PHILADELPHIA, PA., March 19, 1930. As you know, the American Legion in Pennsylvania is very much interested in the disabled veterans of the World War. We are having hearings on our hospital program in Washington, and will appreciate your advising the number of World War veterans you have in your hospital. Your immediate attention to this matter will be greatly appreciated. JAS. J. DEIGHAN, Department Adjutant. DEAR SIR: We have seven World War veterans in this institution at the present time. Very truly yours, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY HOSPITAL FOR MENTAL DISEASES. SOMERSET, PA., March 12, 1930. FRANK L. PINOLA, State Commander American Legion, Philadelphia, Pa.: Five World War veterans, all mental cases, in Somerset County Hospital. RETREAT MENTAL HOSPITAL, JAMES J. DEIGHAN, Adjutant, The American Legion, Philadelphia, Pa. MY DEAR MR. DEIGHAN: I acknowledge receipt of your letter of March 19. At this time we have in this hospital, as mental patients, 25 World War veterans. Very truly yours,. GEORGE T. BASKETT, M. D., Superintendent. HOSPITAL FOR MENTAL DISEASES, Clarks Summit, Pa., March 21, 1930. JAMES J. DEIGHAN. Department Adjutant, the American Legion, Philadelphia, Pa. DEAR SIR: Replying to your letter of recent date, would state we have eight World War veterans in this hospital at present and five out on parole from this hospital. Yours respectfully, THOS. A. RUTHERFORD, M. D., Superintendent. FRIENDS HOSPITAL, Frankford, Philadelphia, Pa., March 29, 1930. AMERICAN LEGION HEADQUARTERS, Department of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa. DEAR SIR: In response to your recent inquiry I would state that we have four World War veterans as patients in this hospital. Very sincerely yours, ALBERT C. BUCKLEY, M. D., CHESTNUT HILL, Philadelphia, Pa., March 31, 1930. Mr. JAMES J. DEIGHAN, Department Adjutant, American Legion, Philadelphia, Pa. DEAR SIR: At the present writing I have only one World War veteran as a patient in my sanitarium, Mr. William J. Foley, 116 North Fourth Sreet, Columbia, Pa. Very truly yours, ANNE G. LANE. THE AMERICAN LEGION, Philadelphia, Pa., March 19, 1930. As you know, the American Legion in Pennsylvania is very much interested in the disabled veterans of the World War. We are having hearings on our hospital program in Washington, and will appreciate your advising the number of World War veterans you have in your hospital. Your immediate attention to this matter will be greatly appreciated. JAS. J. DEIGHAN, Department Adjutant. PENNSYLVANIA HOSPITAL, Philadelphia, Pa. ELMER V. EYMAN, DEAR MR. DEIGHAN: We have one woman (former occupation nurse) as a Veterans' Bureau case in this hospital. Chief of Service Department for Mental and Nervous Diseases. Mr. JAMES J. DEIGHAN, ST. FRANCIS HOSPITAL, Pittsburgh, Pa., April 4, 1930. The American Legion Headquarters, Philadelphia, Pa. DEAR SIR: In reply to your letter of March 19 we are sending you the names of the veterans of the World War who are patients in our hospital. They are just five: John Berry, Edward Kurtz, William Eckels, Stephen Madden, and Harvey Swartz. We will be glad to give you further cooperation in your work. Sincerely yours, ROSE REGINA SCHAUB, Head Worker, Social Service Department. WORLD WAR VETERANS' LEGISLATION PENNSYLVANIA MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1930 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON The Subcommittee on Hospitals convened at 10.30 in the forenoon, Hon. Edith Nourse Rogers, chairman, presiding. Mrs. ROGERS. The committee will please be in order. We have under consideration this forenoon H. R. 14815, introduced by Mr. Swick, which was referred to this committee, and which I shall now read. It is "A bill to authorize the erection of an addition to Veterans' Bureau hospital at Aspinwall, in the State of Pennsylvania, and to authorize the appropriation therefore," and provides That in order that the United States may in part fulfill its sacred obligations to its World War veterans the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs, subject to the approval of the President, is authorized and directed to contract for the erection to the existing Veterans' Bureau Hospital No. 103 at Aspinwall in the State of Pennsylvania, of a modern, sanitary, fireproof, 200-bed-patient capacity addition for the diagnosis, care, and treatment of general medical, surgical, and tubercular disabilities, and to provide Government care of the increasing load of disabled veterans, regardless of whether said disability developed prior to January 1, 1925, at a cost not to exceed $800,000; such construction