The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-09-19
INSURANCE EIEL
PASSED. BY HOUSE

NsahiRsssn SeRtsmhsr l4.-Tho
aSuipistTatfar's soldiers SHd saftGrs'
INSURANCE bill, aneD6ed Sc as 10 eatIal
ize the sflswapce 81 The dependents OF
enlisted men &pd officers. passed the
house Thursday.
The vete was 31s to Q, Representa-
tivcs Pfatt Of New York aud Hersey
ri Maine changing negatfVe votes to
aye before the result Mas announced
AS the bill went to the serate last
night privates and efhcers and their
dependents stand Oh exactly the same
kasis.- Benefits and allowances pro
viIed Ter are sfishtfuliy higher than
those originally proposed as the mini
mum fer privatcs by the committees
and considerably fGwer than the max
iuluIn amounts which officers and
their dependents weuld kave receiv-
ed.
/ President Wilson scsrcd perseual
victory in the adeptfsn, al rs ~, OF
an amendments raising frsa S. zee TO
$1,000 the maximum aR1oont al ap
tienal insurance policies that the sev-
ernment wotiid issue to an B1cw in the
service. The original draft sf the bill
carried sic Geo, but it was stricken s1t
in committee.
The ail9ness OF the attack Of sppe-
nents Of the measure On the optional
Increase section csuscd surprise 1t
WAS PaSscd over IN comparatively
shert time after formal metien 10
! etrih- ii cut had been overwhelming
ly defeated. This hsht hewever, will
se carried to the senate by the insur-
ance companies. il is Understood.
Substitute for Pensions.
The main purposes Of the bill are
te provide substitute Ter the present
pension law, as it wauEd apply to men
engaged in this war new system OF
ailetments and compensationS which
vii! provide for dependents eli the
soldiers and rehabilitate men uoen
their return from war.
Upon enlistment under the prsvis-
ions eli the bill, soldier or sailor
would be entitled to take cut from
$1,000 te $le.6ee worth Of optional
insurance at approximately So per
$1,000. His dependents weuld be en-
titled to allotment from the govern
ment OF from S. 10 $50 pes month and
an equal amount UP to SIS per month
from his pay
Death or fetal disability resulting
the dependent sl any pcrsen in the
T may or naval service, including
women neryg grs~Ut the purse corns,
would be entitled to compensation
ranging from SEE to S7O per raontt,
and the insurance. ;.sr srSs
In ease of total\ disability the in
tures persons would be paid fron1
$40 to $500 per month.
Elimination OF the committee co1n-l
eensation provisions came unexpect-
ediy. No serious opposition to them
was promised until Representative
Efack, Of Texas, suddenly began as
sailing the measure as most undem-
ocratic thing to impose upon an army
lighting for democracy II equickly
won supporters and hrs proposal to
eeuallze the benefits of all classes was
adopted almost unanimously. Rep
resentatrve Alexander Of Missouri. o.
posed the Black sl'endment On that
ground that farmer should benefit
from the death or disability af their
support in accordance with his earn
ins capacity.
New Rates Adopted
he new rates per month adopted
were:
Widow, S35; enc child, $45; tive
children, $3.50. and an additional SIS |
fer each child up to fayr.
One motherless child. S2s; two, $35, |
three $%5; and sic additional fer each |
child up to FIVE
A widowed mother wauId receive |
$50 month, and no family allsw- |
ance would exceed SIS month. I'm
der the original draft OF the bill the
compensation for officers dependents
might have gene as high as see a
month
A widows compensation wsuld
cease upon her remarriage and a de-
pendent child's weuld cease at i
T. years Of age
Monthly benefits 10 4 ssldier or
sailor in case OF total disability wsuld /
be as follows:
If he has neither wife nsr child, liv-
ing, $40; wife, SIS; wife and enc child,
SOS; tive or more children, SIS ne
| wife bit one child $50 and SI0 addi-