APPENDIX A THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, UNITED STATES SOLDIERS' HOME, Washington, D. C., September 18, 1940. Subject: Annual Report of the Board of Commissioners, United States Soldiers' Home. To: The Secretary of War. The following report of the Board of Commissioners, United States Soldiers' Home, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1940, is submitted in compliance with section 1, of the act of Congress approved March 3, 1883, which requires the Board to submit annually to the Secretary of War for transmittal to Congress, a full statement of the financial and other affairs of the home. BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS The government and control of the United States Soldiers' Home is vested in a Board of Commissioners consisting of: The Governor; Chief of Engineers; The Judge Advocate General; The Adjutant General; The Surgeon General; The Quartermaster General; Chief of Finance. The Board of Commissioners on June 30, 1940, consisted of the following named officers: Maj. Gen. Frederick W. Coleman, United States Army, retired, governor of the home, president of the board; Maj. Gen. Julian L. Schley, United States Army, Chief of Engineers; Maj. Gen. Allen W. Gullion, United States Army, The Judge Advocate General; Maj. Gen. Emory S. Adams, United States Army, The Adjutant General; Maj. Gen. James C. Magee, United States Army, The Surgeon General; Maj. Gen. Edmund B. Gregory, United States Army, The Quartermaster General; Maj. Gen. Howard K. Loughry, United States Army, Chief of Finance; secretary to the Board, Col. Clark Lynn, United States Army, retired. The following changes in the personnel of the Board occurred during the year: Maj. Gen. Henry Gibbons was succeeded by Maj. Gen. Edmund B. Gregory, as The Quartermaster General on April 1, 1940; Maj. Gen. Frederick W. Boschen was succeeded by Maj. Gen. Howard K. Loughry, as Chief of Finance on April 23, 1940; Col. Edwin A. Hickman, United States Army, retired (deceased), was succeeded as secretary to the Board by Col. Clark Lynn, United States Army, retired, on October 16, 1939. Monthly meetings of the Board have been held and monthly inspections of the home have been made by committees of the Board as required by law. ADMINISTRATION OFFICERS The officers of the home designated by law are a governor, a deputy governor, and a secretary-treasurer, selected by the President of the United States. Other necessary officers are employed by the Board of Commissioners. The officers of the home on June 30, 1940, were as follows: Maj. Gen. Frederick W. Coleman, United States Army, retired, governor; Col. Matt C. Bristol, United States Army, retired, deputy governor; Col. John P. Wade, United States Army, retired, secretary-treasurer; Col. David S. Stanley, United States Army, retired, quartermaster and purchasing officer; Col. Henry F. Pipes, Medical Department, United States Army, chief surgeon. The following change in officers of the home occurred during the year: Col. Edwin A. Hickman, United States Army, retired, budget and fiscal officer, died on August 26, 1940. His duties as budget and fiscal officer were taken over by the secretary-treasurer of the home. MEMBERS OF THE HOME The following statement shows the number of members present on June 30, 1940, and the admissions and discharges during the year: On rolls, June 30, 1939_. Admitted during the year. Readmitted during the year__. Total to be accounted for.. 1, 399 440 650 2, 489 1, 087 1, 402 The members on the roll are accounted for as follows: Discharged, died, and dropped.. On rolls, June 30, 1940___. The daily average present during the year was 1,320.4, a decrease of 2.93, as compared with last year. There were 128 deaths, 106 of which occurred in the Soldiers' Home Hospital, 10 in barracks, on grounds, or nearby vicinity, and 12 away from the home. The wars in which members participated, the number participating in each war, and their average age on June 30, 1940, are shown by the following table: The oldest member is 94 years of age, the youngest member is 24 years of age. The average age of all members of the home is 62.49 years. One thousand one hundred and twenty-six, more than 80 percent of the total membership of the home, were born in the United States. The conduct of the members of the home has been excellent. FUNDS The permanent fund of the home is deposited in the United States Treasury and draws interest at the rate of 3 percent per annum. No part of the permanent fund may be withdrawn from the Treasury except upon resolution of Board of Commissioners stating the necessity and