The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-23
THE PENSION BUREAU.
Another Effort to Transfer 1t to the
War Department.


Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON. Dec. 22.-Hoke Smiths
management Of the Pension Office and his
bitter anti-pension policy will likely have
the effect of causing the transfer OF the
Pension Bureau to the War Department.
There has for many years been a growing
demand that the pension business should
be transferred TO the War Department,
which is situated under the same roof
the Navy Department The argument has
been that the transfer would turn into the
pension service an immense army OF clerks
and officers in both the War and Navy de-
partments, and enable the heads of those
departments to call TO their service as
chiefs OF division and clerks hundreds of
officers who are placed upon the retired
list with salaries, but who are unable TO
perform services in the field or on the seas.
The Republicans have opposed the trans
fer Of the Pension Bureau from private
control 10 that of the army or navy for the
reason that all sentiment or sympathy in
the management of the pension business
would disappear, and everything would be
run under the discipline and the cold-blood-
ed business principles which characterize
the army service. They have acknowledged
that the pension forces could be immensely
that the discipline which prevails the
War Department would vastly improve the
lack OF good management which often char
acter1zeS affairs at the Pension ONCE But
now the Republicans realize what disaster
and misfortune may befall the pension sys-
TEN by political victory or defeat. the COM
mon mutations OF political life. While the
management under the last administration
was in hearty sympathy with the pension
ers, 1t IS now so unsympathetic and hostile
as 70 work great injustice TO the pension
ers- The very letter OF the law is disregard
ed, and there Is utter lack of sympathy
Or disposition TO deal fairly with those
whom the law has allotted for recognition.
Representative BeltZhoOver, of Pennsyl-
vania, has just introduced bill providing
for the transfer of the Pension Bureau TO
the War Department next June, and that
the Secretary of War shall have direction
over the Pension Bureau, but that the Pres
fdent shall designate officer of the army,
with the rank of brigadier-general, 10 be
Commissioner OF Pensions, and two colo
nels in the army to be deputy Commission
ers of Pensions. These officers shall not re-
ceive extra compensation above their reg
ular salaries as officers, and the Secretary
OF War may designate clerks in his depart
ment or incapacitated or other officers in
the field TO perform services in the pension
branch OF his department. IT Is cOntended
that under the operation OF this bill the
pension business could be brought up TO
date within year or two, and that there
half the expense now bornel for the per-
Torrance of pension work. 1t Is also ar
gued in favor of this proposition that the
management of the Pension Office would be
nonpartisan and the letter and the spirit
OF the law would be faithfully enforced.
IL Is true that when administration
changed hands there might be other army
officers detailed TO have charge of the pen
sion business. but 1t is noted that there is
no more politics in the War Department
under one administration than another.