Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-12

give any reason or excuse for the reduction
Now. Mr.. Chairman the number Of appeals
filed per month Is about 800. If the board
Is practically cut in two the number tina
will be disposed of, we will see, will b,
about $50 in the proportion that the board
will remain efficient. So that we are GER
tain that the appeals will again continue
as in the past, to run behind, and If the ap
peal board dealt alone with the current ap
peals at the rate of about $50 per month Il
would leave about loo undisposed of case!
to go on accommodating. Whichever way
they did it, that would be adding to the un
disposed of cases each month, and at the
end Of the next fiscal year We would have
in the neighborhood of 5000 undisposed o.
pension appeal cases.
'Is this board important? It has proved
to be very efficient one. About per cent
of the appeals as perfected mean per-
fected in the sense that they got fully and
fairly before the appeal board-were re-
versals of the pension bureau. But the re-
suit has been greater than that in favor
Of the applicants for pensions. They have
established through these appeals prece-
dents and rulings which govern the PEN
sion commissioner or pension bureau In the
determination of other like cases. But in
the process of appeal from the pension bu-
reau of the Interior Department the first
step taken is for the commissioner of PEN
sions. through his force, to re-examine and
review the cases upon which appeals have
been filed, and in about 6 per cent of the
cases the bureau has reversed itself, SO that
the effect of this pension appeal board has
been to dispose, favorably to the pension
erS, of about 10 per cent of the appeals
filed.
Now, 1 have said this much for the pur-
pose of having it understood that the ques-
ton here is one of Importance to the appli-
cents for pensions. If there be those here
who are opposed to these soldiers In their old
days having review at all, then let them
say so and then vote to abolish the board
because they are opposed to their being
pensioned under the laws of the United
States. Let us not by any means Of this
kind fail to give them full and fair hear
ing. If we err at all, why not err on the
side of the old and broken soldier? But
there is no danger Of this appeal board be-
Ing idle any part of the next fiscal year.
relied on to protect the government"
Reasons for the Present Board.
Those who favor the retention of the
sons:
This board, under the personal supervi-
sion of the assistant secretary of the in
action of the commissioner of pensions
The current appropriation bill provides for
nine regular members sixteen additional
members and three additional (doctors)
from the pension bureau. Interior Depart
ment officials requested an appropriation
for the same number Of men for next year
Assistant Secretary Wilson. in letter
dated September Is, 1906, strongly urged
the necessity of continuing the sixteen adj
ditional members, showing they would be
required to properly pass upon appeals
promptly. (See pages IS and 76. book Of
estimates for fiscal year ending June 80,
1867 The assistant secretary appeard be-
fore the subcommittee November 80, 1885,
and again strongly urged the recommended
ton of the department for the entire force
(see pages 226 to 233 Of the "hearings')
showing that on October /. 1906, there were
pending 1,712 appeals; that the present
force was not able to dispose of the ap-
peals filed each month. and that IL a reduce
ton were made in his force the work of
the office would run behind.
December 6. 1905. the assistant secretary
reported to the committee that for five
months, commencing July, 1865, 1858 APP
peals were filed l531 per month";, and 1884
were disposed of. and for the same five
months In 1906. 4.120 appeals were hied (824
per month"; and 1884 were disposed Of thus
showing an increase of ], 49, appeals in five
months, or 292 monthly.
''It should be noted that although the
force was four less in 1906 than in 1905, 15C
more cases were disposed of during the
five months in 1906. OF the 1884 cases
disposed of during these five months, APP
proximately % per cent resulted in favor
able action to the appellants. The action of
in about 10 per cent of the cases, and in
about 15 per cent he receded from his adj
verse action and recommended compliance
with contention of the appeal In remain
ing cases. claimants were furnished with a
full explanation. showing why they did not
have title as alleged.
THE bill as reported to the House fails