The citizen., 1920-05-13
BY JAMES p. HoRNAoAY.


BY JAMES p. HoRNADAY.
Washlngton.-The passage the other
day by the house of representatives,
Of the annual pension appropriation
bill. the bill that makes provision for
the payment of pensions chargeable
To the Mexican war, the Civil war
and the Spanish-American war, served
10 call attention 90 the money cost of
war. That pension bill carried np-
prOprintions amounting to S2l4,O2O,.
600. Legislation broadening the scope
Of the existing pension law which has
already passed the house will, II con
CURED In by the senate and approved
by the president, increase the above
sum by S77, 10000 making a total of
S2gl 10000 chargeable TO the wars
prior 10 the recent world war.
Congress has not yet been able to
gain any very definite idea Az To what
the world war will cost In the way of
benefits as the years go ON. Just now
II Is concerned with the appropria-
tions that must be made for the next
| fiscal year. The bureau Of war risk
Insurance estimates the amount neces-
sary to pay compensation for death
and disability for the fiscal year be
/ ginning July at Slgo,OOpD; the
/ federal board for vocational educa-
! ton estimates It's expenditures for the
next fiscal year at Sl25,Oc0,Ooo, and
| the public health service estimates
/ that II will be called on TO expend up
wards Of slo1GOOOO. These esti-
mates aggregate S423,O00OO0 as the
amount that will be required TO dis
charge the obligations Of the govern
ment to the survivors Of the war with
Germany during the next year.
Bonus Would Add Two Billions.
This estimate with which the appro
prlation committee is now dealing
does not take into account bonus legis-
lation. II bonus legislation Of the kind
that has been proposed is enacted II
will call for an expenditure Of up
wards Of S2Oc0.CoO,OoO. That legisla-
tlon, II enacted will. Of course, be re-
garded as special; II will call for one
payment only and the money will have
10 be raised through special taxation
Of some sort.
Joseph G.. Cannon, the veteran mem
ber Of the house from Illinois, In pre-
senting the regular pension bill TO the
house reminded the Legislators that
the government must not fail 10 give
proper attention To the financial de
mand that will be made on II for
years TO come as a result of the world
wnr. He reminded his fellow congress
men that In the year 1918, according
10 the surgeon general of the army
there were 2i22.3 .362 admissions TO the
hospitals for disease. 1S2.IS9 admis
slons for ordinary injuries and 2I7'
SIS admissions for battle injuries
Here. he pointed out, were nearl,
1900 600 admissions 10 the army hos
pltals In the year 1918, and while
some were no doubt Implications, NJ
one could accurately estimate how
many Of these men with hospita
records may be found totally or partial
lv disabled and the cause traced &
their war service.
The venerable representative ex
messed the opinion that within tel
wears congress would have TO appro
priate n billion dollars "A year TO dis
charge its financial obliaations TO tn
survivors OF all our wars. ut Is bi
ALLEGATION" said Mr.. Cannon. but on
that the government has already ac
cepted. | call attention 10 the situa
tion so that no one In the countr
need deceive himself as 10 the oblign
tions we will have to meet In III
future"
Parcel Post TO Foreign Countries.
The international parcel post has de
yeloped into most important and fol-
midable function OF the worlds great
est transportation medium-the pos
tai service. The United states ma
carries more handled unit
of commodity than any other singl
TRANSPORTATION system. The domesti
parcel post alone has long since passe
the billion mark in yearly shipment
while the letters and periodicals, eac
separately handled through half IA doi
en- processes, run into those staggerin
figures vaguely called billions upo
billions"
In 1913, when Postmaster Generi
Burleson took hold of the postal ser
ice. one could send parcel post pac
; ages TO but "A countries In the entiI
world. and the greatest weight lin
was IL pounds. Today the America
foreign parcel post service has bee
extended 20 $50 nations and colonies
and TO l5 of these countries, includiI
our biggest customers In Latin Anne
lea and the Orient, you can send pa
, cells up to % pounds, and TO one
them-Pnnama- TO so pounds.
1912, there were dispatched from Il
United States 2.2702l5 pounds of e
port parcel post. During the next II
cal year our increase over 1912 vi
less than 100000 pounds, and the !
q crease In 1914 over 1913 was only
, little more than 100000 pounds.
, Extended Throughout the World
/, Immediately upon the conclusion
a.. ..,,,tstt.a Nhan shining becau