The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1918-06-21
BY JAMES H. COLLINS

IRON committee on Public Informa,s0r
Oh october q, 1917. the war-riSk in
surance law went into effect nroyid.
ing Tor protection of our soldiers sail
% ana marines and their families.
on April 6. 1918, only six months lar.
en- uncle Sam had written apnroxi.
mately Sl4,OO0.OOO.OOO of war risk In
suranee on his fighting forces. cover
ing upward of ], 100000 persons In rho
military and naval service. For aI,o+.
lleh's ana allowances alone, approx
inateiy 100000 checks aggregatinp
more than $43;0O0,OOO have ALREADY
been sent. 1t will not be long before
the bureau will be sending out mil
lion checks month.
we have spoken of it as "the war
risk insurance law" Technically
this is correct; actually, it is mislead.
ing; Tor the legislation that went in-o
enect on October &, 1917, was really
group of laws-fOur acts co-ordinat-
ed for a common purpose. The first
measure in this unprecedented pro-
gram or protection is the system of
allotments and allowances, in which
the hghter and the government are
partners for the care of the families
OF all enlisted men in the military or
naval service.
The second measure provides for
stated compensation for death and dis
ability incurred in the line of duty.
This is the modern American substi-
tute Tor pensions. The compensation.
which ranges from $50 to 500 a month.
Is paid automatically by the govern
fnent TO certain specified beneficiaries,
regardless of rank or pay, and without
any cost to the recipient.
The third measure of protection is
outright government insurance against
death and total permanent disability.
In this, the United States is a pioneer
among the nations of the world-offer-
ing insurance up to $4,000 TO every
member of its fighting forces, at net
peace rates. The government assumes
all overhead charges and costs of adj
ministration, thus making the rates al
most incredibly low. This insurance
is a supplemental form of protection.
stimulating thrift and strengthening
self-respect.
immensely of Bureaus Work.
The fourth measure OF protection
embodied in the military and naval
insurance act is the system of re-edu.
cation and rehabilitation of the men
disabled in the warm itself q task
of vital Importance and great magni.
tude.
The figures given convey an idea OF
the immensely of the bureaus work.
The insurance now on the books of
the Bureau of War-Risk Insurance
exceeds by several hundred per cent
the insurance held by the largest life
insurance company in the world.
To cope with the hydra-headed prob.
lem imposed upon it, the Bureau of
War Risk Insurance has been forced "a
expand at an exceedingly rapid rate
The bureau now occupies space in
eight separate buildings. covering an
area of more than 10000 square feet
| and has personnel of more than 3,
300, working in two shifts, from nine
O'Clock in the morning till midnight.
1t may be asked why the govern
ment, in addition to family allowances
and liberal compensation, should Offer
insurance against death and disability
TO it's fighting men. The justification
! for this sweeping innovation is simply
this. The government by calling /
man to war takes him into the mos
| hazardous business in the world, ant
thus destroys his instability. In re
turn, it is only fitting and proper tina
the government should go into the in
.surance business for his benefit Pri
| vate insurance companies could no
| possibly insure soldiers and sailors eX
! cept at prohibitive rates. At con
ference of life insurance representa-
tives in Washington, when the pres
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