The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1918-06-21
EXPLAINS PENSION RAISE

Congressman Joseph w. Fordney
has received a letter from Commits
sioner c. M. Saltzgaber of the bureau
OF pensions, outlining and detailing
the several pension increases granted
by the amendment to the Sherwood
pension law of May IL, 1912, enacted
June 10, this year.
BY this amendment material in
creases are granted to the veterans of
the civil war in accordance with the
period of their service. Soldiers and
sailors who have been receiving pen
sions under some other law than that
of 1912 will have to file applications
in order to receive the benefits of the
new law, but for the others the in
crease goes into effect automatically.
Shiawassee veterans, of whom there
are quite a number, will probably all
benefit by the terms of the amendment.
They are warned to expect some delay
in the effectiveness of the act, how
ever, because there are 268,000 pen
sioners on the list and the bureau will
have it's hands full for several weeks
bringing them all under the new
schedule.
The letter to Mr.. Fordney is as fol-
lows:
"The act of June 10, 1918, amending
the Sherwood pension law of May II,
1912, provides the rate of $50 per
month for soldiers and sailors of any
age who served ninety days and less
than six months during the Civil Var
and were honorably discharged, and
who are now receiving a lower rate.
Those who are seventy-two years OF
age, or over, and who served six
months, are entitled to receive $32
per month; those who served one
year, $35 per month; one and one-half
years, $3S per month; and two years,
or over, $40 per month. These in
creases will be granted automatically
and without application of any kind
to the Pension Bureau, to all soldiers
and sailors now pensioned under the
act of May II, 1912, and who have
attained the required age and served
the necessary length of time.
Soldiers and sailors who served
during the Civil War, and are pension
ed in lower rate under some other
law, but who are entitled to pension
under the act of May II, 1912, will be
required to file an application under
that act in order to receive the bene-
fits of the new law.
"The pension bureau will make
these allowances with all the dispatch
possible under existing conditions. A
special force for the adjustment of
cases within the provisions of the new
law has been organized, which will
handle these cases exclusively. 1t
should be borne in mind by those con-
cerned that there are now nearly $685.
900 pensioners under the act Of May
II, 1912, and all are urged to exercise
patience and consideration. While
every effort will be made to hasten
this work, there will be no avoidable
interference with the progress of
claims now on file or hereafter filed
under other laws. A special effort
will be made not to interfere with the
adjudication of widows claims.
at will be wholly impracticable
to make any payments at the in
creased rate on July a, 1918; but it is
hoped that payments due August a,
1918, may be made at the rate pro-
vided by the new law. 1t will not be
necessary to write the bureau about
these increases. Letters of inquiry
will simply delay the work of making
allowances.
"No attorneys fees will be allowed
or paid for services in securing in
crease of pension under the act of
June 10, 1913"