The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-09-02
WAR INSURANCE
AMENDMENTS
Changes Of Major Importance Which
Will Influence Thousands of Men
to Keep Their Govern
ment Insurance.
LOCAL POSTS URGE TT
The $500 Branches Of the Legion All
over the Country viii Ask
Their congressman to
Support Act.

Keokuk men who are members OF
the American Legion will have a
hand in the amended war risk insur-
ance act, through their representa-
tiyes to the national executive COM
mittee.
Changes OF major Importance in
the present war risk insurance act
embodied in the Sweet bill, which 1t
is believed will Influence thousands
of ex-service men to continue in
peace the government insurance car
ried during the war. will be urged
upon congress by the American Lee
gion through its state organizations
and $500 local posts throughout the
United States. In a statement 49,
sued today to all the Legion organf
cations by Henry D. Lindsey. chair.
man of the national executive COM
mittee, each state branch and local
post will be requested to press upon
its congressman and senators the
, passage OF this bill.
The four important amendments to
the war risk act proposed in the bill
are these:
/. The payment of converted in
surance. at the election of the in
sured, in one lump sum or in thirty
six or more instruments. This is
government insurance which has
been converted into straight life in
surance, twenty. or thirty year en-
dowment or paid up life insurance.
Under the present law this insur-
ance is paid in 240 monthly install
ments.
2. An increase in the class of
1 ne j,,cu hot
uncles. aunts, nieces, nephews,
brothers.in-law, sisters-in-law and
persons in loco PARENTS may be in
Guided as beneficiar1es.
3. An increase in the basis of
awards in. compensation cases to
SOS for total temporary disability
and 500 for total permanent dis.
ability. The present compensation
payments are based on rate of $50
per month for total disability, wheth-
er temporary or permanent, and are
believed to be wholly inadequate.
4. An increase in the period OF
automatic insurance which provides
that any person who entered the
service prior to November IL, 1917,
is automatically insured for 100 days
after entrance into active service.
In addition to these changes al
ready embodied in the Sweet bill,
the American Legion will advocate
one other amendment. This amend
ment, which is considered Of vital
Importance especially for the SOL
dier, sailor or marine Of small means,
would permit OF lump sum payments
for the present government term in
surance as we'll as for government
insurance which has been converted
into other forms. This would enable
a man who cannot afford now to con-
vert his war insurance, which Is eff.
fective for five years after his dis
charge, to have the same advantages
of lump sum payment as the man
who is able to convert his insurance
Immediately.
Two OF these proposed changes,
the increase in the class of benefit
Charles and the payment Of converted
insurance in one lump sum over
shorter period than the present 24o
monthly installments, have been adj
vocated by ex-service men for many
months. and were proposed in reso-
lutions adopted by the St Louis eau
Gus of the American Legion. 1t is
only recently. however, that it has
been possible to get legislative action
started on them.