RELIGIOUS SERVICES

Religious services have been held regularly during the year by Catholic and Protestant chaplains. The chaplains frequently visit the members of the home, especially those in the hospital, and aid them in many ways. The chaplains also hold funeral services in the chapel and at the graves of deceased members.

HEAT, LIGHT, AND POWER

The refrigerating and ice-making plant furnished all refrigeration required by the general mess, hospital, and dairy, manufacturing approximately 742 tons of ice at a cost of $5,357.18 for salaries and supplies.

The central power plant heats all buildings and the water for bath and toilet rooms; supplies steam for cooking at the general mess and hospital; and furnishes electricity for lighting the home including the grounds, and power for running the elevators, the machines in the shops, kitchens and laundry, and for the manufacture of ice.

GENERAL REPAIRS AND GROUNDS

In addition to general maintenance, bins were constructed in the basement of the Grant Building for the storage of surplus property. Work has been started on the installation of approximately 8,500 feet of fencing around the dairy and poultry farms, and on the modification of the Palm House to make it suitable for the growing of roses and other hothouse plants. Contracts have been let for remodeling a passenger elevator at the hospital and for installing a lift in the poultry house.

Repairs were made to roadways at the home and reforestation and planting were continued throughout the year.

DAIRY

The number of animals in the dairy herd on June 30, 1940, was 209, a decrease of 2, as compared with last year. The number of cows in the herd was 98, an increase of 1, as compared with last year.

Production of milk was 126,6361⁄2 gallons at a net operating cost of $35,709.16. The net cost of production was $0.293628 per gallon.

Every animal in the herd is registered. Of the 98 cows in the herd, 19 have received the advanced registration certificate of the HolsteinFriesian Association of America in the past year.

The United States Soldiers' Home herd is free from tuberculosis and all other contagious disease. It is tested annually by the United States Department of Agriculture and has not suffered the loss of one reactor for more than 27 years.

The latest test for Bang's disease and tuberculosis was completed June 17, 1940. The combination method of tuberculin testing was employed in making the tests.

POULTRY FARM

The poultry farm produced 97,511 dozen eggs during the year. The average charge for eggs issued to the hospital and general mess was $0.2485 per dozen. The cost of production was $0.19379 per dozen.

The officers of the home have performed their duties in a most satisfactory manner. The welfare and comfort of the members of the home are the primary consideration of all officials.

Attention is respectfully invited to the enclosures comprising reports of the governor of the home, and the accompanying reports of the secretary-treasurer and the chief surgeon of the home.

THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE
UNITED STATES SOLDIERS' HOME.

F. W. COLEMAN,

Major General, U. S. Army, Retired,

President, Board of Commissioners.

ANNUAL INSPECTION

OCTOBER 8, 1940. Subject: Report of annual inspection of the United States Soldiers' Home, District of Columbia.

To: The Secretary of War.

1. The annual inspection of the United States Soldiers' Home, District of Columbia, required by the act of Congress approved March 3, 1883, was made by me September 23-26, 1940, assisted by Lt. Cols. David B. Falk, Herbert S. Clarkson, Rosser L. Hunter, Philip E. Brown, Inspector General's Department, and Mr. Lewis S. Friedman, expert accountant, Inspector General's Department.

GENERAL INFORMATION

2. The report of the Board of Commissioners, United States Soldiers' Home, contains detailed information regarding administration, funds received and expended, personnel and other activities of the home, which will not be repeated in this report.

ADMINISTRATION

3. The governor is responsible to the Board of Commissioners for the administration of the home. He is assisted by the deputy governor, the secretary-treasurer, the quartermaster-purchasing officer, the chief surgeon, and the budget and fiscal officer. Col. Clark Lynn, United States Army, retired, became secretary to the Board of Commissioners effective October 16, 1939, vice Col. Edwin A. Hickman, deceased. Col. Claire R. Bennett, Quartermaster Corps, now on retirement leave of absence, has been appointed, effective October 1, 1940, secretary-treasurer of the home vice Col. John P. Wade, United States Army, retired, who is completing a 3-year term in that capacity. The offices of the home appear to have been well administered during the past year.

It is apparent that the same high degree of satisfaction and wellbeing mentioned in the reports of inspection for previous years still maintains among the members of the home. The personal appearance of the members continues to be of the same high order as has been noted in previous reports of inspection.

The average cost per resident per day for the fiscal year 1940 was $1.396 as compared to $1.464 for the fiscal year 1939. This decrease was due largely to a decrease in the net operation of the home as compared with the previous year and an increase in the daily average of members present and absent.

No new construction was undertaken during the year.

During the past year effort has been made to remove, where possible, any semblances within the barracks to a disciplinary institution. The members are permitted to arrange their rooms in accordance with their own desires, within the limits imposed by proper sanitation. The barracks are considered as a home, and the affirmative response to this attitude is noteworthy.

