INSPECTION OF THE BRANCHES OF THE NATIONAL HOME FOR DISABLED VOLUNTEER SOLDIERS.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR-GENERAL,

Washington, November 7, 1905.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of inspection of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, made pursuant to the act of Congress approved August 18, 1894, and in accordance with letters from The Military Secretary's Office dated June 27, September 30, and October 4, 1905, respectively.

The inspections of the various Branches were made as follows:
Eastern Branch, Togus, Me., July 14 to 18.

Central Branch, Dayton, Ohio, August 1 to 6.
Marion Branch, Marion, Ind., August 7 to 10.

Northwestern Branch, Milwaukee, Wis., August 11 to 16.

Pacific Branch, Santa Monica, Cal., September 2 to 6.

Western Branch, Leavenworth, Kans., September 14 to 17.
Danville Branch, Danville, Ill., September 18 to 21.

Mountain Branch, Johnson City, Tenn., September 23 to 27.
Southern Branch, Hampton, Va., October 4 to 6.

Offices of the president and the general treasurer, New York City, N. Y., October 10 to 12.

The Battle Mountain Sanitarium, at Hot Springs, S. Dak., was not visited, as it is incomplete and no members were present.

I was accompanied on this tour of inspection by Mr. William T. Kent, expert accountant, Inspector-General's Department, whose intimate knowledge of the laws and decisions governing the Home enabled him to make a most comprehensive and satisfactory inspection of the accounts and expenditures and to render much valuable assistance in other matters connected with the inspection.

The general officers for the Home management, who are appointed by the Board of Managers, were, at date of inspection, as follows: Maj. Moses Harris, general treasurer; Col. Thomas T. Knox, inspector-general; Gen. N. M. Curtis, assistant inspector-general; Capt. Charles W. Wadsworth, assistant inspector-general.

In the subjoined appendixes will be found full information as to the local managers and officers pertaining to the several Branches of the Home.

The office of non-commissioned officer inspector, which exists at several of the Branches, should, in my judgment, be abolished. An inspector to be of value must have the prestige and must command the respect which attaches to a commission. Non-commissioned officer inspectors have not that prestige, and their presence is, in my judgment, of very questionable advisability.

The Board of Managers was, at date of inspection, constituted as follows: Gen. Martin T. McMahon, president; Gen. Thomas J. Henderson, first vice-president; Gen. J. Marshall Brown, second vice-president; Gen. Charles M. Anderson, secretary; Capt. Henry E. Palmer, Col. Walter P. Brownlow, John M. Holley, esq., Maj. William Warner, Col. Henry H. Markham, Franklin Murphy, esq., Col. Edwin P. Hammond.

The President of the United States, the Chief Justice, and the Secretary of War are ex officio members of the Board of Managers. I met the Board of Managers at the Eastern Branch and again at the Western Branch. Every facility was tendered by the Board and by the officers of the several Branches to enable me to observe the workings and management of the Home.

GENERAL CONDITION OF THE HOME.

The general condition, administration, and tone of the Home in its several Branches are excellent. The members are well sheltered, clothed, and fed; the sick are properly cared for in wellequipped hospitals; the aged and infirm are given every attention and comfort. Members are granted great freedom, the well-behaved, trustworthy members being almost unrestricted. The discipline exacted is that which is essential to good order and proper administration of the affairs of a large institution of this character. The punishments imposed are of a very mild character and are generally well within the regulations. As a class, the members are well behaved. They obey the regulations, they show that they appreciate the privileges and benefits of the Home, and, generally, they conduct themselves in a manner befitting the desirable and honorable station in which the Government has placed them.

In my judgment too much consideration and leniency is shown the bad characters, of whom a considerable number is found in the several Branches. Any member, unless demented, who fails to appreciate the advantages and priviliges of the Home and who, by his persistent bad conduct, shows conclusively that he is incorrigible and unworthy to be a member, should be discharged, and a man once so discharged should not be again admitted except on very conclusive evidence that he has undergone change of heart. The readmission of a man so discharged should be made very difficult. A discharge demanded and received because of refusal to obey orders or to serve punishment duly administered should be regarded as a dishonorable discharge.

The officers of the various branches are, as a rule, energetic, efficient, and well fitted for their positions, and in their relations to the members are kind, considerate, and just. Exceptions noted were brought to the attention of the Board of Managers, or to the local manager of the particular Branch.

Upon the completion of the inspection of each Branch a written statement of defects observed was furnished the governor of the Branch, and a copy of same was sent to the president of the Board of Managers.

