The superintendents of the several State insane hospitals of Ohio furnished the following data on the number of World War veterans. hospitalized in their institutions: The above institutions, with the exception of Columbus and Cleveland State Hospitals, show a total of 123 veterans who are receiving compensation for service-connected disabilities. The institutions at Cleveland and Columbus were unable to report the compensation status of their veteran patients. Mr. FENN. What do you think of the advisability of installing the regional offices in hospitals without regard to the availability? I mean by that the availability to the ex-service men to see about the compensation? Mr. MILLER. While your attention was temporarily distracted or diverted I made the statement that it was not wise to move the regional-office facilities to points remote from the center of population merely in the interest of economy. Mr. FENN. That coincides with my ideas. Mr. MILLER. I will say for the Director of the Veterans' Bureau that he is of that opinion also, as I am. Mr. FENN. It seems to me from some hospitals that I am familiar with that are not especially convenient for great numbers of men, not for hospital treatment, to go to the regional office or to the place where the hospital may be located would be inconvenient, and also the constant stream of veterans who do not seek hospitalization and do not need it but go there on their own business, that it would be rather inimical to the well being of that hospital. Mr. MILLER. I think there is one thing that was not mentioned in the discussion, and that is with respect to the physical examination at the regional offices, which is a one day or two job. A man can get a better examination in a hospital than he can in any regional office. To that extent we ought to try where we reasonably can to combine our hospital facilities with the regional office. Mrs. ROGERS. În big cities. Mr. MILLER. But not run a regional office into an N. P. hospital. You do not want men mentally deranged with men who come, for example, to see about their benefits. That has recently faced us in connection with the large hospital at North Chicago. The bureau to serve an increasing N. P. load originally provided 500 beds in that large hospital. Mr. FENN. I hold in my hand a picture of a hospital in which I am considerably interested, and I understand the regional offices have been moved to that hospital. That hospital is 6 or 8 miles from the present location of the regional office. It is very well conducted, and no doubt the Government would save money by moving it there, but when you think that men go for their fiscal desires to the regional office 6 or 8 miles out into the country, while it may be economy to the Government it will not add to the availability of the regional office. Mr. TAYLOR. That is all. Mrs. ROGERS. Miss Reeves, secretary of Hon. Nicholas Longworth, Speaker of the House, is present to express on behalf of Mr. Longworth his interest in this hospital program. I know his wish is that the veterans be served to the fullest extent. Mr. KIRBY. I submit the following telegram for the record in regard to the hospital at Cincinnati. (The telegram referred to is as follows:) THOMAS KIRBY, CINCINNATI, OHIO, January 9, 1931. Munsey Building, Washington, D. C.: As national legislative officer I know you can not advocate locations for hospital sites. I, as an individual disabled veteran, as a citizen, and as a manufacturer, employ over 100 employees, want to implore and urge both Congressmen Longworth and Hess to use their utmost effort to procure for this district a hospital diagnostic center and quarters for the Veterans' Bureau as contains the Hess bill. Cincinnati is a center of veterans' population, their being approximately 30,000 potential hospital patients within the radius of 100 miles. The travel saving would amount to a sum equal to the entire cost of construction at Dayton (Ohio) National Soldiers' Home. This should not be confused with a veterans' hospital. A home is for domiciliary care whereas veterans' hospital is for hospitalization only. Each day we have veterans here who are in need of immediate hospitalization and on account of the fact that we have no hospital and only one contract which is with the general hospital of this city where there are no special wards or beds contracted for, it is necessary that an emergency veteran patient be placed in a ward where all sorts of accident cases are also placed. This is unsatisfactory to the veterans so that even to-day there are over 30 emergency service-connected cases paying their own hospital bills in other hospitals rather than to be housed in the general hospital under these conditions. We have over 100 cases of mental cases in the State insane asylum at Longview here who should be immediately removed. Even to-night I have one case who is so much in need of hospitalization and he can not be placed closer than Chicago and even the doctors of the Veterans' Bureau here claim that he is unable to travel that distance. Please do me the personal favor of seeing that both Congressman Longworth and Congressman Hess receive copy of this telegram without delay and explain to them that my only interest in this regard is for service to the veterans in this community. Regards, JAMES T. HENNEGAN. (Thereupon, at 