as the U. S. Public Health Service is a part of the Treasury Department our contact with this Department of the government is immediate and vital, and is of more immediate importance than our contact with the other Executive Departments.

As is appreciated, no hospitals are operated directly by the U. S. Veterans’ Bureau, and all hospitals with the exception of contract hospitals are operated by the other independent establishments of the government, the Public Health Service of course having the lion’s share in providing facilities, and prior to the Act of August 9, 1921 creating the U. S. Veterans’ Bureau, the U. S. Public Health Service had charge of the various fourteen district offices where was stationed at each district office a Supervisor.