Perhaps it might have developed into some bad case later on; but the men felt this way that it was a reflection or slur upon his ability, a reflection upon his ability as a soldier, and half of the men wouldn't go.

Mr. DALLINGER. Will you tell the committee, Mr. Davis, when you enlisted and where?

Mr. DAVIS. I enlisted May 26, 1917, in New York City.

Mr. DALLINGER. In the Regular Army?

Mr. DAVIS. Yes, sir. And I was discharged-my order came from the Eastern Department on the 8th day of April, but I was not discharged until the 12th.

Mr. DALLINGER. What year was that?

Mr. DAVIS. 1919. Last year, sir.

Mr. DALLINGER. And were you discharged for disability?

Mr. DAVIS. No, sir.

Mr. DALLINGER. Were you examined by the Army surgeons before you were discharged?

Mr. DAVIS. Well, while in the service I reported my case at Newport News to the base hospital. I was getting treatment down there, and several doctors suggested an operation, but finally they put it before the head doctor-I believe it was Maj.; I can't recall his name-who, when he examined me, said, "An operation is out of the question with this young man. He has a little hearing in the left ear, and to operate upon him will remove the drum in the left ear and he will lose the hearing entirely." So that stopped that question about an operation. So I never bothered my head any more about it. I figured-well, I didn't know how long I would be in service, and as soon as I was discharged I would take it up on the outside. Then we proceeded to Fort Myer. and I was discharged there. I didn't have much faith in some of the medical doctors at Fort Myer, because I have seen a number of boys operated upon, and it didn't prove successful, and I decided that I would make the best of my lot.

Mr. DALLINGER. How long were you in the service, then?

Mr. DAVIS. Twenty-three months.

Mr. DALLINGER. And did you see service overseas?

Mr. DAVIS. No, sir; the Eleventh Cavalry was detailed in this country.

Mr. ROBSION. How did you receive your injury?

Mr. DAVIS. Well, I was in the service about a week up in Fort Slocum, N. Y., when we were sent down to Fort Oglethorpe. We were in tents for a while and then were sent to a cantonment, and we had to build stables for horses, and it was nothing but an old flat, and I worked from a little after 7 o'clock in the morning until half-past 11 in mud almost up to my waist, and then we would come back and wash up and have dinner and go back again. Well, that lasted, I should say, for a couple of months, and it was nothing but working in this old swamp that I contracted a cold which settled in the left ear, and ever since I have been troubled with ear trouble. Mr. ROBSION. What business did you follow before you entered the service?

Mr. DAVIS. I worked in the grocery and butcher business with my people up in Brooklyn, N. Y.

Mr. ROBSION. And you wanted to take a botanical gardening training, or an agricultural training?

Mr. DAVIS. Yes, sir.

Mr. ROBSION. You say your application has been in for 10 months and they have never passed upon it yet?

Mr. DAVIS. No, sir; I have never received any definite information about it.

Mr. ROBSION. And you don't know yet whether you are going to get section 2 training or not; do you?

Mr. DAVIS. No, sir.

Mr. ROBSION. You don't know whether you are going to get any training; do you?

Mr. DAVIS. No, sir. If they would only decide, if they were to tell me: "You are not entitled to it," very well, I would let the matter drop, and as I said before, I will make the best of my lot and take up something else. If I could find a school here in Washington or in the suburbs, where they have a course in agriculture, I will take it up, and the reason why I want to take it up is that it will give me the outside life that I want, and I intend some day perhaps to be in a position where I will be able to run a small place and raise stock, and where it will give me pleasure and something to work for. Mr. ROBSION. Have you ever addressed any communications to the Federal board here in Washington?

Mr. DAVIS. Why, I do business here in the central office, if that is what you call it, down here at Fourteenth and Pennsylvania Avenue. Mr. ROBSION. Have you been to see any of the members of the board here in Washington?

Mr. DAVIS. I have been to see Mr. Greenleaf. He is the man that has been handling my case all along, and he is doing all in his power, but it seems he can't do anything for me, unless he gets the sanction of Mr. Magee and he has said to me several times: "Davis, you are entitled to it. I don't see why you don't get it."

