Evening star., 1920-04-05
PENSION MEASURE
REPORTED IN HOUSE
Carries $214,O2O, 900, Which
Is Reduction of Over Mil
lion From Estimates.

Former Speaker Cannon. chairman
of the pensions subcommittee of the
| House appropriations committee. to-
| day reported to the House the annual
t pension appropriation bill for the
fiscal year 1921. carrying s2l4.o2oooo.
/ This is a reduction of sla1P.G0o from
! the estimates and from the amount
appropriated for the present fiscal
year ending July l next.
! The amount recommends however,
is believed by the committee and the
commissioner of pensions to he ade-
uuate TO pay all pensions under ex-
| listing law. The number of pension
ers on the rolls June 80. 1919. was
624 4427. which ie a net decrease dur
Ing the period from July l. 1918, to
June 30. 1919. of 22.46S. Loss by
death during this period was 49.155.
! Of whom 27.7os were civil war sol
dters, 1927 we're widows of civil
war veterans and 2.235 We're other
pensioners
Total u. f. Obligation.
In making this report Mr.. Cannon
called the attention of the House to
the total obligation that the govern
ment has put upon itself for caring
annually for It's soldiers who may fall
by the wayside during the struggle
tor existence.
He pointed out that if the Fuller
bill. which proposes to increase civil
war pensions and which has already
passed the House. is enacted. it would
require an additional sum of $4,000
600 for pension payment. II the Sells
bill. which has also passed the House,
is enacted. with Its proposal to pen
sion veterans Of the war with Spain.
the Philippine insurrection and the
China relief expedition. 1t will re-
quire an additional sum OF S12. 500. 600,
making a direct payment for pensions
of 1921. 10000.
In addition to this, Mr.. Cannon re-
viewed the statistics showing the ex-
penditures for the bureau of war risk
insurance, for the federal board for
Itenance of national soldiers homes,
for aid TO state or territorial soldiers
homes and for the public health serv-
ice in care of war risk insurance pa
tients. showing total OF S6"o.to9.60O
that the government will carry for
work which. he said. can really be
called pension activities.
Payment of 500 Bonus.
The payment of the $50 bonus to
persons serying in the war of 19l
under the provisions of the act of Feb
ruary "a. 1919. has been very largely
completed" said MIR. Cannon. Some
amounts will have to be paid during
the uStdl year iS-i 10 peTSOUS us
charged from the Army. Navy, Marine
Corps and coast. guard during that
year The disbursements by the War
Department to November 30. 1912, ag
gregate s21l. l.791. 900. and it is estimat
ed that this sum will be increased to
S226, 100000 by June 80. 1920. The
disbursements by the Navy Depart
ment to date approximate $24, 900, 600.
and it is estimated that approximate
ly S1.S00.000 will be required to com
plete such payments to the Navy per-
sonnel. The disburseme nts of the Ma
rine Corps to date have been approx
mately S3.50O.000, and it is estimated
that approximately 100000 will be
required to complete such payments.
The disbursements to. the coast guard
to date have been s24S,220 and it is
estimated that $91,6S0 additional will
have to be paid.
Mr.. Cannon's report shows a total
of $256,239 800 to be thus paid to vet
Grams of the world war on the $50 bo-
nus allowance already authorized by
Congress.