The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-04-14
War Risk Insurance Bureau Also
Favors Amending Law Held
Unjust to Reserve Officers.
CONGRESS WILL
BE ASKED TO ACT
Proposed Amendments Have Ap-
proval of Both the War and
Navy Departments as Well as
Bureau.
Washington Bureau,
Pensacola Journal.
BY GEORGE n. MANNING.

Pen80C0ba
BY GEORGE II. MANNING.
Washington, d. c. April 13.-Sub-
stantial increases in the compensation
allowed soldiers, sailors and marines
who have been manned during the
war are favored by ofacials of the
war risk insurance bureau and the
war and navy departments.
They also favor amending the laws
so as to remove the injustice under
which reserve officers who are maimed
do not receive nearly as liberal COM
pensation as injured regular army offi-
GERS. It is planned to change the law
so as to increase the allowance of the
reserve officers to the same scale as
now paid to regular army officers.
Amendments to the law SO as to make
the payments to MANNED fighters much
more liberal and to give the reserve
officers the same allowance provided
for the regular army officers are now
being prepared by the government Of
ficials for submission to congress as
soon as it meets In extra session next
month. it is learned.
Colonel Henry D. Lindsey, director
of the war risk insurance bureau, has
the matter almost in shape for sub
mission to Secretary of the Treasury
Glass. who also favors it, it is learned,
and it will then be forwarded to con-
gress with strong recommendation
for it's passage.
Under the present law a regular
arm will receive vastly more compei-
sation that the reserve officer. The
regular officer who loses a leg may
be retired on three quarters pay.
In addition 1t was said. he is en-
titled to receive the disability COM
pensation allowed under the war risk
insurance act.
An officer Of the national army. wear
ing the same uniform and to all in
tents and purposes being a part of the
same organization. and running the
same risks during the war. who also
has lost leg, will receive less than
$50 month.
There Is no provision for the retired
pay of officers or men in the national
army. A first lieutenant in the regular
army, retired for disability, will receive
Of his pay. or $125 a
month. from the government and also
the compensation allowed under the
war risk insurance act. A first lieu
tenant in the national army, who has
lost his leg below the knee, will re-
ceive the compensation under the war
risk insurance act, approximately $50
q month.
This discrimination has aroused
much criticism. Members of congress
are delving into the question to see
what can be done in the matter. Th v
contend that an officer taken from
civil life, who has given a leg in the
cause of his country and must remain
under such disability for the rest
of his life, Is entitled to just as much
from his government as
Is the officer of the regular army who
also has lost leg. The provisions |
of the law granting retired pay to
officers OF the regular army who make !
The army life work are not under /
ire. There is no desire to retire ON
GERS OF the national army who have !
come out of the war practically un-
But where a man has been /
manned and must be handi- |
capped the rest of his life. there is q |
desire that the same treatment be ac-
corded him whether he happens to be |
IN of11cer of the regular army, the |
national guard or the national army. !
Under the war risk insurance act as !
It stands 800 a month is paid for I
permanent total disability incurred |
Turing the war. II a man has lost |
both hands. both feet, both eyes, or !
has become totally blind or is bedrid-
len, it is regarded as totally disabled. |
But the basic rate for lesser disability l
. $50, and the rates vary from $40 l
iown, according to the degree Of dis I
lbility. These rates, 1t is claimed. are |
lot sufficient to provide for the needs /
II the MANNED officers and soldiers |
rhe rates allowed for disability Of /
Ioldiers in other wars of the United /
States. under the pension laws, are |
higher.