Omaha daily bee., 1919-09-28
III. S. Insurance Records
Show Great War Was One
of Young Men and Mothers
Average Age of Those Killed Was %, and Majority of
Policies Left to Mother" - Compensation
Claims Mostly Assigned to Wives-Keep Insur-
ance Up Says Government.

Nebraska families are being paid
$l4, 100, $50 in War Risk Insurance
claims by Uncle Sam. He is max
ing restitution to those whose sons
and husbands died in the service of
their country during the greatest
war of all times.
There are 1914 insurance claims
being paid in Nebraska through the
bureau of war risk insurance to
beneficiaries named at the time ap-
plication for insurance was made by
soldiers. sailors and marines, now
dead. The average policy carried
by these LOLA men was $8,740.
Compensation Claims.
Disabled soldiers, as we'll as
widows and children and dependent
parents of those who have died, are
being made comfortable by the
government which is paying Ola
compensation claims to residents of
Nebraska.
In addition to the insurance and
compensation claims now being
paid in Nebraska, there are 578 of
both these classes of claims under
investigation. These cases, how
ever, are rapidly being adjusted fol-
lowing an investigation by bureau
representatives.
The bureau of war risk insurance
which administers these affairs, has
been established by the government
as a permanent institution in recog-
milton of the services veterans of
the world war rendered their coun-
try.
Was a Mothers War"
Records in the bureau show that
this was a young mans war and
mothers war. More than AZ per
cent of the men who carried gov
eminent insurance made mothers
their beneficiaries. Fathers were
named by approximately l6 per cent
of the men.
The average age of the men killed
in France was % years.
About 81 per cent of the men who
carried war risk insurance named
their wives in making arrangements
for compensation. Mothers were
named by % per cent, while wife
and child" were named by ID per
cent. This is the natural conse-
quence of privileges granted by the
war risk insurance act. They felt
it their first duty to provide for the
immediate needs of their family,
at the same time, through
application for insurance, provision
for their parents in their advancing
years.
Farms Lose 100000.
According to an estimate made by
the Department of Agriculture, the
loss in man power to farms as the
result of former service men giving
up farm life for the city upon their
return from the war, eventually,
after the general restlessness
brought about by the war has sub
sided, will be about 100000.
Records in the bureau of war
risk insurance, compiled during the
rapid rehabilitation, covering the
period from January i, 1919, to June
|, last, show that more than half
the men change their residence after
being mustered out of the service.
Until recently, the bureau of war
risk insurance was housed in 10
buildings in Washington, ranging
from garages to the new national
At present there are about
$4,000 persons who are engaged in
administering this insurance of
world war veterans. If the women
workers of the bureau stood finger
tip to finger tip, they would extend
more than IS miles.
There are more than 100000 In
dividual records in the bureau, this
large number being necessary in or
der to keep the data on every mans