The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-15
HOPES TO BROADEN
WAR INSURANCE ACT
Director Of Bureau Asks Addi-
tions to Number of Bene-
ficiaries Allowed.
MORE FOR WOUNDED MEN
Provisions Made for Persons
Who Died or Were Disabled
Before Induction.
Sptcial pssp1tch 10 TIE sun.


WARRINGTON, July IA number OF
recommendation designed to broaden
the provisions Of the soldiers and sailors
insurance act, and to extend the Dement'S
TO dependents who were not reached by
the original act, have been made to the
Interstate Commerce Committee of the
House by Director Cholmeley-Jones OF
the War Risk Insurance Bureau.
In addition the director recommended
favorable action on the amendments al
ready under consideration which are de-
signed to increase the disability rates.
In substance the recommendations are :
That the benefciarles of insurance
should include uncles. aunts. nephevs,
nioces and persons who have stood in
loco PARENTS TO members OF the military
forces. This would allow the bureau to
pay the claims of those men who died in
service and who had named as bene-
ficinries aunts and uncles who had
brought them up since childhood.
That persons who were drafted and
who died or became disabled In the line
OF duty before having been accepted Into
active military service a t the camps shall
be entitled to compensation under the
war risk insurance act The act rs II
stands covers only a man after he has
been accepted into active military SER
vice by the medical oficer at the camp
or other place Of mobilization. 1t pro-
yides also that should such a draftee die
or become disabled before acceptance by
the camp offlcer II shall be deemed that
to him was granted insurance Of SIS a
month, payable, however, only to his
widow children, mother or father.
To Cover Influenza Victims.
That any person who, after he had
been accepted by the medical officer at
the camp. and IL he had not refused to
take insurance, shall be covered for
insurance paying $25 a month without
charge should he die within l20 days
after such acceptance. This provision
Is suggested in order to cover the men
who were stricken down by influenza In
the fall of 1915 and who had not had
any opportunity to apply for insurance.
In order that the insurance to be
Issued after the war may be- properly
administered. the bureau has asked au-
thortty to invest the premiums and set
up reserve funds. investment to be
made In interest bearing obligations of
the United states. The bureau asks the
right to frame the policy forms so that
II the insured desires to have his con-
verted insurance paid in one sum he
may SO select and II he wishes his
beneficiaries to receive the instruments
In say for three years rather than for
twenty he may also so select.
1t asks also the privilege to draft the
converted policies SO that a man may
designate hiS~oenefciary who will re-
ceive all the payments. Thua. IL a man
wants his wife as Il beneficiary and does
not want the instalment payments after
her death to go to say a sister or a
brother. the policy will provide that in
stalments will be paid to the wife and
on her death the remaining instruments
to her estate.
During the war II n soldier took out ar
insurance policy and was killed and did
not leave any beneficiary who could take
the insurance money the policy reverted
TO the Government. AS conditions have
entirely changed. due to the cessation OF
active warfare. the bureau asks that this
forfeiture be eliminated from the act sc
that in no case will the Government for.
felt an insurance claim.