V.A. Folly

Last spring, when the Veterans' Administration cut operating expenses it cut its own throat. In answer to a Congressional demand for economy, the Boston Veterans Bureau chose to relieve half the personnel in the registration department.

But the Bureau overlooked the July 25th deadline set for subsistence check applications and found the office incapable of handling all the forms. As a result, many student veterans are unable to pay term bills and room rents, and may have to leave college or appeal for loans. Although the registration office has been re-staffed recently, students still do not know when they will receive benefits.

Since the ultimatum to the Veterans' Administration did not specify what expenditures to curb, the V.A. heedlessly took the quickest and easiest action. This has led to no economy but to plenty of headaches. The V.A. functions to benefit veterans with an inexpensive education. Its staff is supposedly competent to handle all veterans' problems and it certainly could avoid such a costly internal blunder.