Opening Session Tuesday, January 17, 1922. (continued 2)

Therefore, I am confident and I am certain that when this conference shall have concluded, every person that has come here will go back to his respective place where his duty requires him, with a better understanding and with a more determined disposition to try and render better service and get really more for the money that is being expended for the purpose for which it is being expended.

Speaking of legislation, we shall undoubtedly require considerably more legislation because, as I have stated, in the short time since this subject was first taken up by Congress think of the progress that has been made.

139As I understand, in 1919 the Public Health Service were hospitalizing something like two thousand persons. General Sawyer stated here today that we are now caring for twenty-two thousand; and I think it has been stated—and it is generally considered—that the maximum will soon be thirty-two thousand. So you see that it is more than likely that we are going to have to have additional legislation and more appropriation; and I may say to you generally that I have that confidence in the American people—I have that confidence in the Congress of the United States—to know that there need be no uncertainty nor hesitation on any one’s part with reference to what may be done to provide for caring properly for these dependents and these ex-service men who are entitled to every consideration.

I believe, as the result possibly of this conference, it may be brought to the attention of this Board that there is some legislation amending the so-called Sweet Bill. I think Colonel Forbes, as the head of the Veterans’ Bureau, has already discovered and suggested some very necessary amendments to the law, and I have no doubt that he will be able to secure those additions to the law. It looks now as if we may have to provide for additional hospitals by the enactment of further appropriations of money. It will not be done unless it is necessary, but I am sure if it is necessary that adequate provision will be made and made promptly by the Congress.

One of the policies of this administration is coordination and cooperation, and endeavor to avoid duplication in administrative matters; and if there is a bureau charged with a certain responsibility and with certain duties to perform, if it may be possible for them to do what may be under the jurisdiction of another bureau, to centralize and have this work done by one rather than two; and so in the work of coordination in the administration of this particular activity there has been a great saving. The Public Health Service, I believe, makes certain provision and takes care of certain persons at the request of the war Veterans’ Bureau and vice versa. I think it has been said,—if it is true it ought to be corrected,—that when the Veterans’ Bureau takes care of patients for the Public Health Service, there has been no provision made for reimbursing the Veterans’ Bureau. That will undoubtedly be taken care of by Congress, either by increasing the appropriation for the Veterans’ Bureau, or providing that when they render service for the Public Health Service, the Public Health will reimburse them for such moneys as they may expend.

Now one of the things that I want to particularly bring to your attention, and to perhaps admonish you, in the two or three minutes I have left, is to remember, as I stated at the outset, that governmental activities exist only by authority of the law, and that we must keep within the law; and remember, if there are some things in connection with your duties that are not operating just as you would have them, that they cannot be changed without changing existing law. The responsibility for the law is upon the Congress of the United States. The responsibility for this great undertaking is upon the Congress of the United States, and if you have not sufficient money to properly take care of these men, the responsibility is not yours; the responsibility is upon the Congress.

140It is your duty;—it is our duty to bring to the attention of the Congress the money that is necessary in order to properly handle this subject. Then it is for the Congress to say whether or not that amount will be appropriated. Under this present administration, those of us who are in Bureau positions have been admonished that we must keep our expenditures within the appropriations, and we have had brought to our attention the statutes upon this subject. I am going to read them to you for your information, and I want to say to you who may have charge of an institution and have had a certain allotment of funds for a given period, that it is up to you to see that your expenditures do not exceed that allotment. If you have not sufficient money to do what you feel you ought to do, you must reduce your expenditures for the time being, regardless of its effect upon the service, because under the law you have no right to create a deficiency or incur any liability on the part of the Government in advance of an authorization and an appropriation therefor.

I want to call your attention to the statutes on this subject because they are being brought to our attention not only by the President and the head of the Bureau of the Budget, but by the Congress; and so I want you people to understand that we are expected to follow the law.

Mr. Burke read extracts from:

Section 3679

Act of March 3, 1905.

Section 5503.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is the law; and so I want to impress upon you that you so conduct your institutions that you will keep within the limit of the allotment that has been made for your institution; and if you have not sufficient money, then bring it to the attention of the head of the Veterans’ Bureau or someone else connected with the administration. They will consider it, and if it shall seem that more money is necessary they will not only recommend it, but I think I can say for the Congress that the Congress will generously respond.

I congratulate this conference upon its start. I hope that there may be a general discussion,—that those who have come from long distances will tell their experiences and make suggestions with reference to anything that will improve this service; and I am very certain that when the conference shall conclude on its last day it will adjourn with a feeling that the time has been well spent, and that in the future we are going to profit, and profit materially, as to the result of what may be done in this conference and by it.”

141GENERAL SAWYER: “Fellow workers, I certainly hope that this introduction this morning has given you two things; first, that it has given you the impression that the men engaged at the head of the affairs of this Government in this subject are capable, worthy men. I hope it will have given you the same inspiration that I carry away this morning,—to go on with this conference and with your work after you leave here more earnestly if possible, more sincerely if you may, and certainly with more determination to bring about the results we all have in mind.

This morning you have heard the various members of the Board of Hospitalization make their addresses, brief of course as they have been and in many instances not entirely fair to them, considering the subjects they have to handle; but they have done as well as time will admit.

This afternoon this conference, under the chairmanship of Colonel Forbes will take up a special subject or two, and will then go into the matter of the general discussion of the affairs as they have been presented today. We want you to feel that we are here to listen as you have listened this morning; and so we are going to ask each one of you to participate in the discussions. We want this to be an active meeting, of men in motion, so that when this conference does close we may have the satisfaction that has been expressed here by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.”

General Sawyer asked that, upon adjournment, the members of the Conference assemble outside the building in order that a group photograph might be made.

The meeting adjourned at 12:15 P.M.

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