Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-07-05

tne most hazard0uS business in the
world, and thus destroys his insur-
ability. In return. it is only fitting
should go into the insurance business
for his benefit. Private insurance
companies could not possibly insure
soldiers and sailors except at prohibi.
tive rates. At a conference Of life in
surance representatives in Washing
ton, when the present act was dis
cussed. 1t was stated that $50 q thou
and was the lowest figure at which
any insurance company could afford
to accept soldiers and sailors as risks,
$4,000 life insurance. which under
the government system would cost a
soldier &c years old 5000. would
cost about $3.50 with a private insur.
ance company. This disparity is
largely explained BY the governments
liberSlity in itself assuming all the
administrative costs and the extra
war hazards.
The entire system Of protection at
forded by the government is, in the
words of a major general in the army,
an element Of victory in the present
Families provided for means
reflected rather dramatically BY the
insurance slogan used at one Of the
naval training stations:
"The ship with the greatest amount
Of government insurance. will be the
first into the Kiel Canal"
The, difference between the old pen
sion system and the modern system
which, has supplanted it is clearly
demonstrated by the cas- Of Mrs. Bet
ty 1ngraham. 403 Third Street, Plat
City, Ala. the first woman to receive
q check from the Bureau Of War-Risk
Insurance for a soldier or sailor kill
ed in action in the present war. Her
son, Gunner's Mate Osmond Kelly In
when the U. 8. s. Cassin was attack
ed by a German submarine. :!
Under the terms Of the military ana
naval insurance act, Mrs. Ingraham,
being a widowed mother dependent
upon her son for support, will receive
$50 per month. as long as she lives,
unless she remarries. Furthermore,
she is entitled to SIS a month for 240
months under the insurance provision
Of the act. Her son had not made
specific application for insurance. but
up to February IL, 1879 automatic
,sas' provided led 4HpaeNt Mrs. ingrah sGo
will receive a total of s45 per month
from the United States government.
If her son had applied for $4,000 Of
insurance she would receive $3.50 a
month. Under the pension laws, sec
ton 4707. Revised Statutes, as
amended by the act of June 81, 1890,
Mrs. Ingraham would have been en-
titled to s12 a month. Such is the
chasm between the old and the new.
The vast amount Of correspondence
which comes to the Bureau Of War
u I'll, to- ~aA
interest. Stories of heroism and lofty
patriotism are found by the thousands
in the letters received at the bureau.
Many mothers and fathers have re-
turned checks sent to them by the
government, declaring that the gov
eminent needs the money at this
crucial hour to win the Other
letters are vivid and moving tributes
to the governments ~liberality and
received by Secretary McAdoo from.
a Pennsylvania mother is a good ex-
ample:
Dear Sir: Will you kindly excuse
the liberty I take In writing you. but
1 feel I must write and thank you for
the interest you have taken in our
dear boys and their dependents in in
PRODUCING the insurance bill.
II will state that I urged my only
6OQ-d IHcES IdO-~IO Snll6L III the navy
in 1914. I felt that this war was
coming and I wanted him to be train
ed. Only God knows what It cost me
to let him 20. AZ / had just buried my
idolized husband and was Just recov-
ering from typhoid fever myself.
Hospital bills. etc, had taken nearly
all I had. but I knew God would take
care Of my little girls and myself. I
have given my brave. handsome boy
TO Uncle sam. and my only regret %
one to hght for the haE that my IA
though I do not know just how much
know it will help. In letter my
afraid to sive up my young life for
can not sleep nights. thinking what
| will become Of my sweet little sisters
and you.'eSLAts he wrote: Today I
am the happiest boy on the Atlantic,
for the insurance bill has passed and
I am taking the full amount. Now /
can face anything with q srnils. know
Ing my loved ones Will b cared FOR
God grant he may return.
"(eigned) Mrs --n
70 this letter sscrstasy AcAdoo re-
Piled: ~
Not your boy alsns, but you and
your VI dauehtefD 10 web. have
IJofnAd thu colofs tust1e ba4tls 10 saye
ldsmocraey. II IL In OonU1ne gEAu-
tude, E4eSGeq1a, int 0ur Grea$ natioa
lp5Oytda1 ~ liberal Gnd AzE6s