Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1920-05-28
FOR COVE NIENCE
Of SERVICE ME-
WAR INSURANCE BUREAU TO BE
SPLIT INTO MANY REGIONAL
OFFICES AND BARRACKS.
COOPERATION IS THE AIM
Same Building in Each City Will
House Public Health Service, voca-
tional Education Board and Other
Kindred Organizations.
BY JAMES ?. HoRNADAY.

y ~sN"A-0 F1OhINAOAI.
Washlngton.-The bureau of war
FISK insurance is to be split into at
| least fourteen regional offices and a
large number of sub-regional offices.
probably one for each state, in case
congress acts favorably on a bill which
the committee on interstate and for
elgn commerce has reported favorably.
Inc proposed legislation calls for a
complete reorganization of the war
FISK insurance bureau The plan orig
mated with the bureau and has the
approval OF the secretary of the treas
ury Congress apparently also looks
with favor on the proposed change.
Inc purpose of the proposed legis-
latlon is to coordinate the work to be
rendered the soldiers sailors and ma
rlnes ct the recent war by bringing the
onlceS OF the war risk insurance. the
bureau Of public health service. the
federal board for vocational education,
the Red Cross and other kindred or
carnations closer together so that
there will be a community of interest
and concert of action among those per-
sons who are endeavoring to render
services which will add to the COM
fort, health, benefit and betternent of
men and women who took part in the
world war. Fourteen regional offices
are proposed because the bureau OF
public health service has that number
OF regional offices, and so has the fed
eral board of vocational education.
All m One Building in Each City.
It S the thought Of the promoters of
the plan Of coordination that the re-
gional offices Of the bureau of public
health service and the federal board
of vocational education and the bureau
of war risk insurance shall occupy
the same building in city. Then if a
service man wishes to take up voca-
tional training under the vocational
rehabilitation act, he can make appli-
cation and lave his case taken care
of without unnecessary delay. The
medical officers in connection with the
bureau of public health, it is pointed
out, can examine him, the bureau of
rating as to his disability, and the
board of vocational education can give
him the necessary information and in
struction as to his training and the
best course for him to pursue. 1t is
argued that if the regional offices are
established in one building all this
service can be readily rendered; that
a great amount of confusion and red
tape will be done away with and that
the general result will be more salts
factory to everybody concerned.
Another argument made by the war
risk insurance bureau and supported
by the house committee on interstate
and foreign commerce is that the es-
adjustment of the regional and sub
regional offices will lessen office ex-
penses. and most important Of all,
bring about a more general good feel
ing oward the government and the
government agencies that are engaged
in looking after the interests Of the
service men.
Branch in Each State Capital.
The Legislation recommended does
not say how many sub-regional offices
or branches of the IA regional Offices
shall be established. The war risk In
surance bureau is left free to fix
on this number. 1t is the plan of the
bureau in case the legislation goes
through to have a sub-regional Office
in every state capital where there is
not a regional Office. 1t is proposed
to send employees from the bureau
here to the regional and sub-regional
offices. The secretary of the treasury
has asked for $1.000,OO0 with which
to establish these regional and sub
regional offices.
The bill just reported by the house
committee on foreign and interstate
commerce providing for this reorgani-
cation of the war risk bureau also, au-
thorizes the postmaster general to re-
and to act for and to turn over to the
secretary of the treasury the money
he receives. He is also authorized to
receive and transmit to the bureau of
war risk insurance applications for
converted insurance and applications
for reinstatement of lapsed insurance.
Every soldier, sailor and marine who
desires to pay war risk insurance
premiums or desires to make an ap-
plication for reinstatement of lapsed
insurance or for converted insurance
may go to the post office at the place
Of his residence and the postmaster
will receive the insurance premiums,
and his application for reinstatement
or for converted insurance will be
transmitted Immediately to the bureau
of war risk insurance.
Progress of Air Mail Service.
The air mail was extended
from Chicago to Omaha May 1.
Until the transcontinental route is es-
tablished on July and service actual
ly begins from New York to San Fran
cisco, the Chicago-Omaha route will
be merely for the purpose of expe-
dlting the mail between Chicago and
Omaha. When the New York-Frisco
route starts, however, the air mail,