approved by the Secretary of War. The credits to the permanent fund during the fiscal year amounted to $1,096,305.47. Of this amount $92,330.38 comprised the interest which, under the provisions of the act of April 9, 1935, was credited back to the Soldiers' Home permanent fund (trust fund). The remaining credits ($1,003,975.09) compare very favorably with the income received from similar sources. last year, the one exception being bequests in the amount of $27,536.66. This is unusually large due to the fact that $25,000 of this amount was received during the year from the estate of Virginia Scott Hoyt, granddaughter of the late General Winfield Scott. The following statement shows the credits to and the withdrawals from the Soldiers' Home permanent fund (trust fund), during the fiscal year 1940: Balance in the United States Treasury, June 30, 1939-- Credits: Boggs Memorial Fund__ Estates of deceased soldiers__ Interest credited to June 30, 1940 Paymasters' deposits---. Effects of persons dying while subject to military law.. Total to be accounted for. Withdrawals____ Balance in the United States Treasury, June 30, 1940... $3,027, 137. 61 4, 500. 00 27, 662. 14 92, 330. 38 307, 927. 86 231. 39 91, 386. 00 572, 267. 70 4, 123, 443. 08 736, 543. 89 .--- 3, 386, 899. 19 The credits to the permanent fund were $96,619.71 greater than during the previous year, as shown by the following statement: Fiscal year 1940.. Fiscal year 1939_. Increase_. $1,096, 305. 47 999, 685. 76 96, 619. 71 The following is a statement of the receipts and disbursements by the secretary-treasurer during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1940: With funds received from the Veterans' Administration, pensions are paid to the members of the home by the secretary-treasurer under the supervision of the governor. The total disbursement of pension funds by the secretary-treasurer during the year was $299,877.77. Retired pay and compensation are paid direct to members by the Finance Department, United States Army and the Veterans' Administration, respectively. HOSPITAL The total number treated in the hospital during the year ending June 30, 1940, was 1,990, an increase of 91 compared with the number for the preceding year. The principal diseases causing admission to the hospital were those of the circulatory system, respiratory system, and the bones and organs of motion. The sanitary conditions of the home and the health of its members have been quite satisfactory throughout the year. The medical service has been excellently maintained in all departments of the hospital. Members requiring treatment for tuberculosis are sent to Fitzsimons General Hospital, Denver, Colo., as beneficiaries of the home. There were 9 such patients on June 30, 1940. The average during the year was 6.65, an increase of 0.99, as compared with last year. The number of deaths was 2. Insane members of the home are treated in St. Elizabeths Hospital. There were 14 patients under treatment on June 30, 1940. The average during the year was 13.70, an increase of 0.17, as compared with last year. There was but 1 death. MESSES The per capita food cost per day in the general mess, in charge of the deputy governor, was $0.3058; in the hospital mess, in charge of the chief surgeon, was $0.4922; and in the dairy mess, in charge of the quartermaster, was $0.3228. CLOTHING Each member at the home and at the Fitzsimons General Hospital is furnished with a complete outfit of clothing. The clothing is repaired, cleaned and pressed, and laundry work done at the expense of the home. AMUSEMENTS AND BAND Concerts are given on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at the hospital and on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at the barracks throughout the year. Excellent motion pictures are provided three times each week at the Stanley Hall Theater and three times each week at the hospital during the winter months. A central radio room is maintained at the barracks and at the hospital. Many members have their own radios in their rooms which the home installs without cost to them. Tables are provided for billiards and pool and there are facilities for cards, checkers, chess, and cribbage. The members of the home seldom avail themselves of the golf course and tennis courts, but if they wish to play they may do so without payment of any dues. Expense of maintenance of the golf course and tennis courts is met by payment of monthly dues by the members of the Golf and Tennis Club. LIBRARY During the year 37,615 volumes were issued by the library, a daily average of 123 (Sundays and holidays excepted). |