Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1917-06-05
PLAN TO INSURE OUR
SOLDIERS IN WAR
IN LIEU OF PENSIONS, ARRANGE
MENTS TO BE MADE FOR
THE FUTURE.
$4,000 POLICY FREE OF COST
government Bureau Handle Whole
Subject-Try to Avoid Pension
Abuses-CIaim Insurance Is
Cheaper in Long Run.

Washington d. C.=Plans for is
suing $4,000 free government insur-
ance on the life of every American
soldier and sailor during the war in
lieu of pension arrangements will
be taken up by the council of ma
tional defense. report prepared
by Assistant Secretary Sweet of the
commerce department, all ready to
be submitted, urges that the insur-
ance be provided through legislation
before American troops are sent to
France
Pay Without Premium.
The defense council took up the
question some weeks ago and turned
the whole subject over to the de-
partment of commerce for inyestiga-
ton. The report of arguments show
ing the advantage of working out
compensation system before Amer
can lives are lost in the war.
The plans as prepared provide for
flat insurance of $4,000 on the life
OF every officer and private in the
military and naval service to be paid
to his beneficiaries without premi-
ums. A government insurance bu-
reau would handle the whole subject
and there would be provision for a
system of insurance by which officers
and men desiring to do so could take
out amounts higher than the $4,000
free policy by paying premiums at
peace rates.
Insurance Concerns Favorable.
insurance companies, it is said,
are ready to approve the scheme if
assured the government will not con-
tinue in the insurance business
after the war. War hazards are so
great that few companies are
anxious to insure soldiers and sail
ors except at high premiums. Of
ficials have been told, although
many companies who have on their
lists men now in the military and
naval service, have not advanced
their premium rates.
At the end of the war the govern
ment, it is suggested, could turn
over to insurance companies it's pre-
MUM war business, dropping the flat
$4,000 policies on all who leave the
service, but continuing it on men
who remain in the army or navy.
One argument advanced for the
Insurance plan is that it would i'm
prove the morale of the troops, since
many would go into battle much
more willing if assured their de-
pendents would be cared for if they
were killed. The plan would pro-
vide life insurance for partial or
total disability. In case of death the
insurance would be paid in install
ments whose amount would be de-
termined by a government board
Dispose of Pension Problem.
Government officials are convinc-
ed the best way to dispose of the
pension problem is to meet it before
hand The history of the pension
system since the civil war has
shown many abuses, which it is
hoped to avoid by providing insu-
rance before men are killed.
Many officials hold that since
many men who will be drafted will
be drawn from occupations in which
government and state laws compel
compensation for injury or death,
the government can not subject a
man to more risk than he encoun-
tiers in his usual occupation and not
make compensation if he is wound
ed or killed.
Government Success Pointed.
The success of the government
war risk insurance bureau, which
has paid out large sums for ship
losses, is pointed to as an argument
that the government itself can bear
the risk. The government, free
of enormous overhead charges, can
carry extra insurance on soldiers
and sailors at a much smaller cost
than can corporations. OF course,
the $4,000 insurance given free would
be direct loss, but pensions, it is
argued, would be much more costly
in the long run.