The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1917-08-31
1SSTRI<G OUR FIGHTING MEN.

The Dlan of Secretary OF the Treas
~. NcAdoo for life and indemnify
Insurance for the soldiers and sailors
nj +he United States, after discussions
nv representative insurance men anu
renort on by advisory committees, has
heen put in definite form and submit
tod To President Wilson.
The Presidents comment was dS
follows:
81 have examined the enclosed pa
pers very carefully and take pleasure
in returning them with my entire ap-
prevail"
hill has been introduced in Con-
gross along the lines suggested by the
Secretary Of the Treasury and APPROX
ed by the President
In essentials it is proposed thaI tiie
government furnish at cost TO the SOL
diore and sailors of the United States
life and indemnity insurance
The main features of the Secretary
ara that the government shall bear all
the cost of the administration OF the
insurance plan and that no expense Vi
anv kind shall be a charge on the
funds created by the payment or prem
iums by the soldiers and sailors. ne
lieved of overhead charges, eight DOL
1ars q wear for every thousand dol
lars insurance will be an adequate
charge, under the plan, and this hS-
ure will put the maximum insurance
of ton thousand dollars within the
reach of practically every private SOL
der or sailor Insurance in private
companies would cost many times TINS
sum for men actually engaged in war
fare.
After the war the insurance may De
converted into other forms. The IN
surance is to be payable in install
ments. is non-assignable and free from
the claims of creditors of the insured
or OF the beneficiary, and is limited TO
the wife, children, and other speclned
kindred.
II total disability results or disease
il contracted in the course OF the ser
vice, the compensation is to be based
on percentage Of pay, with a min
imum, however, of from forty to sew
enty-fve dollars month according
to the size of the family Partial dis
abilities are to be computed on bas-
is on percentages Of total disability
Medical, surgical and hospital treat
ments, supplies and appliances are to
be given. Rehabilitation and re-educa-
ton of the injured soldiers or sail
ors, fitting them for lives of activity
and usefulness is part of the plan.
The plan also contemplates free al
loWances to the families Of soldiers
and sailors the government supple
menting the sums set aside by the sol
The insurance is not to be a gift OF
the government but is to be paid fol
out of the pay of the insured men. The
government, however, is to take upon
itself the cost of collecting and ad-
ministering the funds and also the ad-
ira hazard caused by the war, the rate
of eight dollars per thousand being q
normal rate in peace time and an en-
tirely inadequate rate for war risk.
The workmen's compensation laws
ard the experiences of insurance com
panies in this country and the laws
have been studied and used in the
preparation of this bill.
Secretary McAdoo emphasizes the
justice and rightfulness Of such a
function OF the government by citing
the fact that in this war we are not
relying upon the volunteer system but
are drafting American men and com,
pellng them to undergo danger and
If necessary, make the supreme sac,
rifce for their country. A higher OBJ,
legation, he says, therefore rests upon
the government not only towards the
fighting men but towards those de
pendent on them and a just, generous
and humane government should SEE
to 1t that so far as is practicable they
should be given this protection, no
as a. matter of mercy or charity bu
as a matter of right And that they
should enter into the service Of theil
country with the certain knowledge
that IL death or misfortune comes t.
them they and their dependents ar
protected by insurance afforded then
by their government as part Of oh
compensation for the service they ar
rendering their country.
In conclusion Secretary McAdo'
points out that while this plan ma;
call for considerable expenditures a