to provide additional hospital, diagnostic, and out-patient dispensary facilities for persons entitled to hospitalization under the World War veterans' act, 1924, as amended. Such hospital, diagnostic, and out-patient dispensary facilities shall include the necessary building, and auxiliary construction, mechanical equipment, approach work, road, and trackage facilities leading thereto; vehicles, livestock, furniture, equipment, and accessories; and shall also provide accommodation for officers, nurses, and attending personnel; and shall also provide proper and suitable recreational centers; and the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs is authorized to accept gifts or donations for any of the purposes herein named. SEC. 2. The construction shall be done in such manner as the President may determine; and he is authorized to require the architectural, engineering, constructing, or other forces of any of the departments of the Government to aid or assist in such work, and to employ individuals and agencies not now connected with the Government, if in his opinion desirable, at such compensation as he may consider reasonable. SEC. 3. For carrying into effect the foregoing provisions relating to additional hospital, diagnostic, and out-patient dispensary facilities, there is hereby authorized to be appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $800,000, to be immediately available and to remain available until expended; and not to exceed three per centum of this sum shall be available for the employment in the District of Columbia and in the field, of necessary technical and clerical assistants at the customary rates of com pensation, exclusively to aid in the preparation of the plans and specifications for the projects authorized herein and for the supervision of the execution thereof, and for traveling expenses, field equipment, and supplies in connection therewith. SEC. 4. The Congress of the United States hereby declares it to be the policy of our Government to provide sufficient beds in modern, sanitary, fireproof, Government hospitals, to care for all sick and disabled veterans entitled to hospitalization under the World War Veterans' act, 1924, as amended, and to this end requests the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs to submit annually to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and to the President of the Senate an estimate of the hospital construction necessary to fulfill this policy. As you know, these bills were incorporated in the bill I introduced at the opening of Congress. Mr. Swick, will you proceed, please. STATEMENT OF HON. J. HOWARD SWICK, REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM PENNSYLVANIA Mr. SwICK. Mrs. Rogers, and members of the committee, I am addressing the committee only because the others of our group have not yet arrived. They are coming in on a train which reaches Union Station about this time-they are the American Legion. Mrs. ROGERS. You expect them to be here? Mr. SwICK. Oh, yes; they are to be here to-day. Mr. RANKIN. Doctor Swick, can you give us some information as to how much is unexpended of the moneys already appropriated on these hospitals? Your explanation of that will probably give time for the Pennsylvanians to come in. Mr. SwICK. Mr. Madigan, will you talk on that point? Mr. MADIGAN. Their last project runs to May. They expect to have all the projects included in the construction, authorized by the act of December 23, 1929, under contract by the latter part of May or June. The CHAIRMAN. That is the record for construction. Mr. MADIGAN. Yes; of the $15,000,000 authorized, only about $8,000,000 has been used, and $7,950,000 is to be appropriated. Mrs. ROGERS. On the 1928 bill, have all the buildings been completed under that authorization? Mr. MADIGAN. Not all completed, but they are all under contract. Mrs. ROGERS. And the money for all that is this May 3, 1928, authorization? Mr. RANKIN. I understood that some of these buildings cost less than was expected, and that there will be a considerable amount left over on that appropriation. Mr. MADIGAN. That is true. Mr. RANKIN. About how much would you say? Mr. MADIGAN. I could not say, Mr. Rankin, because they have gone a little further than the projects included in that authorization act. It is my understanding that they expect to acquire a new hospital for Kansas, which was not included in the House report. They are going a little further, and they are getting more beds at certain places than they originally estimated. Mr. RANKIN. Do you know what was done with the Dove Cote hospital? Has that been completed? |