South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-05-13
OLD SOLDIERS TO
RECEIVE INCREASE
ON PENSION BONUS
Measure Providing For In
crease Successfully
Passes Congress.
~ InTIs ITDIOW-

WASHINGTON. y. G.. May 12.-
Many Indiana old soldiers and wild
ows OF soldiers will receive increases
Of pensions under the Fuller bill.
which Is now safely through both
branches Of congress and which un-
doubtedly viii receive the signature
81 the president There are more
Civil war soldiers in Ohio than IN
any other state. but every state in
the union viii have beneficiaries IN
der the act. Ohio leading all the
others.
Civil War Veterans.
The bin applies in the main 20
soldiers OF the Civil war and their
widows. but was broadened before
its final passage 80 as 20 include also
the widows OF soldiers Of the war
OF 1912 and the widows and veterans
Of the Mexican war, OF whom the
number is comparatively negligible.
There are four main provisions in
the law. as follows,
]. Every man who served 90
days or longer IN the army. navy or
marine corps OF the United States
during the Civil war and who has
been honOrably discharged. or who,
having served less than 90 days,
was discharged for disability in
CURED I'm the service and in line Of
duty. shall be entitled to a pension
Of $50 a month.
2. Every such person who Is
helIless or blind. or so nearly help
less or blind as 10 require the aid
OF another persons. shall receive $72
month.
$50 n Month.
o. The widow of any such sol
dicr, sailor or marine who was mar
ried to her soldier sailor or marine
husband prior 10 June %, 1905, shall
receive $50 a month.
4. Minor helpless or imbecile
children OF such service men, whose
inbecility or helplessness developed
prior 10 16 years OF age. shall re-
ceive $50 n month. instead OF $40
as provided by existing law
Persons drawing pensions by spe-
Cial act lower than these rates shall
be entitled 10 the higher ratings
carried in the new bill. II is esti-
mated that the increases carried by
the bin viii amount TO about S15.-
100000 annually
Explain Increase.
In explaining why this general In
crease OF pensions Is necessary the
senate committee on pensions in a
report to congress says that con-
gress literally increased pensions by
the act Of June 10 1918, but the
government since then, by its hnan-
cial and administrative policies. has
so decreased the normal purchasing
value OF the currency OF the country
as 20 leave the recipients Of the in
creased pension in a far worse con-
dition than they were when the leg
islation was enacted. The report
continues:
Had the government by a gen
eral law increased the pensions OF
these soldiers from n $40 10 $50 per
month stipend, and in the same law
provided that this $50 should be
paid in Mexican dollars worth but
so cents In American money thus
in effect reducing the pension to SO,
this manifest wrong and injustice
would have called for immediate
correction. And yet this is exactly
what has resulted indirectly through
governmental action and policies
Through governm entail laws and ad-
ministration the purchasing value Of
these dollars which are being paid
to veterans of the Civil war has been
decreased more than so per cent
Compared with the purchasing value
OF the dollar OF six or eight years
ago the decrease has been about 81
per cent.
People Suffer.
TT may be said that all the people
suffer alike from this deplOrabl'
condition. This. however. is not the
case. Labor has increased in price
about 500 per cent. since war wa.
declared. Profits I'm every line o.
business are greater today thar
ever before In the history OF tn,
country Those who have youth OF
their side as an asset and those en-
gagged in business are able 20 imme
.diatcly adapt themselves 20 the ex
.CeSsivCly high cost OF Commoditie
hy demanding and receiving a wag
that will meet the higher cost O.
living and an Increased profit n
business TO meet both the heavie
governmental taxes and the highe
cost OF living Both of these ClaSSe
have reared benefits from our enor
mously inflated currency and cOnse
oueut increase OF prices. The oil,
soldiers. practically all OF whom ar
now beyond the age of three scor
and ten and who have long sine
passed their DAYS of earning suffe
al the hardships of this change,
condition. while there inurCs &
them none of the advantages tina
flow from an inflated currency o