New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-07-31
INSURANCE IN
JUSTICE TO TROOPS
Soldiers and Dependents Will Be
Far Happier

Washington, July 31.-For the first
time in the history OF the United
States a concerted effort on govern
mental initiative is now being made
to provide adequate and scientific fl
nancial protection for the officers and
enlisted men Of the army and navy
and for their dependents.
Instead Of proceeding along the old
course of fighting a war first and car
ing afterward for injured soldiers and
sailors and the families of those kill
ed the government is now at the very
outset of Americas entry into the war
laying plans for insuring and indem.
nifying it's fighting men.
AS result of more than a months
constant and intensive study a plan
will soon be presented to congress for
consideration which, if adopted. will
give the men who go to the front the
comforting assurance that they will
be cared for should they be wouHded,
and that their dependents will receive
adequate protection should they be
killed.
This plan is intended to take the
place of the pension system so far as
concerns men and women engaged In
the present war. 1t is based upon the
fundamental idea that the govern
ment should, as a matter of justice,
protect it's soldiers and sailors, and
their dependent families, and should
do this with due regard for conditions
as they exist today.
Aid Investigation in Progress.
Workmens compensation laws,
pension laws in the United States and
foreign countries, insurance practice,
and other related questions have been
investigated during the preparation Of
the plans. and as a result information
will be presented to congress which it
is hoped will lead to the enactment of
legislation both just and human.
The necessity for such legislation
is admittedly more pressing in this
war than in any other to which the
United States was a, party, because at
the outset the government had adopt
ed a selective draft system. Men are
now being picked for service at the
front by the government. 1t is gener-
ally admitted that under such condi-
tions the government has solemn
duty to perform to those selected
In the preparation of the plans
shortly to be submitted to congress
there has been cordial cooperation
between several government depart
ments and agencies, and organiza-
tons. Seldom has there been a
more thorough study of a question in
an effort to solve a vexing problem.
1nasmuch as the bureau of war risk
insurance of the treasury department
is already insuring masters, officers
and seamen of American merchant
men and also the hulls and cargoes,
President Wilson asked Secretary
McAdoo several weeks ago to inves-
tigate the question, and the Council
of National Defense also took up the
problem through the committee on
labor of its advisory commission,
headed by Samuel Gompers presi-
dent of the American Federation of
Labor. Judge Julian w Mack, Fred
erick l.. Hoffman, James w. Sulli-
van, James Lord. and F. Spencer
Baldwin, constituting the section on
compensation for enlisted men and
their dependents of the labor COM
mttee have performed invaluable
work in the preparation of plans. AS
sistance has also been given by Ed
win F. Sweet, assistant secretary of
commerce, Captain S. H. Wolfe, rep