The Holbrook news., 1917-09-07
Insuring Our Fighting Men

demnity insurance for the sol dlers and sailors of the United States, after discussions by re- presentative insurance men and report on by advisory commit tees, has been put in definite form and submitted to President Wilson.
 The Presidents comment was as follows:
 "I have examined the enclosed papers very carefully and take pleasure in returning them with my entire approval"
 A bill has been introduced in Congress along the the lines sug- gested by the Secretary of the Treasury and approved by the President.
 In essentials it is proposed that the government furnish at cost to the soldiers and sailors of the United States life and indemnity insurance.
 The main features of the Se- cretary's plan are that the go- vernment shall bear all the cost of the administration of the in- surance plan and that no expense of any kind shall be a charge on the funds created by the pay ment of premiums by the sol diers and sailors. Relieved of overhead charges. eight dollars a year for every thousand dol lars insurance will be an ade- quate charge, under the plan. and this figure will put the max imum insurance of ten thousand dollars within the reach of prac- tically every private soldier or sailor Insurance in private companies would cost many times this sum for men actully engaged in warfare.
 After the war the insurance may be converted into other forms. The insurance is to be payable in installments, is non- assignable and free from the claims of creditors of the insured or of the beneficiary, and is It. mited to the wife. children, and other specified kindred.
 If total disability results or disease is contracted in the course of service, the compensa- tion is to be based on percentage of pay, with a minimum, how ever, of from forty to seventy five dollars a month according to the size of the family. Partial disabilities are to be computed on a basis of percentages of total disability.
 Medical, surgical and hospital treatments. supplies and appli- ances are to be given. Rehabil- itation and re-education of the injured soldiers or sailors, fitting them for lives of activity and usefulness is part of the plan.
 The plan also oontemplates free allowance to the families of soldiers and sailors the govern ment, supplementing the sums set aside by the soldiers and sailors out of their wages.
 The insurance is not to be gift of the government but is to be pald for out of the pay of the ln- sured men. The government, however, is to take upon itself l the cost of the collecting and ad- mlnistering the funds and also extra hazard caused by the war, the rate of eight dollars per thousand being a normal rate in peace time and an entirely ina quate rate for war risk.
 The workmen's compensation laws and experiences of other countries have been studied and used in the preparation of this bill.
 Secretary McAdoo emphasizes the justice and rightfulness of such function of the govern ment by citing the fact that in this war we are not relying upon the volunteer system but are drafting American men and con- polling them to undergo danger and, if necessary. make the su- Oreme sacrifice for their country. A higher obligation, he says.