Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-02-18
THE PENSION BUREAU
The G. A. r. Committees Inves-
tisation OF Methods will Find
Much to Condemn.
Claim Is Made That Incompe-
tent Clerks and Employees
Are Retained.
Manner Of Enforcing the PEN
sion Laws Will Come in
for Criticism.

washington. Feb. 1s.-The commit
tee of leading officials and members OF
the Grand Army of the Republic, OF
which Judge Burton, of Nevada, Mo-.
is n member. will assemble again dur
ing the coming week, and Will continue
its investigation of the management OF
the pension bureau. 1t was understood
a few days ago, after a portion OF the
members had made partial investiga-
ton of the bureau, that conclusions had
been reached on many of the more inn
rortant parts to be covered in the re-
Port. Great care has been taken. how
ever to prevent accurate forecasts OF
the committees conclusions. The re-
port which the committee is to make
will be made to the president of the
United States instead of to the next
annual encampment. as has been the
custom in the past. The committee has
already considered at length the re-
jected cases passed on during the year
by the bureau: also, the cases rejected
of increased rating, which have been
brought to the attention of the COM
mittee members from various sources.
While nothing authoritative can be
secured, there is reason for believing
the report will criucise the methods of
the bureau in some particulars, If not
the manner of enforcing pensions laws.
Complaint has been perhaps strongest
CT the action of the board of medical
review of the bureau, which passes up
on cases which come to the bureau
from local medical boards. 1t has been
repeatedly represented to the members
OF the committee that the acts of this
board are radical. and not based on
either scientific conclusions from the
examinations. or upon testimony sub
mitted. Ii is contended that the local
boards, whose members are familiar
with the men examined, are better able
to pass upon their cases and determine
their rating than are the members of
the board here in Washington, which
has nothing to guide it but the techni-
cal reports of physical examinations
submitted to 1t.
There will be some criticism. also. 1t
is said, of the personnel of the office
force in the bureau. 1t will be claimed
that incompetent clerks and employees
are retained in the bureau. This will
be defended by the friends of the pres
ent commissioner. who Will point out
the pressure exerted upon him for
places by friends of deserving soldiers.
Members of the house committee on
pensions frankly admit that there is
urgent need of revision of the pension
laws, but they assert that they have
been unable to undertake this work in a
thorough manner. At every session the
flood of private pensions is SO great that
nearly all of the time of the committee
is taken up in their consideration.
Hundreds of bills are also introduced
at every session affecting the pension
laws. and the committee is unable to
give any considerable number of them
proper investigation. Members of the
committee are now discussing the adj
visibility OF recommending the APP
pointment of commission to revise
the pension laws and suggest needed
new legislation. A bill to this effect
was introduced at the last session of
congress. but failed OF passage. Repre-
sentative Boering, of Kentucky, has in
troduced a similar bill at the present
session. 1t provides for the appoint
ment of seven Judges. whose duty il
shall be to hear arguments for the
granting or increase of special pensions.
instead of the petitioners coming to
congress for relief.