The National tribune., 1911-04-13
PENSION BILLS.

There were $500 bills introduced in
to Congress the first day of the session.
Among these Gen. Sherwood succeeded
in having his bill put on the calendar
as II. r. 1. 1t was represented thruout
the country by the Associated Press
that it was a dollar-a day bill, but any
one who will study will see that it
hardly fills this description. 1t reads:
Be it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assem-
bled,- That any person VINO served In
the military service of the United
States during the late civil war, and
who has been honorably discharged
therefrom, shall upop making proof of
such facts according to such rules and
regulations as the Secretary of the In
terror may provide, be placed upon the
pension roll and be paid a pension as
follows: For a service of 80 days or
over and less than six months, SIS per
month: for a service of six months and
less than nine months, $40 per month ;
for a service of nine months, $50 per
month; for a service of nine months
and less than one year. S25 per month;
for a service of one year or over, $50
per month No soldier who is entitled
under this act to a pension OF either
S25 per month or $50 per month shall
be eligible to admission or residence in
either. a State or National Soldiers
Home
Sec. 2 That any soldier eligible to a
pension under this act who was wound
ed in battle or on duty and who was
thereby disabled and is now unfit for
manual labor. shall be paid the maxi
mum pension under this act to wit, $50
per month, without regard to his length
of service.
Sec. 3. That no part of the appropria-
ton for pension under this act shall be
paid to any soldier whose annual In
come is $1,000 OF over.
Sec. 4. That no person shall! receive
a pension under any other law at the
same time or for the same period he u
receiving a pension under the proyt.
sions of this act.
Sec. 5. That rank shall not be con-
sidered in applications filed hereunder
Sec. 6. That this act shall take effect
under this act shall commence from
the date of filing application for the
Same.
The bill contains several very obyi-
Gus defects and imperfections which
doubtless Gen. Sherwood will remedy
when he has a chance to amend the
bill in committee, as we trust he will do
at the first meeting. In the first place.
it excludes the sailors and marines
which is an obvious oversight. 1t at
tempts to follow the lines Of the Sullo-
way bill. but makes a grade in pensions
according to service which does not
seem to be skillfulIy done.
81,
Sec. 2, which might by an unfriendly
Administration be made to exclude from
the highest rating all those who were
not actually disabled for manual labor
by wounds received in line of duty. II
will be seen that 1t makes no provision
duty which are just as important in
pension sense us wounds.
The provision in Sec. 3, limiting PEN
sions 10 those whose income is less than
$1,000. is class legislation, against which
the G. A. r. has always sternly set its
face. Probably Gen. Sherwood will
greatly amend his bill when it comes
up to be considered in committee,
Representative Suiloway reintroduced
his bill so promptly that ii was num-
bered II. r. 3. or only two numbers
after Gen. Sherwood's. The Sulloway
bill which has been considered with
the utmost thOroness and which has re-
ceiyed such overwhelming Endorsement
from all parts Of the country, reads:
Be it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the United
States Of America In Congress assem-