New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-07-31

resenting the war department, Major
Henry Leonard, representing the
navy department., Miss Julia Lathrop,
representing the department of labor
DR.. l.. S. Rowe, assistant secretary of
the treasury, Hendon Chubb, chair
man of the advisory board of the
bureau of war risk insurance, Will
liam G. Delaney, director OF the bu-
reau, and r. M. Little, chairman of
the federal civil employees compen-
sation board
The experience and knowledge Of
insurance men of the country was
early sought by Secretary McAdoo,
and out of more than 100 represen-
tatives of different companies who
attended a conference called by the
secretary on July in Washington
grew a committee of II insurance
men, who studied the problem and
submitted a comprehensive report to
the secretary.
McAdoo Pushing Insurance.
Inasmuch as a portion of Ameri-
cas- army is already in France,
part of it's fleet is in European waters,
and many more soldiers and sailors
and marines are in training, Secre-
tary McAdoo has striven to push the
preparation of plans with all possible
speed in the hope that congress may
pass the necessary legislation during
the present session.
The plans under consideration are
based upon the now generally &C
cepted idea that payments on account
of soldiers and sailors killed or in
jured in service should depend in
measure upon the number of people
dependent upon him. 1t is plainly
evident that this course should be
followed.
In general it is intended that pro-
vision be made for the support of de-
pendents of soldiers and sailors by
giving them an allotment of the pay
Of the men and also an allowance
from the government, that officers
and men be Unidentified against death
or total or partial disability; that a
system of rehabilitation and reeduca-
ton of disabled men be inaugurated;
and that the government insure the
lives Of soldiers and sailors.
The new system would be admins
tered by the bureau of war risk insur-
ance of the treasury department,
which is already writing war risk in
surance on masters, officers and crews
Of American merchant vessels and on
American hulls and cargces.
Dependents of soldiers and sailors
in service would be provided for
through allotments from their pay,
supplemented by family allowances
by the government. The amount of |
The government allowance would de- |
pend upon the size of the family, and, !
to oth fl,oy hn oh;
1ren, upon the actual dependency
upon the men. The family allowance
would be made only if the soldier or
sailor makes an allotment for his de-
oendents out of his ,oay.
The risk of death or disability
would be compensated for somewhat
IN the analogy of workmen's COM
oensation acts, with the compensa-
ion measured by the mems services
he size of the families, and the loss !,
@ the family Partial disabilities
would be compensated for upon a
of the compensation for
otal disability. The cost Of this COM
oensation naturally must be paid
wholly by the government.
In addition to direct compensation
% take the place of pensions, the plan
n contemplation would go further and
establish an insurance system by the
government under which our soldiers
md sailors could obtain insurance at
premium rates based upon the NOR
,ality experience tables of peace times. !
The excess cost due to increased NOR :.
,ality and disability war risk should
clearly be borne by the government,
and the cost of administering the in
'urance department for the benefit of
he nations fighting men is also a,
proper governmental charge. The
plans would provide for the
ISSUANCE to officers and men = in
amounts ranging from 900 to s1O,-
700, with provision for payments in
Death or total disab
ty would mature insurance.
In working out the new system, it
S deemed essential that a system for
'e-education and reha Utilization be es-
ablished, so that injured men may
De fitted as far as possible for lives of l.