New-York tribune., 1919-05-04
Schedule Worked Out for
Pay of Disabled Men Does
Not Comply With Law,
Says War Bureau Council
To Be Taken to Congress
Victims of Great War Re-
ceive Less Than Those of
Spanish-American War
Neao York Tribune
W0shtMatOn RllreaA

washington EuTedH
WASHINGTON, May 2.-Owing to a
decision of the general counsel of the
War Risk Bureau that the schedule
of compensation for disabilities worked
out by the bureaus medical officers
does not comply with the law, thou
sands of disabled soldiers may have
their rates of compensation changed.
The decision has again directed at
tention to the vague and insufficient
provisions made by Congress for COM
pensation of men disabled in the war,
and will be a factor, it is hoped, in
early amendment of the compensation
law, which Director Henry d. Lindsey,
of the War Risk Bureau, favors.
The law provides that schedule Of
ratings of reductions in earning capac-
ity from specific injuries or combina-
tions of injuries of q permanent nature
shall be adopted and applied by the
bureau. 1t is directed that these rat
ings "shall be based as far as possible
upon the average impairments of earn
ing capacity resulting from such in
iuries in civil occupations and not upon
the impairment in earning capacity in
each individual case, so that there shall
be no reduction in the rate of COM
pensation for individual success in
overcoming the handicap of q perma-
nent injury
Worked Out on Wrong Basis
1t has just been held that the COM
plicated ratings, which it has taken
four months to work out, are in fact
based partly on individual earning
capacity. 1t appears that these ratings
took into account both functional loss
and competitive loss For instance, if
a lawyer lost the four fingers of his
left hand his competitive loss would
be considered nil, and in his case COM
functional loss only; whereas, if vo-
lin player lost the same four fingers
his loss would be not only functional,
but 100 per cent on the functional side,
and the latter's rate of compensation
would be relatively much higher than
the formers.
Under the law the total disability all
lowance is $50 a month in the case of a
man having no dependents, and $40 ad-
dtional if he is so helpless as to need
the constant attention of nurse. If
total disability arises from the loss of
both feet or both hands or both eyes,
or the unfortunate becomes helpless
and permanently bedridden, his COM
pensaton is S10O month, but in that
case no allowance for an attendant is
permitted.
What Congress Intended
These provisions have been taken to
mean that except in the specific cases
mentioned as being entitled to 500 a
month, the total disability rating is
$50 month, whereas it is believed that
Congress really intended that the base
compensation should be $10O d month
a,1t +OS ~,
the $50 month was intended to apply
only to temporary total disability SO the
man who has lost one leg gets only
that part of $50 month that the meGi-
cal and legal authorities Of the War
Risk Bureau are able to figure out as
the proper percentage. Just now they
are unable to agree.
Again, under the law man who has
lost one leg and one arm is entitled
to only $50 a month at the outside
:whereas man who has lost both legs
may be better off than the man who
has lost one leg and one arm All
eases of total disability, however, have
the benefit of the insurance allowance
IN such eases, provided war risk poll
cies were carried
The compensation law is also out of
line with pensions for past wars A
leg lost in the Spanish-American war,
whereas leg lost in the great war is
worth only S18
Table Is Being Prepared
A comparative table Of pensions for
past war disabilities and Compensation
ratings, for the war is being prepared
Tor submission to Secretary Of the
Treasury Glass, who is expected to
transmit it TO Congress, with recon-
mendations for alterations of the COM
pensation bases and differentiations.
IL IS said that the convention that is
TO meet in st. Louis next week to or
ganlze an association of veterans of
the World War may adopt a resolution
asking Congress to give 500 d month
70 every man who lost an arm or q leg
regardless Of the degree of competitive
loss incidental thereto, and it is
thought, irasmuch az there are proba-
oly not more than $500 such cases, be-
SIDES those already entitled to 500 a
month, that Congress VIII comply and
also make the base compensation for
total disability 800 month instead Of
?5O. The economic argument for the
latter is that a soldier really gets
from the government S1OO a month,
instead Of $50, Ms cash pay; taking
ana sustenance; and that, therefore,
eonpen sation should be determined
accordingly.
The number Of men now receiving
disability compensation Is about 5000,
and the average individual compensa-
ton IL about S27 a month. If the basis
we're 800 instead Of $50, the average
iikely would be- in the neighborhood
o. $50 month, which is not consid-
cred too much for the general run Of
injuries that result in disability that
comes within the compensation pur-
view.