Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-10
PENSION SYSTEMS.
Laws of the United States Compared
With Those of Other Countries.

rom lhe
The amount estimated as necessary for
the payment of our pensions for the COM
ing fiscal year is S13s, 100000 AS COM
pared with the appropriation for the pres
ent year. this sum shows an estimated de-
crease of $5,JO0.OO0. Compared with the
pension expenditures of other governments,
as based on the figures of the last two
years. it is more than double the total of
all of them put together. The magnitude
of our pension scheme is an obvious indi-
cation of the liberality of our laws. Their
iberality as regards the title of claimants,
as well as the conditions under which pen
sions are paid can be more fully compre-
hended by considering the requirements
and restrictions which attach to the PEN
siOns paid by the United States and those
paid by other governments. Practically,
there are military pension systems in all
countries. Occasionally. they are closely
connected with provisions for civil pen
sionS. In Italy the two plans are INSOFAR
able
In the first place, there are few coun-
tries in which the regulations under which
applications may be filed are as favorable
as they are in this country. Great Britain
refuses to entertain any application from
an officer for a pension for a wound unless
ne applles within five years after receiy-
Ing the wound. in Japan the maximum
time IS three years. and in Switzerland
one year from the time the disability was
incurred. Switzerland. furthermore pen
sions for one year only the application be
Ing reconsidered" at the eEd of each year
Very different from these require ments
are those of the pension law of the United
States, with no limitation as to the time of
appllcatlon. no term pensions and no an
nua! examinations. A civil war soldier is
fuiIy at liberty to seek pension today for
wounds disability incurred in 1862: and
IL ne can trace the origin of a disability
to his army service the pension is granted
although Tor forty years he has failed to
make any claim on the government for as
sistance- 1t may be that the applicant is
occupying a remunerative federal position;
" so, that fact will not be considered in ad-
Jcoicating the claim or in paying the PEN
sion In Japan. however, a pension is sus-
pended during the time of government en-
pioyment. In this country the pension roll
mas included members of the cabinet and of
Congress.
In case the pensioner desires tn leave his
country. either ermanently or for a term
OF years, how Is such departure looked
upon by the various governments? Tn
Ger the law of Servia such a pensioner
ceases to receive aid from the government
The Argentine Republic pays him for two
months only. In Peru the right to a pen-
sion is forfeited if the beneficiary remain
abroad two years. France Austria and
Gresce permit residence abroad by express
consent of the government only. England
requires pensioners to obtain leave to go
outside the country, and provides for a re-
auction OF the pension after three wears
absence. with its entire forfeiture if tn,
pensloner is under fifty years of age. he
tween the ages of fifty and eighty the pen
sion NAV be committed With the excen
ton OF a law that was I'm operation from
1S1 to 1875. the United States has made
no distinction between pensioners residant
abroad and those resident in the United
states Last year this government maid
sSii: 1915 to 4.54I pensioners residing in
foreign countries.