The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-11-12
HI0L-DlNC UP
 COMPENSATION
 ID GET VOTES

Washington, D. C., Nov 12-Re- publican leaders in both houses of Congress have dem onstrated that they are more interested in the soldiers vote than they are in the men who wore the uniform, but the most as founding indifference yet shown in either body is the refusal of the AD- propriaions Committee of the Senat te to act on the bill passed two months ago by the House under which com pensation for soldiers totally disabled in the war is raised from $50 a month to $50 a month with addition al allowances for departments This bill, known as the Sweet Bill, and containing all the improved features of the War Risk Insurance leg.sla- ton has laid on the table of the com mittee seven weeks without action. Meanwhile the proposed improve ments to soldiers insurance affecting four million eX-service men cannot be put into effect Meanwhile, also, 100000 disabled men are drawing $50 a month and fractions of $50 a month, when they ought to be getting living compensat ton.
 This failure to act is directly trace able to the indifference of the sub committee headed by Senator Reed SInoot, of Utah, the same Republican leader who heads the Joint Commit tee that has uttered it's ukase against military periodicals now published under the auspices of the army and navy for the soldiers, sailors and marines at various army and navy posts throughout the country, This committee would prohibit the military papers from soliciting or accepting advertisement They did not dare ta but they have taken this subtle way of killing them off by stopping their source of income.
 There are at present about eight papers conducted by soldiers, sailors and marines at the naval stations and at least tWenty-two papers and two technical magazines published at the army posts over the country. In ad- dition there are about twenty papers published at army hospitals, conduct ed for the entertainment and infor- nation of soldier patients In many Of the posts and institutions in both branches of the service these papers are edited and printed by the soldiers themselves. But because one of the navy papers carried an article by the Secretary of the Navy apparently the Republican majority of the commit tee has sworn vengeance against service papers generally.
 In matters of war risk and wound ed soldier compensation the commit tee has gone behind the excuse that the legislation must wait until the League of Nations discussion is over, and yet the Senate has passed some arguments since the war risk and wounded compensation bill went to six or seven bills between the League committee.
 The legisla ton contained in the Sweet Bill now before the committee provides for the payment within three years or in one lump sum after death as the soldier or beneficiary may elect, of the war risk Insurance. It also broadens the scope of beneficial ries so that a soldier may leave his insurance to whom he pleases. For the wounded men it provides that their monthly compensation shall be $50 for men totally incapacitated, but who have no dependents. Partially lncapacitated men will receive a per centage of this sum according to the extent of their disability. 4 totally disabled man with a wife will re- ceive s90 month and for each child an additional five dollars a month. Men with dependent parents will re- ce1Ve ten dollars a month for each such dependent parent I
 Meanwhile these men are trying to struggle along on the $30 a month and dependents allowances granted when the living cost was almost fifty per cent. less than it is today and a political Congress apparently is al lowing them to wait until the time seems propttious to corner" the grea test number of votes for the Re publicans by passing this legisla ton.
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