Mr. FISHER. Fish are usually cooked before they are eaten, so, from a health standpoint, I do not think that anybody would suffer, but the flavor and quality of the fish are rough fish. They are not the nice fish you get in clear streams.

Senator HILL. They catch a lot of them, though, do they not?
Mr. FISHER. Quite a few of them.

Senator POTTER. There are a lot of fishermen.

Senator HILL. At least, a lot of them are trying.

Senator POTTER. Yes.

STATE COMPACT

Senator HILL. Of course, this is relatively a very small amount of money. You spoke about the States and said that on account of the compact they could not do more.

If we would want to enlarge this thing, the Federal Government would soon have to bear practically all the expense of it. It would certainly seem to me if we were going to make this appropriation larger we would want to go back to the States and have this compact modified, which can be done, so they can carry a little larger part of this responsibility.

Mr. FISHER. That is right. I agree with you on that. Our Commission has been considering that and has appointed a committee to try to work with the States in doing it, but until that is done, we feel that the Federal Government's pro rata share is not quite what it should be.

Senator HILL. Has your committee met with the representatives of the States yet?

Mr. FISHER. No.

Senator HILL. However, you do have a committee to contact the representatives of the States looking toward amendment or modification of the compact so the States can make a little larger contribution? Mr. FISHER. That is right. We have representatives of several States on that committee.

Senator HILL. As we know from the Constitution, such a compact has to have the consent of Congress. Does that apply to a change to it? I guess it would, would it not?

Mr. FISHER. I imagine it would.

Senator HILL. I would not think there would be any difficulty about Congress giving any consent for this purpose.

Mr. FISHER. The Congress gave its consent in advance of the formation of the compact.

Senator HILL. To comply with the provision in the Federal Constitution. As I understand it, if this committee sees fit to give you the extra $5,000, which you have asked, then you make it your business to really press this matter with these States looking toward an amendment of the compact, so they can carry a fairer portion of the burden; is that right?

Mr. FISHER. That is our plan, yes, sir.

Senator HILL. Are there any further questions, gentlemen?
Senator THYE. I have none.

Senator POTTER. No.

Senator HILL. Thank you very much, Mr. Fisher.

Mr. FISHER. Thank you.

UNITED STATES SOLDIERS' HOME

STATEMENT OF GEN. WADE H. HAISLIP, GOVERNOR, UNITED STATES SOLDIERS' HOME

APPROPRIATION ESTIMATE

For maintenance and operation of the United States Soldiers' Home, to be paid from the Soldiers' Home permanent fund, [$5,134,000] $4,210,000, of which [$1,284,000] $265,200 shall remain available until expended for plans and construction of buildings and facilities: Provided, That this appropriation shall not be available for the payment of hospitalization of members of the Home in United States Army hospitals at rates in excess of those prescribed by the Secretary of the Army, upon the recommendation of the Board of Commissioners of the Home and the Surgeon General of the Army.

Senator HILL. General Haislip, will you come around here, please, sir? We are glad to have you here, General.

I notice that the House raised your budget estimate about $190,000.
General HAISLIP. Yes.

Senator POTTER. You must have charmed them over there.
General HAISLIP. We have some good friends on the Hill.

Senator THYE. The question, General, is what evidence did you lay before the House that brought about the raise? This is a rather lengthy statement.

BUDGET ALLOWANCE

General HAISLIP. Yes, sir. It is mostly historical because our estimates have never heretofore been before this particular subcommittee. The Bureau of the Budget cut the estimate by $375,00 and in addition to that we were instructed to absorb the wage increase, changing from the CPC to the Wage Board rates, which was another $100,000 that we had to absorb out of our little appropriation, so before we came to the House we had to readjust everything to make that money available by cutting out most of our 1-year maintenance items. Further, the Board of Commissioners had to approve 13 new employees for the mess when we moved into our new building. We badly underestimated the additional personnel that would be required to handle the new equipment, the larger kitchen, and the greater number of members that we would have to feed.

