The Pensacola journal., 1917-08-02
Government Making Financial
Arrangements To Protect The
Families of Men Gone to War

generally admitted that under such
conditions the government has a SOL
emn duty to perform to those selected.
In the preparation of the plans
shortly to be submitted to congress
there has been cordial cooperation
between several government depart
ments and agencies and organiza-
tions. Seldom has there been a more
thorough study of a question in an
effort to solve vexing problem.
Inasnuch as the bureau of war
risk insurance of the treasury depart
ment is already insuring masters, of
ficers and seamen of American mer-
chantmen and also the hulls and car
goes, President Wilson asked Secre-
tary McAdoo several weeks ago to
investigate the question, and the
Council of National Defense also took
up the problem through the commit
tee on labor of its advisory commits
sion, headed by Samuel Gompers,
president of the American Federation
of Labor. Judge Julian W. Mask,
Frederick L. Hoffman, James W. Sui
livan, James Lord, and F. Spencer
Baldwin, constituting the section on
compensation for enlisted men and
| their dependents of the labor COM
| mittee, have performed invaluable
work in the preparation of plans. AS
| sistance has also been given by Edwin
| F. Sweet, assistant secretary of com.
merce; Captain S. H. Wolfe, repre-
senting the war department; Major
Henry Leonard Wood, representing
the navy department; Miss Julia La
throp, representing the department of
| labor; DR.. L. S. Rowe, assistant sec
retary of the treasury; Henden Chubb,
chairman of the advisory board of the
bureau of war risk insurance; Will
liam G.. Delaney, director of the bu-
reau, and R. NJ. Little, chairman %
the federal civil employees compel
sation board.
The experience and knowledge of
the insurance men of the country was
early sought by Secretary McAdoo.
and out of more than one hundred
representatives of different COM
panies who attended a conference call
| ed by the secretary on July 2ne, in
| Washington, grew a committee of
| twelve insurance men, who studied
! the problem and submitted compre-
hensive report to the secretary.
Inasmuch as a portion of America's g
army is already in France, a part of
| its fleet is in European waters, and
many more soldiers and sailors and
marines are in training, Secretary
McAdoo has striven to push the pre-
paration of plans with all possible
speed in the hope that congress may
pass the necessary legislation during
| the present session.
The plans under consideration are
based upon the now generally accept
ed idea that payments on account of
soldiers and sailors killed or injured
in service should depend in a meas
ure upon the number of people de-
pendent upon him. 1t is plainly evil
dent that this course should be fol
lowed.
In general it is intended that pro
vision be made for the support of de-
pendents of soldiers and sailors by
giving them an allotment out of the
pay of the men and also an allow
ance from the government; that off.
GERS and men be indemnified agaNGt
death or total or partial disability;
that system of rehabilitation and re-
education of disabled men be ffrspgu
rated; and that the government insure
the lives of soldiers and sailors.
The new system would be admin
istered by the bureau of war risk in
surance of the treasury department
which is already writing war risk in.
surance on masters, officers anC
crews of American merchant vessels
and on American hulls and cargoes.
Dependents of soldiers and sailors
in service would be provided fol
through allotments from their pay
supplemented by family allowances
by the government. The amount o.
the government allowance would de
pend upon the size of the family, and
as to others than the wife and chill
dren, upon the actual dependence
upon the men. The family allowance
would be made only if the soldier Of
sailor makes an allotment for his de
pendents out of his pay.
The risk of death or disability
would be compensated for somewha
on the analogy of workmen's compen
sation acts, with the compensation
measured by the mems services, tht
size of the families, and the loss tt
the family. Partial disabilities woulC
be compensated for upon a percent
age of the compensation for total dis
ability. The cost of this compensa
tion naturally must be paid who'll,
by the government.
In addition to direct compensation
to take the place of pensions, tn
plan in contemplation would go fur
ther and establish an insurance sys
n tenn by the government under whicl
our soldiers and sailors could Obtain
insurance at premium rates b;Nec
upon the mortality experience table
of peace times. The excess cost du
: to increased mortality and disabilit,
. war risk should clarly be borne b,
4 the government, and the cost of ad
ministering the insurance department
for the benefit of the nations fight