Evening star., 1920-03-28
WAR RISK ACT CHANGES
WILL AID SERVICE MEN
Proposed Amendments Designed to Fa-
cilitate Details Connected With
Policies and Allowances

I
premium is due and endeavoring to
collect 1t. but the post office would be
instructed to accept such premiums
when the soldiers come to the Office to
pay them.
The Postmaster General and the
Secretary of the Treasury would be
! instructed by the bill to determine
| just how this premium should be paid
whether in postal money order, pos
tai notes. war risk insurance coupons
or any other method of collection that
may be deemed most expedient and
satisfactory. 1t Is believed that out
of this latter clause will be evolved
a uniform slip for use in all post Of
fees. one part of which will be a re-
ceipt to the service man and the other
part forwarded to the Washington
bureau so that all returns may be
uniform in character and size.
The bill also will carry provision for
award of family allowances to a de-
pendent Of a soldier who In reality
was entitled thereto, but for some
reason during the war. and while the
soldier still was in service. did not
receive such allowance. For example,
II when a soldier entered the service
he said he was not married. no a1lot-
ment against his pay would be made.
The wife not receiving her allotment
or family allowance should protest
under the rules and regulations. BY
the time she was awarded allotment
and allowance the soldier might be
discharged and have received his full
pay. Under the old law the wife
would be deprived of both allotment
and allowance to which she was just
ly entitled. Under the provision now
written into the bill she would receive
family allowance for the period she
was deprived Of the same.
Purpose to Aid Service Men.
This is known as the Treadway
amendment 1t was originally in the
Sweet bill, but knocked out by the
Senate conferees. Now it is put back
in again.
The whole purpose Of the present
measure is to put the bureau of war
risk insurance in such shape now the
war is over so that the soldiers. sail
ors and marines may be brought into
the closest contact with the bureau
and fully informed of their rights and
privileges.
The bureau of war risk insurance is
instructed in the bill which is about
to be reported to relieve from pay
ment of premiums on renewable in
surance the following:
First. Those receiving hospital care
under the bureau. during the period
they are receiving such care
Second. Those receiving vocational
training pursuant to the vocational
rehabilitation act. during the period
of training.
Third. Those totally temporarily
disabled by reason of injury OF dis
ease emitting them to compensation,
ability.
Still further, the bill will direct that
the bureau of war risk insurance shall
provide. without charge therefor, hos
pital. dental. medical and .urgicaI
care and treatment and prosthetic ap-
pliances for all honorably DISCHARGED
officers and enlisted men. provided
that application for such is made
within one year from the date Of the
mans discharge or the date the act
goes into effect.
Besides accepting payments of pre-
miums on war risk insurance the
post offices would be instructed to re-
ceive applications for reinstatement
of lapsed insurance policies or con-
verted insurance.
Some Oppositi0n Expected.
There were other provisions cover
ing administrative features designed
for expediting in an efficient way the
operations of the bureau.
Members of Congress as a whole
are decidedly in favor of the legis-
lation covered by this measure. There
probably will be some opposition on
the floor to the establishment of the
regional offices and Suboffices, and
also to the authorization for advertis-
ing. but Chairman Sweet and the
members of the committee feel that
they can win over such opposition
when the reasons are made clear.
There is no attempt in the bill to
designate the location of the fourteen
regional offices or the suboffices, but
the selection of the location is left
in the discretion of the director. The
bill broadens his powers very materi-
ally.