The National tribune., 1900-05-17

OF mlCilPdu. MI. sDpSdhtr.
shall vote for this bill because it is the best
measure obtainable at present under the
rules of the House. | am in thorough
sympathy with the gentleman from Kansas
(Mr. Curtis) in believing that this bill
ought TO be amended. AS a soldier, who
served three years in the ranks, | say to
gentlemen of this House that the time has
come when there must must be more liberal
legislation in regard TO pensions. This
bill meaSurably meets that demand. But,
as was suggested by the gentleman from
New York (Mr. Driggs) and the gentleman
from Kansas CMr. Curtis), the difficulty
lies not in the law so much as in the ad-
ministration of the law.
In view of the aSpersionS cast upon the
local Examining Boards by the Medical
Referee, and to which illusions have been
made, it becomes matter of interest to
ratings of these local boards are reviewed.
The Referee of the Medical Division, where
all rates are finally determined, in his re-
port to the Commissioner says:
NO material change has been ma de in
general organization or the practice of this
my report at the end of the last fiscal year.
The policy indicated by you when you
placed me in charge OF this Division, that
Eve will be liberal within the law" has OBJ
tained so far as it was permissible under
the laws as they exist and the established
practice OF the Bureau. The benefit of
any doubt has been resolved in favor Of the
claimant"
He then says:
'1The clerical and professional force OF
the Division has kept the work current, but
in order to do this had to secure, by detail
from the Adjudicating Division of the office,
the services of clerks who are Doctors of
Medicine, and who, as acting Medical
Examiners, have added to the working
capacity Of the Division. These clerks
have been carefully selected as far as pos
sible, but have been placed upon intricate
duties that Medical Examiners must per-
form without any examination into their
professional qualifications, and with little,
if any, practical experience in their pro
faSsion."
Here, in my Judgment, Mr.. Speaker, is
one of the weakest places in the present
administration Of the Bureau Of Pensions.
The Pension Commissioned says:
"The Surgeons comprising the local
boards are supposed to contain the best
skill IN medicine and surgery the COM
munity has"
go further than the Commissioner and
say that in SO far as my observation and
experience go, extending over period of
more than 30 years, the local Examining
Surgeons are not only supposed to be, u
but as matter of fact are, among the very
best of their class in their respective COM
munities. They are not only men
OF learning experience, and standing
in their profession, but are, as rule,
men OF high personal character. They
perform their official duties il behalf of the
Government under the obligations Of a
solemn oath.
When the exal .ination is made they have
the applicant in person before them; if
necessary, his body is stripped and every
known medical and surgical device is APP
piled to test the nature and degree Of the
alleged disability, and from these the re-
quired "pen picture" is drawn and the neces-
sary ratings made and forwarded to the
Commissioner, and by him sent to the Medi-
cal Referee, and by him, according to his
own signed statement are, in part at least,
reviewed and rated by detailed clerks
who "have been placed upon the intricate
duties that Medical Examiners must per-
form without any examination into their
professional qualifications and with little,
if any, practical experience in their pro-
fession." and by these detailed clerks" as
Medical Referees the personal examination
and ratings of 'the best skill in medicine
and surgery which the community has" are
set aside.
say this confessed practice of the Bu-
reau of Pensions in this respect is as I'M
wise as its results are ofttimes unjust and
heartless. This bill remedies the law as to
widows claims; but l fear that in 50 far as
it is designed to aid in the construction Of the
law of 1890 by making its operation more
liberal toward the veterans, it will be a
failure. If you will amend it so that the
disabilities shall be rated "as of service
origin" you will have made the intent of
Congress so plain that no Commissioner of
Pensions nor Board of Medical Referees
can misconsture it. TApplause.l
Mr.. Graft. Mr.. Speaker, it is evident
from the course of this debate that the COM
mittee have been wise IN bringing their
bill in at this time, for the purpose of Sc
curing its passage. We have had an
honest discussion. 1t has resulted in the
exploiting of various theories, all good for
the soldier but not very promising in the
way of being enacted into law. l prefer
that we should give the soldier some sub
stantial benefits by passing this conserva-
tive measure.
The question was taken; and in the opin-
ion Of the Chair, two-thirds having voted
in favor thereof, the rules were suspended
and the bill as amended was passed.
ca number of Representatives spoke on
the bill, but their remarks, which were
withheld for revision, have not appeared in
the Record in time for extracts to be made.
Some space viii be devoted to their remarks
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