The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1917-12-15
PENSION LAW SUMMARIZED.
United States More Liberal to Fight
ing Men Than Amy Other Country.

| A-~e -'~~AA NeASk &~oAAeKys
In compliance with numerous re
| quests for information concerning thu
pension or compensation to be paic
dependents of soldiers or sailors in the
event of the death Of such soldier OF
sailor, or due the man himself in the
event of his being disabled, the fol
lowing statement has been issued
from the office of the district at
torney of Orleans parish:
Recently there was published an
explanation of the provisions of the
law providing for the care of depend
ents while the soldier or sailor, etc.,
is in the service.
I'VE will now explain another fea-
ture of the lawswhich provides for the
payment of certain compensation or
pension for deagh or disability result
ing from personal injury suffered, or
disease contracted in the line of duty
by any commissioned officer or enlist
ed man. This compensation is to be
paid to certain dependents in the
event of the death of the man, or is
to be paid to him in the event of his
being permanently or partially dis
ab1ed
"This money. called compensation,
is nothing more or less than the old
pension-except that under the old
system many of the benefciaries re-
Trained from claiming it, considering
it as charity. The theory of this COM
pensation is based on the analogy of
the employers liability to the en-
ploye. In nearly all of the states of
the Union laws are in force making
the employer responsible for the death
or injury of the employe during his
employment. In this law the govern
ment is placed in the position of the
employer, while the enlisted man is in
the position of the employe, and the
man is as thoroughly protected as is
the employe in civil life.
Distinct from Insurance.
tsThis compensation is entirely
separate and distinct from the insur-
ance policies which the government is
issuing the men at very nominal rates.
The man receives the compensation
in the event of his disability, or his
dependents receive it in the event of
his death, whether he had insurance
or not. The insurance is an extra
protection bought by the man himself.
"This explanation will cover mere
ly the compensation or pension fea-
ture of the law. Eugene McGivney,
attorney of this city, as recently an
nounced, will furnish information as
to the benefits aeeruing from the poll
cies issued by the government.
Should the enlisted man die as al
result of injury suffered or disease
contracted in thesIine Of duty (not
caused by his own mise onduct) month
ly compensation will be paid the de-
pendents as follows:
n asga mis- gIaow alone, q 25. .e+-11
..lb) To his widow and one child,
s35.
s(c) To his widow and two chill
dren, $4750, with SIS for each addi-
tional child up to two.
"(d) II there be no widow, then
for one child, $40.
"(e) For two children, $50.
ss(f) Three children, $40, with SIS
for each additional child up to two.
"fg) Fora a widowed mother, in ad-
dition to the above, $40, but the
amount payable to a widow and chill
dren, and a widowed mother, shall
not exceed SIS.
"a widowed mother can only claim
this compensation or pension for the
death of one son (and not in the
event she is receiving compensation
or pension for the death of her hus-
band) and can claim it whether her
widowhood arises before or after the
death of the said son. For instance,
if, at the time of the sons death, her
husband, the boys father, were living
and supporting her, she can claim
nothing if the husband (boy's father)
should die two or three years after
wards, and the son, if alive, would
have supported his mother, she can
then claim it as long as her depend
ency continues.
"Payment of money for child ceases
when the child reaches 18 years, or
unless such child be incapa-
HE. because of insanity, idiocy, or
permanently helpless. /
Funeral expenses to an amount not
to exceed 500 for burial and return
of body will be paid by the govern,
ment. This will be specially provided
for by regulation.
Total Disability.
sTn the event Of total disability Of
tba enlisted man! or commissioned Of
ficer, monthly compensation or pen
sion shall be payable certain depend
ents as follows:
"(a) If he has neither wife nor
child, $50.
"(b) If he hasa wife, but no chlio'
a(c) Wife ami one child living
s(d) Wife and two children living
s0s, sle) Wife AMI three or more chill
dren living, $75.
oh;1d living SAC, with SO for each
= oddifional child up to two.
ssIn addition to the above, II ne
,a.vas m widowed mother, SO extra
"iss ss4n ~ the event of the loss of both
feat or both hands. or both eyes, or
for becoming totally pllna oI aeip
less and permanently bedridden from
causes eau occurring in the line Of duty,
as of tie size of the family,
tha y = disabled mai shall be allowed
500 month. ,., 4ho
"For a man partially disabled, the
amount of compensation will De
percentage of the amount he would
have received if he had been totally
disabled. This Is going to be liked Dy
regulation of the bureau, and IS gong
TO be based upon what may be founo
to be the decrease in earning power