Opportunity was given the members to meet the inspector and to bring to his attention anything which they desired. The complaints and grievances were few in number and, for the most part, trifling

in character. Careful inquiry was made in each instance and in cases where complaint was just, steps were taken with a view to having same remedied. In a few instances members and ex-members made complaints of injustice. All were carefully inve tigated, with the result that in no instance was serious injustice discovered, the grievances or imagined grievances being the result of a disorganized mind or of persistent misconduct.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP.

I concur fully in the remarks and recommendations of Col. S. C. Mills, Inspector-General, in his report of inspection last year, viz:

There is a class of men whose excellent service entitles them to consideration, but who are not eligible to either of these Homes. I refer to men who have served in either the Regular Army or Navy less than twenty years, discharged in good physical condition, but who have afterwards become disabled. As they did not serve during a war declared by Congress they are not eligible to the benefits of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers.

In view of the hardships, perils, and privations which marked service in our Army during the years of Indian troubles, it would seem proper to extend the benefits of this Home to men of good character and honorable discharge who served for five years and who have since become disabled. Cases are known to almost all officers of men of long service and excellent records who were discharged prior to the completion of twenty years' service, and who are now unable to care for themselves. The number of men affected would not, it is believed, tax the capacity of the Home. The members of civil-war service will diminish rapidly in future, and no better use of this excellent plant is known than to extend its benefits to all honorably discharged soldiers and sailors who need care and support. I would recommend that steps looking to obtaining the necessary legislation be taken.

CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES.

The difficulty of finding competent men among the members to perform the various duties connected with the Home, which was noted by the inspector in his report last year, is increasing. Long hours in the kitchen and bakery are especially hard on old men. The employment at each branch of a chief baker and a chief cook for each large mess maintained would, it is believed, be advisable. In the very near future it will become obligatory.

The surgeons of the various Branches were a unit in their belief in the necessity for a competent civilian clerk to keep the records of the hospital. In some instances, being unable to secure members competent for the work, surgeons find it necessary to devote much of their own time to clerical labor. Under existing conditions, and in view of the increasing importance of the hospital service, surgeons have no time to devote to clerical work. It is my belief that each hospital should have a competent civilian clerk.

This again invites attention to the necessity for economy in clerical labor.

As punishments, authorized and inflicted, involve neither fines nor imprisonment, a card record, or some form of record less cumbersome and involving less clerical labor, could be advantageously devised for the docket record.

If voucher forms, including pay rolls, were so spaced as to permit the use of the typewriter in preparing same, duplicate carbon copies could be made without additional labor.

In his report last year Colonel Mills noted the following:

There seems to be much of it (clerical labor) wasted on work not utilized, or that is of no value when done; thus, for instance, the writing after each member's name on the time books and pay rolls the titles of the organization, company, and regiment in which he served during the war. As there are two time books kept in the quartermaster's office, one in the treasurer's office, and duplicate pay rolls made out, the amount of labor involved in writing this designation is apparent. As there are two classes of employees, and it is desirable to distinguish between them, it is suggested that the words "member" or 66 civilian " after the employee's name would be sufficient.

At most of the Branches the facilities and appliances for handling coal are very poor. In some instances the coal is handled by hand three or four times before being consumed. The amount of labor involved is great.

At some of the Branch Homes the amount of money held by the surgeon is quite large and the accounts numerous, many of them being of a very temporary character, two or three entries completing the record. The advisability of a card or loose-leaf ledger for keeping these accounts is suggested.

SERVICE UNIFORM.

Under authority of the Board of Managers the officers of several of the Branches have provided themselves with the army service uniform, which they find most satisfactory. The Home regulations provide that this uniform may be worn by officers when not on duty. Obviously the intent of the regulation was to authorize the wearing of this uniform at all times except upon occasions of ceremony.

BANDS.

At several of the Branches it was reported that difficulty was experienced in securing satisfactory men for the band. Generally the quality of the music was good, but at most of the Branches lack of tidiness in dress and in general appearance, on the part of the members of the band, was noticeable.

RELIGIOUS SERVICES.

Religious services, both Catholic and Protestant, are held regularly on Sunday, and there are special services at other times. Chaplains are reported as attentive to and interested in their church duties, and zealous in their attention to the sick, the aged, and the infirm. At some of the Branches the chaplain is in charge of the library.

THEATERS.

Each of the Branches, except the Mountain Branch, has a theater.

STORES.

In many of the Home stores there is no adequate system for accounting for stock. Articles purchased are put in stock, the money received from sales is put into a cash register, and inventories are taken quarterly, except at two Branches, where they are taken more frequently. No record of sales is kept. This system appears to invite leaks, and it provides no means of detecting same.