12 o'clock noon the subcommittee adjourned to meet again at 10.30 o'clock a. m., Friday, January 9, 1931.) WORLD WAR VETERANS' LEGISLATION OHIO AND NEW YORK WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 1930 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON WORLD WAR VETERANS' LEGISLATION, Washington, D. C. The subcommittee met at 10.30 o'clock a. m., Mrs. Edith Nourse Rogers (chairman) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will be in order. We have two bills for Ohio that have been introduced. H. R. 11284 has been introduced by Congressman Hess. Congressman Hess, will you introduce your witnesses and make the statement? We will be very glad to have you. STATEMENT OF HON. WILLIAM E. HESS, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF OHIO Mr. HESS. I introduced a bill yesterday afternoon to provide for a hospital at Cincinnati with 550 beds, 500 beds for general hospital purposes and 50 beds for the diagnostic center. The bill provides for a hospital appropriation of $2,000,000. At the present time really the only general hospital in the State of Ohio is located at Dayton, at the National Soldiers' Home. The conditions are very crowded there, and there are a number of men-not service-connected cases, however-who are in need of hospitalization. They are on the waiting list, and it is impossible to hospitalize these men; so that the need is very great in the State of Ohio, and especially in the southern portion. The diagnostic center located at Cincinnati is at the Cincinnati General Hospital, and the conditions are very crowded there and we are in need of additional space there. I introduced this bill after receiving petitions from hundreds of ex-service men in Cincinnati. I believe those petitions have been referred to this committee, and I have an additional one here that was received a few days ago and I would like to introduce that in the record. The CHAIRMAN. You want a copy of your bill inserted in the record? Mr. HESS. If you please. (The bill and petition referred to are as follows:) [H. R. 11284, Seventy-first Congress, second session] A BILL To authorize the erection of a United States Veterans' Bureau hospital in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Director of the United Statee Veterans' Bureau, subject to the approval of the President, is hereby authorized to acquire, by purchase, condemnation, or otherwise, a suitable site in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, and to contract for the erection thereon of a fireproof hospital for the accommodation of five hundred and fifty bed patients (with necessary auxiliary structures, mechanical equipment, approach work, roads, and trackage facilities leading thereto, domiciliary and out-patient dispensary facilities, facilities for a diagnostic center and accommodations for officers, nurses, and attending personnel) and to acquire necessary vehicles, livestock, furniture, equipment, and accessories. The Director of the United States Veterans' Bureau is authorized to accept gifts or donations for any of the purposes named herein. SEC. 2. For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this act the Presi dent is authorized to require the architectural, engineering, construction, or other forces of any department or agency of the Government to render aid and assistance, and he is further authorized to employ individuals and agencies not connected with the Government, if in his opinion such employment is desirable, at such compensation as he may consider reasonable. SEC. 3. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated, in order to carry out the provisions of this act, the sum of $2,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to be immediately available and to remain available until expended; and not to exceed 3 per centum of such sum shall be available for the employment in the District of Columbia and elsewhere, at the customary rates of compensation, of necessary technical and clerical assistance exclusively to aid in the preparation of the plans and specifications for the project authorized herein and for the supervision of the execution thereof, and for travel expenses, field equipment, and supplies in connection therewith. To Hon. NICHOLAS LONGWORTH, Representative, First District of Ohio: We, the following residents of Cincinnati and vicinity, hereby request that you introduce a bill in Congress for a 500-bed hospital with rooms to accommedate the Veterans' Bureau of our district. Also a 50-bed annex to accommodate the diagnostic center, now located in Cincinnati. Max Schmidt, 3969 Rose Hill Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. Katharine C. McGrath, 4115 Francis Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. Theodore O. Bumiller, 3325 Ruther Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. L. W. Wansbecker, 2206 Clifton Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. N. C. Richter, 2739 Beekman Street. August A. Kestner, 1556 Donaldson Place, Cincinnati, Ohio. J. B. Threman, 4119 Jamestown Avenue P. H., Cincinnati, Ohio. Harvey L. Eppler, 3908 Roswell Avenue, Cheviot, Ohio. M. A. Kuhlman, rural route No. 6, Lockland Station, Cincinnati, Ohio. Anna F. Rheodehamel, 3415 Price Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. Mary Beulah Sharp, 416 East Fourth Street, Cincinnati, Ohio. |