Arizona republican., 1919-12-18
PENSION SYSTEM. |S DENOUNCED BY
 LEGION LEADERS
Ex-Service Men Do Not Seek Aid of That Charac- ter, Delegates Declare Demand Speedy Action on Legislation Providing For Those Who Served
Republican A. p. Leased Wire1


 WASHINGTON. Dec 17.-Speedy action was demanded of congress on all matters affecting the governments dealings with former service men. in resolutions adopted tonight by na- tiOnal and state officers of the Ameri- can Legion at the conclusion of a three day conference with officials of the war risk insurance bureau.
 The resolutions also warned con gross of the imperative necessity of providing relief for men who have met with injustice through the inadequacy of laws under which the present in- surance and compensation regulations are administered. Throughout the afternoon session an evident spirit of concern was evinced that the legion's power must be exerted if the nation is not to undergo again the burden of pension payments. The pension sys- tenn was characterized by delegate after delegate as unnecessary and un- Just, and as adding burden on the coming generation which the tax pay CTS Of these years should shoulder.
 BriGadier General Lord, director of finance of the war departments Y. w.. llambkin, chief of the rehabilitation dlNlsion or the federal board of Voca- - uonal education, and Surgeon Lavin- der representing :he public health service, appeared and were questioned closely in regard to activities Of their departments. Specific cases were em- oloyed in rapid succession by the legion delegates in developing complaints Of lnefficiency and in illustration of changes in administrative practice re- quested by the former service men.
 War Boards Are Failure?
 Franklin D'Olier. grand comman-
 der, assured the government of-
 fcisls that the legion had no spe-
 eific complaint against them but
 that such must not be interpreted
 to mean the legion did not recog-
 nike failure on the part of the war
 risk board. the public health ser
 vice and the vocational education
 board "to function satisfactorily"
 At the conclusion of the session, del egates summed up their views of needs of the farmer service men. as demon strated by their study of the situation as follows:
 The NasOn and Sweet pills should be passed by congress forthwith.
 The bureau of war risk insurance federal board for vocational educa ion, and the public health service especially the sections of the two lat ter agencies dealing with ex-service men-should be combined under a single head, and one representative o1 then unified agency should be placed 1T each state.
 Suggests Notifications
 "The following notifications regard ing insurance should he adopted:
 Premiums should be payabl, through the local postoffices. Restric. tions based on relationship of bene ficiaries should be removed. Tn, amount of the insurance under botl term and converted policies should D, payable at the option of the applican in lump sum or otherwise. and if thu applicant has exercised no option thei at the option of the beneficiary. / partial disability benefit should b paid under all policies.
 That all disabled persons havini war risk insurance while in the hospi tals. or while receiving benefits unde the war risk insurance act or whil receiving training, should have tn payment of all insurance premium emitted during the continuance c heir disability and training. That al forms used shall he simplified so as | ,e made as short and simple as pos sble.
 "All men receiving vocational train ing should have their maintena&as.n pa In full and a vocational training of ficiai should be permanently statione lt every hospital where disabled ex service persons are being cared for, { give personal and individual informa tion. Immediate and adequate step thould be taken to reach all persons q present entitled to vocational trainin and not receiving it. and 10 acquail them fully with their rights and give training to all who are entitled [ it. recreational features should be add ed to the vocational training program
 Substantial increases in all tf present rates should be granted. In mediate, liberal and effective actio should be taken on all claims.
 "Persons suffering from tuberculos should be considered a totally ali. abled' during the continuance of Il disease and as compensable accor, ingly.
 Hospital facilities at present pr, vided are inadequate and congre, should make a far more liberal pr, vision for same"