Mr. ROBSION. You say Mr. Greenleaf has said to you that you are entitled to it and he doesn't see why you don't get it?

Mr. DAVIS. Yes, sir.

Mr. ROBSION. Isn't this man in Baltimore under the board here in Washington?

Mr. DAVIS. Well, I really couldn't tell you whether the man at Baltimore is under the office here. It would seem that the people here in Washington were under this Mr. Magee, as all matters pertaining to my case are forwarded to Mr. Magee, and if it doesn't get his sanction they can't go any further with it.

Mr. ROBSION. Your impression is that the central office of the board here in Washington is under Mr. Magee, in Baltimore? Mr. DAVIS. Yes, sir.

Mr. ROBSION. Well, did Mr. Greenleaf ever tell you why your case was not passed upon?

Mr. DAVIS. No, sir.

Mr. ROBSION. How old are you now?

Mr. DAVIS. I am 30.

Mr. ROBSION. Are you single or married?

Mr. DAVIS. Married.

Mr. ROBSION. How long have you been married?

Mr. DAVIS. Since November.

Mr. ROBSION. Could you take the training without pay? I mean, could you take it under section 3?

Mr. DAVIS. Not very well; no, sir.

Mr. ROBSION. I mean, have you means of your own to go and take this training?

Mr. DAVIS. No, sir.

Mr. ROBSION. You would have to have pay from the Government while you are taking the training?

Mr. DAVIS. Yes, sir.

Mr. ROBSION. And Mr. Greenleaf has told you you are entitled to the training?

Mr. DAVIS. Yes, sir.

Mr. ROBSION. How far back has he told you that?

Mr. DAVIS. Well, several times. He said: "I fail to see, Davis, why they don't take some action upon this for you. In my estimation, you are entitled to it."

Mr. ROBSION. How long has he been telling you that?

Mr. DAVIS. Well, ever since he has been handling the case for me. Mr. ROBSION. But you have not said when. About when?

Mr. DAVIS. I would say from last June.

Mr. ROBSION. And you are anxious to take training, are you?
Mr. DAVIS. Yes, sir.

Mr. ROBSION. And are willing to take it if it is granted to you?
Mr. DAVIS. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. You are excused, Mr. Davis.

The committee will stand adjourned until 10 o'clock next Tuesday morning.

(Whereupon, at 4.05 o'clock p. m., the committee adjourned until 10 o'clock a. m. Tuesday, April 5, 1920.)

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Washington, Tuesday, April 6, 1920.

The committee met at 10 o'clock a. m., Hon. Simeon D. Fess (chairman) presiding.

The CHAIRMAN. The committee will please come to order. Mr. McGovern, you may be sworn.

Mr. McGOVERN. Yes.

STATEMENT OF MR. GEORGE B. McGOVERN, 260 NEW MAIN STREET, YONKERS, N. Y.

The CHAIRMAN. You may give your full name and your present address to the stenographer.

Mr. McGOVERN. George B. McGovern, 260 New Main Street, Yonkers, N. Y.

The CHAIRMAN. Congressman Husted, who has a resolution before the committee, asked me to have you come before the committee; that you had some information that the committee would be glad to have in regard to the work of rehabilitation. You may proceed to tell the committee what you know about the work, and you may proceed uninterrupted unless some member of the committee wants to ask you a question.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, I would like to have, first, not for the record, an opportunity to make a short statement of about four or five sentences. My interest in the work of the Federal Board for Vocational Education, the rehabilitation division, is that of a citizen who wants to see these men properly taken care of. My reason for delay in action is the illness of the President and the situation with regard to the war matters generally, and I felt, having met members of the committee, that the committee would be reluctant about investigating this matter because of the fact that if even one man in the United States who had been injured in the service were to get the idea that the Federal board or any board was not willing to perform and did not perform its full duty that I would be doing wrong to that man. I wanted to do this work quietly if I could.

To go on with my connection with the board and with the work: My first connection with the board was through a letter addressed to the President of the United States in which I objected to the amount of the appropriation granted.

The CHAIRMAN. What time was that?

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