The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1919-10-25
new COMPENSATION ACT FOR
DISABLED SOLDIERS

insurance, in the course OF a talk
to wounded soldiers at Walter Reed
Hospital, Washington, D. c., epitom-
lied the motives behind the action Of
the Bureau in requesting Congress,
through the Treasury Department, to
enact several important amendments
to the War Risk Insurance Act.
These may be divided into two gen.
eral classes-those affecting the COM
pensation features of the Act, and
those concerning War Risk Insurance.
A very important proposed amend
ment and one which meets with wide
spread approval, is the upward re-
vision of the schedule of compensa-
ton payable to disabled ex-servlce
men, under the present schedule a
man totally disabled is entitled to a
10 a month, if single. The amend
ment raises this by $50 making $50
If he has a wife but no child living
he gets $45. The amendment pro-
vides 800. If he has wife and one
child, he draws at present $55, the
amendment gives him $95.
The law now provides that If a
man loses both hands, both feet, or
the sight of both eyes. or becomes
helpless and permanently bedridden,
he shall receive 800 month COM
pensation. Experiences has shown
that many men who have lost an
arm and leg, or one limb and the
sight Of one eye, are lust as badly
crippled as men who have lost both
feet or both hands, and so the Bu-
reau has recommended that in ad-
dition to the injuries at present en-
titling a man to compensation at the
rate of 500 a month, the following
shall be included: The loss of one
foot and one hand; the loss Of one
foot and the sight of one eye. These
deemed total and permanent dis
ability" by the express wording of
the amendment. There is also a
provision that for a double total
permanent disability" meaning cases
in which men are manned so serious
ly that their injuries include two
of these classifications, the compen-
sation shall be 5000 month.
The Bureau has found a very wide
spread sentiment among ex-service
men in favor of having their policies
made payable in lump sum, or in
installments covering a short period
of time, at their option. To meet
this demand Director Cholmeley
Jones has urgently recommended a
modification of the War Risk In
surance Act to permit making pro-
vision in the contract for converted
insurance for optional settlements on
the part of the insured, making such
insurance payable either in one sum
or in installments for thirty-six
months or more.
If the insured has not exercised
his right of election under the pro-
posed amendment the beneficiary may
elect to receive the insurance in
monthly installments covering a pc
riod of not less than three years.
Another very important item is
thu proposed enlargement of the
permitted class Of insurance bene-
ficiaries spouse, child. grandchild,
parent, brother or sister, to include,
in addition to those enumerated,
uncles, aunts. nephews, nieces, brot-
ers-in-law, and and sisters-in-law.
All of the amendment described
above, together with several other
proposed measures of less interest,
but of much importance. are incor-
porated in the so-called Sweet
introduced by Congressman Sweet of
Iowa in the House of Representatives
on August 26. 1919. There is every
reason to anticipate the enactment
into law of these proposed features
at an early date.
In the matter of the settlement of
insurance claims the Bureau is prac-
tkally current. Of over $4,000
Claims, all but 5000 have been settled
made. The 5000 unsettled cases con-
sist of those in which the benefl-
Charles live in foreign countries or
for some other reason can not be
reached. A diligent effort is being
made to get in touch with this COM
paratively small residue.
The Medical Division has just COM
pleted a very trying and difficult
task-the preparation Of a schedule
of disability ratings for different in
juries and combinations of injuries,
based on 800 per month as compen-
sation for total disability. If the
Sweet Bill (H. r. 8778) becomes law,
all compensation for disability will
be based upon 500 per month as a
maximum instead of upon $50 as at
present. This schedule is necessari-
ly very complicated, being designed
to cover all probable combinations
and degrees Of injuries, and
signed to cover all probable COM
binations and degrees of injuries, and
must be revised from time to time
in accordance with the Bureaus ex-
perience in order that full justice
may be done in all cases.
Unquestionably, the Government