Evening star., 1919-11-27
claims for compensation could be
handled expeditiously and efficiently.
Local boards Of Surgeons.


claims for compensation could be
| handled expeditiously and efficiently.
Local Boards of Surgeons.
There would be an additional saw
ing, il is pointed out, on account OF
the manner in which claimants are ex-
amined to determine the degree OF
their disability. The pension bureau
now has in operation local board
of surgeons in practically every
county and city in the United States.
These boards are easily accessible to
claimants. and are maintained with
/ out expense to the taxpayers. except
| tion and returns a certificate. in
| which event each member OF the
| board gets the fee of SO.
| The war risk act requires a claim
! ant to present himself for eXamina-
tion before an Army or Navy sur
geon. who may be entirely outside
the state in which the claimant re-
sides. The claimant Is then reim-
| bursed for the expense of travel IN
CURED and compensation for the time
| he has lost. This is necessarily an
expensive and unsatisfactory pro-
| cedure.
The pension bureau also has made
! provision for the service of experts
and for the examination at their own
| homes of claimants who are unable
to travel.
Regarding the proposal to throw the
| insurance work of the war risk bu-
| reau into the Post Office Department,
those considering the plans argue that
this insurance is all 'fndustrial They
| point out that it requires big col
| lection force. because all the big indus-
trial concerns. much as they object TO
doing 1t, are compelled to pay out an
| nually about one-third of their entire
income on collection.
The Post Office Department is the
only government establishment, they
| say. that has an organized force
which, by. devoting only a small por-
| ton of it's time to this work, can
cover the entire United States thor
oughly.
What is wrong with the way risk
| bureau" is a leading article ip the
| official organ of the American Legion.
| This points out that of the 4.539,O4S
| policies written under the war Tisk
| insurance act some 3.94S.000. or 81 per
cent, have lapsed since the signing OF
| the armistice.
Ease of Payment.
1t is explained by those who have
been studying the situation that the
war risk insurance is Industrial in
| surance Most of the men in the draft
came from farms, factories. delivery
wagons, butcher shops, etc. Such men
do not ordinarily. it is argued, buy
| life insurance and pay their premiums
| in advance. Most of them buy indus
trial insurance and pay in small
amounts weekly or monthly. Their
only chance to do that with the war
| risk insurance is to buy money or
| ders. This they are not likely to do.
| but it is argued that il a letter car
! rier presented a due blank regularly
with no trouble to themselves, they
| would pay.
| Tho poS+ oRoa nonor+-.nt 60 NOT
urally unwilling to do this collection
work for the Treasury Department
| but il the job was turned over to the
Post Office Department it ought to be
done in thorough shape, those behind
the efficiency program urge
feature will be as heavy as many be-
| lieve, The average policy taken out
| during the war was nearly $4,000. 1r
the ordinary life insurance companies
the average is only about $4,000. The
| average on industrials Is way under
that. So naturally the volume will
drop off to about one-fourth of the
insurance written, it is pointed out
| The total insurance under the draft
was close to $4,000, 900, 900. 1t will
be fine record for the government
those in close touch with the situa.
tion say, If one-fifth or one-sixth in
point Of volume is continued and one.
! fourth in point of numbers. Abou,
| 5 per cent is all that is reasonably ex-
pected to be held in force.
| Specially Trained Directors.
One big advantage that is urged for
the redistribution of the war risk
bureaus work to various long-estab-
lished agencies is that instead Of one
director for four big businesses. there
would be four directors, each one
specially trained for his particular
| line of work and with a working ma
chinefy thatshas proved efficient dur.
| ing many years of test.
| Senator Smoot says that he will urge
| this legislation for early passage, as
a big step toward making government
expenditure and income meet. He pre-.
| than ever before and demand economy
in appropriations and a curtailment
| of expensive duplication of work in
the executive departments.