The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-01-12
MONTHLY BENEFITS
UNDER Var INSURANCE
Under the Sweet Bill Converted Insur-
ance May Be Paid in Lump Sum
or in Installments.

How monthly benefits paid under the
war risk insurance act have been in
creased and the class of beneficiaries en-
larged by the recently enacted Sweet
bill was explained by its author, Repre-
sentative Sweet of Iowa.
Converted insurance may now be paid
in lump sum or in insta1lments for 30
months or more at the option of the
policyholder, Mr.. Sweet said while the
policies may be made payable to any
of the following:
Parent, grandparent, stepparent, par
ent through adoption, husband, wife,
child grandchild, stepchild, adopted
child brother, sister, half -sister, half
brother, brother through adoption,
stepmother, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece
brother in law, sister law; any per-.
son who was in the relation of a parent
to the insured for one year before the
insureds enlistment, the children of
such person; and parent through adop-
ton Of the insured's wife or husband
"The monthly compensation paid I'M
der tho new law said Mr.. Sweet, rs
more than double almost treble that
paid in the past. This increase, which
Is permanent, will add SS0,000,000 a
year to the amounts paid by the gov
eminent to the disabled exservice men
and their families.
by the retroactive provisions of the
law, all payments of compensation Will
be increased to the new basis Pay
ments now are being made by the war
risk bureau to make up the difference
between the old rate of compensation
and the new one This is an immediate
and direct benefit of 24l,s22 veterans,
among whom Sl4,500,000 is being dis
tributed For instance, an unmarried
soldier who has been drawing $50
month for the last year will receive
5000 at once, the monthly compensation
by the new law being increased by $50
In his case
Mr., Sweet also explained the perma-
nent monthly increases provided for all
disabled ex-service men. For total
temporary disability, the new compen-
sation viii be paid as follows;
To the unmarried veteran, $50 a
month, an increase from $50.
To the veteran with wife, 800 a
month, an increase from S45
To the veteran with 4 wife and
child, S95 a month, an increase from
500.
To the veteran with wife and two
or more children, 500 a month, an in
crease from sos.
To the veteran who has no wife, but
one child, 500 month, with s. for each
additional child, an increase from $40
To the veteran with dependent par
ents, an extra allowance of $40 month
for each is also granted.
"Of course, all disabilities viii not
come within the rating Of total or tenn
porary," Mr.. Sweet said, "and so the
new law provides that all disabilities
shall be rated by the war risk bureau.
These other ratings are: Partial and
temporary, total and permanent and
partial and permanent. and for each
the monthly compensation shall be
percentage Of the degree of reduction
in earning capacity resulting from this
disability. The reduction in earning
capacity must be at least 10 per cent
before one can receive any compensa
ton.
For total permanent disability the
compensation is fixed at 800 a month.
The law specifically provides that the
loss of both feet or both hands, or the
sight of both eyes, or the loss of one
foot and one hand. on one foot and one
eve, or one hand and one eye, or be
coming permanently bedridden shall be
deemed TO be total permanent disabil-
ity. Then, too. double total permanent
disability entities one TO 5000 a month
az long as he lives For instance, this
double payment is for the few men
who lost both eyes, one hand and one
foot, or both eyes and both hands on
both eyes and both feet.
"The helplessly disabled are further
cared for under the new law by the |
provisions directing the war risk bu
reau to allow an additional S20T month |
to those veterans in need of an attend |
ant.
"No penalty IS imposed by the law
on those disabled men for their individ- |
ual SUCCESS in overcoming the handicap |
of permanent injury. The law d.
reefs that disability ratings shall be
based as far as practicable upon the /
average impaifments OF earning capa
city resulting from injuries in civil oc-
cnpations and not upon the impairment
of earning capacity in each individual
case. From time TO time, the bureau is
directed to readiust the schedule of
ratings in accordance with actual ex
perience.
Besides the money paid by the gov
eminent as compensation TO the war
disabled men, the law also provides
that all injured veterans shall be fur
nished with reasonable government
medical and hospital services. and such
supplies. including artificial limbs,
trusses' and similar appliances AS the
war risk bureau may determine.
"This medical and hospital treatment
will be given TO Americans who may
be living in foreign countries as well
as in the United States, and Americans
who fought in the armies OF the allies
can receive the treatment at hospitals
in this country.
Twenty to thirty THOUSAND Amer
cans were part of the Canadian army
and Of necessity the Canadian govern
ment must look after those who are
MANNED and crippled, no matter where
they may live. Many of these have re.
turned to the United States and can be