INCREASED WORKLOAD

Senator THYE. It was not a question that your plant was larger, but you were handling and accommodating more people?

General HAISLIP. Yes, sir.

Senator THYE. It would seem to be a mistake to move into a new building if you immediately found that you had to have more help to take care of the new one. That is what I was getting at. It is

a little facetious, but, nevertheless, you had an increased load. General HAISLIP. Yes, sir.

Senator THYE. Because you had a greater number of persons? General HAISLIP. Yes, sir; over 200 additional members.

Senator THYE. That is the answer right there, that you had an increased load. If the record just stood that you moved into a new plant and found that you had to have additional personnel, custodial or caretakers, then, of course, we would have more difficulty in supporting you.

General HAISLIP. That is right.

Senator THYE. However, if you have a greater load, then, of course, that is evidence that will support itself.

NEW DOMICILIARY BUILDING

General HAISLIP. Yes, sir. When the House gave us this money, the House committee in its report specified that the determination as to how these additional funds can be most effectively utilized be left to the Board of Commissioners, and I appeared before the Board and I asked them to approve the expenditure of this additional money, if the Senate grants it to us, to restore an item of $125,000 for preliminary plans for a new domiciliary building. We are attempting to modernize our plant. Many of our buildings are a hundred years old and are not capable of modernization in themselves. It is just completely out of the question.

A number of years ago it was decided that the home would create a new home in the old home and get rid of some of these old buildings.

MAINTENANCE OF OLD BUILDINGS

Senator HILL. Are those old buildings very expensive to maintain? General HAISLIP. Very much so. They are not modern in any respect. They do not offer the type of care that we want, and they should go eventually.

Senator HILL. How many inhabitants do you have in the Home now?

General HAISLIP. We have 1,850.

Senator HILL. That is quite a few.

General HAISLIP. We hope to go this next year to 2,000, and it is a very happy home. The members are treated well and they are made very comfortable. Their morale is high and they are very well satisfied.

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ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Senator POTTER. What are the eligibility requirements to enter the home?

General HAISLIP. Senator, there are two requirements. In the first place, the home is for the career soldier and airman. A man must serve at least 20 years with the colors honorably and faithfully to qualify him for entrance into the home, or he must have become disabled while in uniform in line of duty to the point where he cannot earn a livelihood. If that man enters the home under 50 years of age, he has to go before a medical board twice a year to determine that he is still incapacitated to where he cannot earn a livelihood.

Those two classes are the only classes that are now admitted to the home.

WAITING LIST

Senator POTTER. Do you have a waiting list of people that would like to come in?

General HAISLIP. Yes, sir; the last time I saw it, it was 134. Senator POTTER. And these are from all sections of the country, I assume?

General HAISLIP. Yes. This is the only home for the career soldier.

ESTABLISHMENT OF HOME

Senator HILL. What year was this home established, General? General HAISLIP. 1851. It was established through the efforts of Gen. Winfield Scott when he came back from the Mexican War, principally to take care of the disabled veterans of that war.

TRUST FUND

It has been maintained, as you know, from a trust fund and has only received in 104 years $54,000 in direct appropriations from the Congress, so we feel very proud of it and the men feel proud of it. They feel they have paid for it, because each one contributes each month. Each soldier and airman contributes from his pay and then we get fines and forfeitures from courts-martial which has permitted us to exist all these years without calling on Congress for direct appropriations.

Senator HILL. Without a direct appropriation out of the Treasury? General HAISLIP. That is right.

Senator HILL. We have not had this appropriation before this subcommittee before.

General HAISLIP. Not before this committee. Senator Thye heard it last year, but it was before the Civil Functions Subcommittee.

FINES FROM COURTS-MARTIAL

Senator THYE. Fines from courts-martial, you say?

General HAISLIP. Yes, sir.

Senator THYE. That is where a soldier is court-martialed and a fine is imposed. You have to have a place for the money from the fine imposed and so it reverts to you?