The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1917-08-23

safe them for the sufferings aA1 sAe-
rifices they make to serve their
country.
Aside from the care and psstsctian
of sles dependents while ~ 1a3Aier
is alive, che proposed war insuaPcs
act provides for definite compose
tiOn for his depen4ents N case Of
Iath, for definite and alaQuote I'M
IDENTITIES in case of total - partial
disability. and for re-ed0cation Of the
MANNED and disahled man. 70 that he
make take up Q new occupation and
make himself . member Of . useful
society. We must restore their ef-
ficiency and adjust their still available
faculties and functions tn suitable
trades and vocatioas, which the IN
juries Of the battle field have not Who'll
ly destroyed. The heavy depletions
in man-pcwer resulting from this con-
flict. which is without precedent in
history or Imagination, will plsee new
and greater values upon all forms and
degrees Of human energy, and demand
as first duty of intelligent govern
ment that every useful remaining
sense and limb of the blind and Grip
pied shall be reclaimed under the be-
nevolent processes Of education and
reapplied to economic uses for the
benefit of society. The millions we
shall be called upon to spend to sup
port the dependents of the soldiers
while they are in the fighting line, for
indemnities and for re-education of
the crippled, are in the last analysis
investments of the best sort; they are
sums of capital advanced by the ma
tion to promote utility. self-respect
than all, they are essentially humani-
tartan and in the highest sense a dis
charge by the Government of an es-
sential duty to society.
Military sevice is now obligatory;
those who imperil themselves have no
election. The insurance companies
do not and cannot permit this fact to
affect their calculations. They must
protect themselves by charging pre-
miums so high that they are secured
against loss no matter how severe the
rate of mortality may be. Consequ-
emily the very men who are called into
service because their physical condi-
ton is of the best and who as civil
ians would for that reason be able to
secure the most favorable insurance
rate in peace time, are denied as sold
ers the necessary life insurance to
enable them to protect them against
the extra hazardous risks of war in
surance entirely beyond the reach of
the conscripted soldier.
Military necessity has, therefore,
subjected the most fit subjects for in
surance to an insurmountable discri-
mination unless the Government it
self supplies insurance at cost and up
on peace basis 1t would. in fact, be
dastardly and undemocratic if the
Government should penalize the sold
ier who is forced to render the high
est duty of the citizen by it's failure
to provide war insurance upon peace
terms and at net cost, first, because
the pay of the enlisted men in the
Army and Navy is less than the wages
and salaries generally earned in pri-
vate life, which reduces their invest
ing capacity; and, second. because
Government insurance is an essential
war and emergency measure, inaugur-
ated for NE specific benefit of our
military forces. and cannot and should
not be conducted for profit.
Such overhead charges as agents
commissions, advertising, promotion.
local rentals, etc. are eliminated. The
United States G ov ern m n t
must assume the cost Of administering
this benevolent agency, Just as It bears
the cost of administering all other
Government agencies established for
the benefit of the people.
This legislation will be "a great
step forward in the recognition of the
Republics duty to its heroes. l con-
slider it the most significance and pro-
gressive measure presented to Con-
eress since the declaration Of war.
1t Immediately effects the well-being
of the gceater number of persons than
any act with which I am familiar
1t deserves the earnest and vigorous
support of the country. 1t provides
the broadest and most liberal pro-
lection ever extended by any govern
ment to its fighting forces and their
States, the most progressive and pro-
porous nation on earth, setting an ex-
ample in the ideals for which enlight-
ened humanity is fighting, should set
the highest example of all the nations
i'll the treatment of those who do and
die for their country and for world
freedom.
We are proposing to expend durinc
the next year more than ten billion
dollars to create and maintain the
necessary fighting forces to reestab