Address. United States Veterans' Bureau leases, district and subdistrict offices-Continued. Number of per sons. 261 TRAINING CENTERS. NOTE. There are 195 training centers in all, including those operated in connection with hospitals, soldiers' homes, and Government owned properties. Fifty-one are operated under leases, some of them having more than one lease, so that the number of leases is 60. These leases were usually made for the current fiscal year with a 30-day cancellation clause. The following list shows the location of the training center, the term of the lease, the rent per annum, and the name of the lessor. The CHAIRMAN. For communication, the expenditure for 1921 was $76,435.59, and you estimate for the same purpose $157,583.16. Is that for telegraphing? Col. FORBES. That is for all sorts of communication service, by telephone, telegraph, etc. The CHAIRMAN. It seems outrageous. I suppose the Government maintains the Western Union and Postal Telegraph Cos., and if they did not have any business except that of the agencies of the Government they would still make big profits. I do not suppose anybody pays any attention to economy in the use of these communications, but use them indiscriminately. Will you furnish an intemization of that! Col. FORBES. A large percentage of telegraphic expenses is due to communication to central office from the regional offices relative to the change in status of the trainees; for example, the report for the present month shows 17,000 men with training interrupted. Many of these cases will require hospitalization. When the trainee is unable to carry on as a trainee, it is necessary that he be removed from the pay roll of the Vocational Division and placed back on that of compensation. Compensation received by the trainee is rarely ever as much as that paid as allowance. Hence, in order that there be no delay in the change from one pay roll to another; it is necessary to wire the transfer, in order that the saving be made in difference in the amount of compensation and allowances, and also so that the individual will not suffer for want of funds while the transfer is being made. This increase can be charged to the increase |