The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-09-14
SOLDIERS INSURANCE
WAS NOT OPPOSED
Not a Single Negative Vote Was Regis.
tered in the National House Last
Night-Bill Equalizes Allow
ances for Departments.

ances for Departments.
Washington, Sept l4.--The admins
tration's soldier and sailors insuranc,
bill amended so as to equalize the al
lowances of the dependents of enlisted
men and officers, passed the House last
night.
The vote was 3l9 to o. Representative
Platt of New York, and Hersey of Main,
changing negative votes to aye before
the result was announced amid thun
derous applause.
As the bill went to the Senate pri.
Yates and officers and their dependents
stand on exactly the same basis. Bene.
fits and allowances now provided for are
slightly higher th.sn those originally pro.
posed as the minimum for privates by
| the committee and considerably lower
than the maximum amounts which Off
GERS and their dependents would have re-
ceiyed
President Wilson scored personal VIC
tory in the adoption of l4l TO II of an
amendment raising from $1,000 to Sl0,-
90 the maximum amount of optional in
surance policies that the government
would issue to all the men in the service.
The original draft of the bill carried
$4,000 but it was stricken out in COM
mittee.
The mildness of the attack of oppo.
nents of the measure on the option in.
surance section caused surprise 1t was
passed over in comparatively short
time after a formal motion to strike it
out had been overwhelmingly defeated.
This fight, however. will be carried to
the Senate by the insurance companies,
it is understood
The main purposes Of the bill are TO
provide a substitute for the present
pension law as il would apply to men en-
gagged in this war new system of allot-
ments and compensaticns which will pro-
vide for dependents of the soldiers and
rehabilitste men on their return from
the war.
Upon enlistment under the provisions
of the bill, soldier or sailor would
be entitled to take out from ST 900 to
$4,000 worth of optional insurance at
SS per 81 900 His depend
ents would be entitled TO allotments
from the government to from S. to $50
per month and an equal amount up to
$l5 per month from his pay.
Death or total disability, the depend
ents of any person in the military or
naval service, including women members
of the nurse corps, would be entitled to
ranging from $40 to $40
per month, and the insurance.
In case of total disability the injured |
persons would be paid from $40 to 500
per month
Elimination of the committee compen
sation provisions came Unexpectedly, No
serious opposition TO them was promised
until Representative Black of Texas sud
lenly assailed the salary basis proposed
IS most undemocratic thing TO inn
pose upon any army fighting for democ
'acyh He quickly won supporters and
lis proposal to equalize the benefits of
Ill classes was adopted almost unani-
nously Representative Alexander of
Missouri opposed the. Black amendment
N the ground that family should bene
it from the death or disability of their
upport in accordance with his earning
apacity.
A widows compensation would cease
lpon her re-marriage and a dependent
hld's would cease at Is years of age.
Monthly benefits TO soldier or sailor !
n case of total disability would be as
ollows: .
If he has neither wife nor child living,
40; wife, S55; wife and one child, SOS; !
wo or more children, SIS; no wife but /,
ne child. $50 and $40 addition for each +.
hid up to two; dependent widowed :
lother. $40 additional.
Injured men requiring nurse care would
eceive an additional $50 monthly.
A man losing both feet, hands or eyes
.ould be entitled automatically to 500
er month.
Amendments adopted would give .
aimants ten years instead of one in
hich to file their claims for compensa-
on; prevent divorced wives who have y
married from sharing in a dependents ,
Ilowance, and eliminate proposed salary .
Icreases for present employees of the .
1vernment who are to administer GER
lin provisions of the measures. ca