RECORDS

4. A spot inspection of the personnel and property accountability records disclosed that they were being kept in a satisfactory manner.

ACCOUNTS

5. The accounts, disbursements, and records of the treasurer were examined and found to be in excellent condition. Balances were properly accounted for. All funds are kept on deposit with the Treasurer of the United States. Valuable papers, such as Government bonds, Treasury certificates, postal-savings certificates, and securities entrusted by members of the home to the treasurer for safekeeping, are kept in a safe-deposit box in a local bank.

PERMANENT FUND

6. On June 30, 1936, the balance in the permanent fund account was $2,377,399.65. During the past 4 years, owing to the deduction of 25 cents per month from the pay of each enlisted man and warrant officer, this fund has increased $1,009,499.54, the balance on hand as of June 30, 1940, being $3,386,899.19. The records disclose that the largest balance in the permanent fund was $4,444,889.37 on June 30, 1907.

Under an old statute, in effect over 50 years, 121⁄2 cents per month was deducted from the pay of each enlisted man, but this deduction for the Soldiers' Home was abolished by the act of May 11, 1908, and no deductions were made from the pay of enlisted men for the benefit of the Soldiers' Home from that date until March 1, 1936, on which date the act of February 13, 1936, became effective, which provides:

That hereafter, and beginning with the first calendar month after the passage of this act, there shall be deducted from the pay of each enlisted man and warrant officer on the active list of the Regular Army, exclusive of the Philippine Scouts, a sum not to exceed 25 cents, which sum shall be passed to the credit of the permanent fund, United States Soldiers' Home (trust fund) in the Treasury of the United States; the exact sum to be so deducted to be fixed from time to time by the Secretary of War, within the limit prescribed above, on the recommendation of the Board of Commissioners of said home as to the amount required to meet the needs of the home.

The Secretary of War, on June 12, 1940, requested report as to the amount to be deducted under the provisions of the above act. The proceedings of the Board of Commissioners of the Soldiers' Home, dated July 9, 1940, indicate that the Board's reply was to the effect that it wished to accumulate a balance of $5,000,000 in the permanent fund before recommending a change in the amount of 25 cents to be deducted.

It is believed that with the large increase in the Regular Army, further consideration should be given to the question of a reduction in the monthly deduction from the pay of enlisted men of the Regular Army.

DISCIPLINE

7. The discipline of the home was found to be satisfactory. Discipline is administered with kindness and firmness, consideration at all times being given to the age and physical condition of the offender. Few of the delinquencies were of a serious character. The punishment awarded for delinquencies appeared to be appropriate.

MEDICAL CARE AND SANITATION

8. Medical service and sanitary conditions in all installations of the home continue excellent. The hospital maintains its high standard in all departments. The cheerfulness and general state of mind of the patients indicate that the ability, consideration, and interest in the care of the patients on the part of officers, nurses, and other attendants of the hospital have been of a high degree.

BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS

9. The buildings of the home are suitable as to type, and adequate maintenance has kept their general condition and appearance in a most satisfactory state. The capacity of the barracks is sufficient to handle the present membership of the home.

It is noted that the amount of $300,000 from the permanent fund for enlargement and improvement of existing buildings and facilities was eliminated from the Budget by the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives on the ground that such enlargement and improvement could be deferred. Due to changed conditions, further presentation of this matter has been made to the Secretary of War and he has approved the recommendation of the Board of Commissioners for resubmission of this item to the Congress for consideration. The item has now been submitted to the War Department budget officer for consideration in the Budget estimate of 1942. It is believed that this expenditure is necessary and should be fully supported by the War Department before the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives.

MESSES

10. There are three messes operated at the home-a general mess, a hospital mess, and a mess at the dairy. The latter mess is considered necessary in view of the distance from the dairy to the general mess.

Since the last inspection the installation in the general mess of a warming oven and a refrigerator has been completed. These additional facilities have greatly added to the palatability of the food when it is placed upon the table. The general mess appears to be efficiently conducted and serves an excellent variety of well-cooked food.

The mess for patients in the hospital appears to be well-supervised and efficiently operated. Every effort is made to obtain proper and appetizing food for the patients in the hospital, and from this inspection it appears that this effort is most successful.

The dairy mess, while small, is efficiently operated and food is attractively served and of proper quality and quantity.

POULTRY FARM AND DAIRY

11. The poultry farm is well kept and efficiently operated. It supplies the eggs required by all activities of the home.

The appearance and operation of all installations of the dairy continue to be excellent. The milk furnished the home messes is of good quality and of sufficient quantity to enable a liberal serving of fresh milk to members at least once daily.