The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-02-20

wee men IS one Of the outstanding results of the amendment to the War Risk Act commonly known while pending in Congress as the Sweet Bill" This feature of the new law is retroactive, and all awards of com pensation for disability . to eN-service men heretofore made are being iu- creased to the new basis. Checks for compensation at the increased ratc from the date of the original awards are now being distributed by the Bur eau of War Risk Insurance. The differences between the amounts authorized by the original War Risk Act and the new law are as follows:
 To an unmarried eX-service man who is temporarily totally disabled, $8O per month, an increase from $30; to a, man with a wife, S90, an increase from $45; to a man with wife and child, S95, an increase from $55; to a man with wife and two children, $100, an increase from $65; to a man with a wife and three or more child ren, $100. an increase from $75; to a man with no wife but one child, $9O, an increase from $40; to a man with no wife but two children, S95 an increase from $60; toaa man with no wife but three children, S100 per month, with $5 more for each addf- tiona1 child. Under the old law, no additional compensation was payable to man with no wife for children in excess of two. Both the original act and the new law provide an ex- tra allowance of $1O each a month for a dependent father ana mother.
 Under the original War Risk Act the same scale was applied 10 total permanent disability as to temporary total disability. The new law provides that compensation for total perma- nent disability shall be S100 Q month. The loss of both feet, or both hands, or the sight of both eyes, or the loss of one foot and one hand, or one foot and the sight of an ere, or one hand and the sight of one eye, or becom- ing helpless and permanently bed ridden, are deemed to be total, per manent, disability, regardless of what the actual earning capacity of a man so disabled may be. For double, to- tai, permanent disability Ga combin- ation of any two of the impairments regarded as total, pei nlanent, disa- bility) the monthly compensation is $20O. There is an additional allow ance of not exceeding $2O a month for a disabled man so selpless as to be in constant need of {. nurse or at tendant.
 The compensation payments de- scribed are entirely separate and dis tinct from War Risk Insurance. Com pensation is paid by the Government to a deceased service mans widow, children and dependent parents if his death was due to disease or injury incurred in active service in the line of duty; and to a disable ex-SerVice man after his discharge from the ser vice, with additional allowances for his wife, children and dependent par ents provided his disability is due to disease or injury incurred in active service in the line of duty. Com pensation is payable, however, only in case where the reduction in earn ing capacity is rated at 10 per cent, or more. A service man who has re- ceived a permanent injury is not pen alized for his success in overcoming it's handicap. The disability ratings are based on average impailments of earning capacity, and these ratings are revised by the Bureau of War Risk Insurance from time to time in accordance with actual experience. Besides the monthly cash payments of compensation, the amendment pro- vides that men disabled aa the results of their war service shall be furnished all governmental hospital, surgical and medical treatment and with sup plies, such as wheeled chairs, artifi- cial limbs and similar appliances, as the Director of the Bureau may de- termine to be reasonably necessary
 Awards of compensation for tenn spOrary partial disability and for per manent partial disability are made on sliding scale, using the amounts payable for temporary total disa bill ity and total permanent disability as a basis.
 For instance, if an unmarried ex- service man is temporarily 50 per cent disabled due to his war service he would receive half of $S0. or $40 a month during such disability. If the reduction in his earning capacity is rated at 50 per cent, and it is per manent in nature, he would receive half of $10O, or $50 month.
 As the War Risk Act provides that compensation shall be paid only for death or disability due to illness or injury incurred in active service in the line of duty, compensation hao to be denied in a number of cases In which inducted men died or became disabled after induction by the local board and before accordance and en- rOllment at the camp, on the ground that they were not in actual service The amendment removes this diff Culty by providing that if after in duCton by the local draft board, but before being accepted and enrolled for active service, a man died or became disabled as q result of disease con- tracted or injury suffered, or aggra- Eated in the line of duty and not due to his own wilfuI misconduct invoIv- ing moral turpitude, he shall receive compensation; and further that if he made an application for insurance during said period it shall be held valid.
 Authority is given for 1ump-sum payments to beneficiaries of United States Government Cconverted) Life Insurance, at the option of the in- sured. The veteran who holds a con- verted policy may also elect to have it paid to his beneficiary at his death in S6 or more monthly install1nents. The War Term Insurance may be converted now, or at any time within five years after the formal termina- ton of the War by proclamation of the President, into one or more of the six forms of permanent policies, which are: Ordinary Life, Twenty rayrnent Life. Thirty-payment Life Twenty
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