Evening star., 1919-12-17
WAR RISK BUREAUS
DIFFICULTIES ARE
TOLDLEG|ON MEN
Three-Day Conference of
Veterans to End With
Rally Tonight.

American Legion state and national
officers who have been in conference
with members of Congress and Off
Gals of the bureau of war risk in
Surance here will conclude their
three-day program in Washington by
attending grand rally at Liberty
Hut tonight. given under the aus
pices of the local organization of the
legion.
The conferees are holding their final
session in the Arlington building to-
day, following a luncheon rendered
them at the New Willard Hotel by
the local officers of the legion. At an
executive session late this afternoon
mendations will be made by the le-
sion as a result of what has been
learned during it's meetings here.
Discusses War Risk Claims.
Discussing the work of the COM
pensation and claims department of
the war risk bureau today, Director
r. c. Cholmeiey-Io said that
only 23,400 of the 32i.900 claims for
compensation for disability filed with
the bureau had been settled on De-
cemher last. approximately $1,000
claims. he said. have been disallowed
because the injuries proved only
temporary. The director said he was
offering no excuses for failure of the
bureau to function properly, but said
the hundreds of cases which he could
cite should provide proof sufficient of
the magnitude of the task with
which the government has to deal.
Lack OF cooperation on the part of
many former service men. he added, has
increased the bureaus difficulties Rec
ords reveal that literally thousands"
of claims for compensation lie dormant
at the bureaus offices. because the sp-
plicant for compensation had failed To
furnish information requested Without
complete information, the nature Of
which Mr.. Choimeley-Jones said was
shown in prepared ,orms sent to the
applicant, no further action could be
taken on the >Iaim. che bureau has
experienced frequent li-iCulty in get
ting proper attention even to this rou-
tine from persons justly entitled to reg
uiar monthly compensation, The direc-
tor declared.
Eager to Get out of Service.
Eagerness of men TO obtain their
discharge from service has added an
other burden to the bureau, and the
director said that in IAN amazing
number of cases" the former servica
, men had camoufiaged their ailments
/ in order to be released from service.
The bureau now is facing the task
of seeking out these men, examining
them and giving them the proper dis
ability rating for compensation. He
paid high tribute to the Red Cross.
the War Camp Community Service and
the legion members for the co-opera-
tion given in locating men who other
wise might never receive their just
dues from the government.
Rally to Be Notable.
The rally at Liberty Hut tonight is
expected to be the most notable
event in local American Legion cir
cles since the organization of the first
post in the United States here last
spring. Department Commander E.
Lester Jones will preside and speeches
Will be. made by National Commander
Franklin D'Olier, Commissioner Louis
Brownlow and Brig. Gen. William
Mitchell. chief of the air service. The
Sd Cavalry Band, from Fort Myer. will
play and there viii be vaudeville
skits between speeches.
All members of the legion and their
wives. mothers and sisters are invited
to the rally, as are all service men.
whether members of the order or not.
Woman members of the order, who
served in the Navy and Marine Corps
during the war will act as ushers.
An active program for the twenty
District of Columbia posts of the
American Legion for the coming year
will be announced at the rally.