Non-Veterans' Administration beneficiaries hospitalized in Veterans' Administration facilities, Nov. 30, 1939-Continued. The CHAIRMAN. General, I would not mind hearing you; I do not know how much time you are going to want to take or how much time the committee wants to take, but, as you know, this committee is charged exclusively with the responsibility for legislation touching on veterans' hospitalization. General HINES. That is correct. The CHAIRMAN. And I would like to hear you or have you put your remarks in the record discussing the veterans' facilities and the needs and what, if anything, it is necessary for Congress to do. General HINES. Well, I would be very glad to give you a summary at this time, and then I am sure that the committee would like to proceed with some of these other bills. Mr. WELCH. Mr. Chairman, may I ask the General just one brief question before he proceeds with the other matters? The CHAIRMAN. I believe we can stretch the rule and permit that. Mr. WELCH. I understand it is a courtesy, and I appreciate it. General, you referred to teamsters and others who served in the Quartermaster Corps or under the jurisdiction of the Quartermaster General during the War with Spain, the Philippine Insurrection, or the China Relief Expedition, that they might be eligible under the provisions of this bill. General HINES. You may have misunderstood, Mr. Congressman; I did not say they would be eligible under the provisions of this particular bill. They might, if this bill became law, as they might use it as a precedent for demands for similar legislation to cover other groups. Mr. WELCH. This bill expressly limits the eligibles to those who served on vessels owned by the United States. General HINES. That is correct; in the Quartermasters transport service. Mr. WELCH. The great difference as I see it in connection with the distinction between civilians who served in the Quartermasters Corps during the World War is that under our laws they can be compensated and laws have been passed to provide compensation. But there were no compensation laws during the Spanish-American War. These men received no compensation from any source. I know that, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, because I have had considerable to do with workmen's compensation laws. I was the author of the constitutional amendment for the workmen's compensation law in the State of California and that was thirty-odd years ago. It was the second State in the Union to adopt workmen's compensation. So I will repeat, at the time of the Spanish-American War, 40 years ago, there was no compensation law in existence. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate your courtesy. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. We are glad to have you. All right, General Hines. General HINES. Briefly, as to hospitalization by the Veterans' Administration at this time, we are operating 84 institutions. Within the next year or 14 months we contemplate bringing in something over 9,000 additional beds. The CHAIRMAN. How many beds have you now? General HINES. We have over 72,000 of all categories in our own facilities. That includes domiciliary as well as hospital. I have a chart before us breaking that down. If you desire, this one is very extensive and well concentrated and could be put in the record. The CHAIRMAN. I believe I will ask you to do that, General. (The table referred to is as follows:) Veterans' Administration facilities as of Nov. 30, 1939 Footnotes continued on next page. Estimated date for completion of addition to main building, Feb. 10, 1940. Estimated date for completion of new general facility, May 27, 1940. 62 per- Facility reports 31 beds in ward 9 not opened for patients. Estimated date for completion of new general facility, June 13, 1940. 59 percent completed. Estimated date for completion of 2 continuous treatment buildings January 1, 1940. 94 percent completed. Construction of 2 new continuous treatment buildings completed November 30, Construction of new continuous treatment building completed November 10, Leased. Capacity to be increased by 2 beds about December 13, 1939. Estimated date for completion of new general facility August 29, 1940. 35 per- 63 beds added to domiciliary capacity November 20, 1939. Construction of new neuropsychiatric facility (387 beds) completed November 19 beds added to capacity November 20, 1939. 5 beds added to capacity November 29, 1939. Facility reports 69 beds in building 34 unavailable until about January 1, 1940, due to construction activities. Construction of new infirmary building completed December 2, 1939, but beds have not been added to official capacity. Construction of new infirmary building (255 beds) completed but beds have not Facility reports 2 beds unavailable until December 10, 1939, due to use of space Facility reports 40 beds unavailable until February 1, 1940, due to remodeling Alterations to building 3 will result in gain of 13 beds about February 1, 1940. See footnotes at end of table. |