Evening star., 1920-03-28
BY WILL r. KENNEDY.

means committee has tenn
" porarily suspended hear
fngs on the more than 100
measures designed to give soldiers
bonus or some form of relief to the
former service men. the committee on
interstate and foreign commerce has
perfected its recommendations to give
the service men the fullest advantage
of the government agency already es-
tablished for their benefit.
Early this week the subcommittee,
of which Representative Burton E.
Sweet of Iowa is chairman. will re-
port to the House proposed amend
ments to the war risk insurance act.
and Mr.. Sweet intends to urge prompt
action in the House. The hearings on
this measure closed about a week ago.
The design is to make the bueau of
war risk insurance serve the former
service men under after-war condi-
tions in the most efficient. expeditions
and helpful way.
Many Policies Lapsed.
Members of Congress believe that
the bureau is the greatest institution
for the direct benefit of the fighting
men of the nation that any country
in all times has ever established. 1t
is today writing the cheapest insur-
ence in the world. with the resources
of the United States government be-
hind it. and all overhead costs elm
mated. The maximum policy for each
man is $4,000. At the close of the war
there was about $4,000. 600. 900 of this
insurance written. and with about
100000 policy holders. After the
signing of the armistice, according to
the Hughes report, about IS or rs per
cent of the men as they were dis
charged dropped this insurance. This
percentage has increased until there
Is now about IS per cent of 1apsed
policies There are now about 100000
policy holders. The reason why so
many abandoned their cheap insur-
ance was because most of the men
discharged were between twenty-one
and thirty-one years of age, and they
did not appreciate the need for in
surance. Many of the more mature
men felt that they needed all their
money at the time to meet expenses
until they got a fresh start in civil
ian employment.
Those who are interested in the
welfare of the former service men
believe that much of this lapsed in
surance will be resumed and many
new policies written il the advan-
tages of the war risk bureau are put
within easy access of the men who
went forward under the flag. Lead
ers in Congress feel that eventually
this service insurance will be worth
Infinitely more to the men and their
families than any bonus legislation
that may be passed.
The recomme ndations that will be
made to the House this week are
based on bill introduced by Repre-
sentative Edward H. Wason of New
Hampshire. but the bill as it will
be reported will contain many addi-
tions suggested by the war risk in
surance bureau. by members of Con-
gress and by the American Legion. In
fact, during the hearings the COM
mittee did not confine itself to the
Wason bill. but considered all bills
introduced by members of Congress
since the enactment of the Sweet
bill, which was signed by the Presi-
dent on December "a.
would Provide Regional Omces.
Section 1 will provide for estab-
lishment of fourteen regional offices
throughout the United States and
outlying possessions. 1t also will
establish subofices. as may be deemed
necessary in the interest of the work.
as the director of the bureau may
deem wise and prudent These sub
offices probably will be established
in each of the states in addition to
the fourteen regional offices. These
Offices are fo- the purpose of bring
ing all matters pertaining to allow
ance and allotments. compensation
and war risk insurance to the atten-
tion of the service men
These Offices are not merely Tor
Investigation, but. in a measure, to
pass upon compensation and in
surance claims and tS report the re-
suit of their findings to the bureau
in Washington. 1t is the belief of the
director that in this way all matters
Dertaining to the bureau can be han
died in more expeditions and sat-
isfactory manner for all concerned.
Section provides for advertising
IN newspapers. magazines and peri
odicals such information concerning
the work of the war risk insurance
bureau as will be of interest to the
service men. The purpose is thor
oughly to acquaint all service men
with their rights, benefits and priv
ileses in connection with war risk
insurance.
The bill will carry authorization for
expenditure of s25O.Ooo for such ad-
vertising campaign. and an additional
81. l.000, 900 for carrying out other pro-
visions of the bill. especially for the
operation of the fourteen regional Of
fees and the suboffices. The commit
tee believes. however. that the ex-
renditure of this money will be a real
economy in saving much larger costs
for the Washington headquarters by
reducing and expediting the work.
Post Omces Collection Agencies.
Section provides that premiums on
insurance policies may be paid at the
most Offices throughout the country
by service men. The bill does not
make the post offices collection agen-
cies, but establishes places where the
service men may go to pay their pre-
niums and obtain receipt showing
that it was transmitted to the bureau
of war risk insurance.
The committee report will not say