The New York herald., 1921-06-22
Tax for Disabled Officers
Opposed as Class Measure.

u Another answer to the question. wv ny
are Government taxes not reduced
was given to The New yoRK HERALD to-
day by Senator Lenroot (Wis.), who
disclosed the fact that there is strong
movement in Congress TO authorize an
additional expenditure estimated at
K $4,000, 900 annually. On its face the
I bill does not indicate what It's cost TO
the Federal Treasury will be.
ir The measure. said to have support
J from the American Legion. which is
backing the soldiers bonus bill, provides
\ that all persons who have served as
z Officers of the United States Army dur
ing the world war and who have in
Cured physical disability in line Of duty
shall be eligible for retirement under
the same conditions as now provide by
K law for officers Of the Regular Army
who have incurred physical disability in
line of duty.
i' The bill, introduced by Senator Bur
sum IN. M is pending before the
Military Affairs Committee Botli Sen
ators Lenroot and Wadsworth On. HD
are known 20 oppose it and will fight It
in committee and in the Senate should
il reach the floor.
t Senator Lenroot told THE NEW YORK
HERALD that in his Judgment the tnt ory
on which the bill is based is a distor-
ton of the principles by which retire
lnent pay is granted to army officers
that it makes an improper class distinc-
tion in the ranks of world war veterans !;
that it proposes to place a heavy burden
on the Federal Treasury that is unwar-
sranted, and that in the interests Of
proper economy and the good name or
the American Legion it ought not to be
approved by Cngress
~ "This legislation proposes to make
class distinction" said Senator Lenroot
4. .'between the officer and the private tha
never has been made and that never
7 Should be made in any war such as that
in which we were engaged, where men
came from private walks OF life and go
back to private life. The theory of re-
( tirement of Regular Army officers is
that the Government invites them TO
make a profession of the army. The
I Regular Army officer gives up all possi-
hility of acquiring a competence for
himself, and we say to him that II you
make this your profession the Govern
ment will take care of you IL you are
disabled and will take care of YOU when
you reach retirement age for the remain
I der of your life.
@ The test for retirement in the Regu-
lar Army is whether the officer is so
I disabled that he cannot pursue the duties
( In active service il we We're engaged in
war If he is found unfit for that he
I Is retired on three-quarters pay for the
balance OF his life.
N Applying that rule 20 the emergency
officers we have this kind of situa-
tion: Two men come from tht same fac
+ tory we will say. pursuing the same oc-
I. cupa ton. One enlists as a private. goes
Through the war as private and is dis
abled. The other enters an officers
Framing camp and goes through the war
as an officer
AZ THE private. we will say, has lost
leg The emergency officer, who. we
will say. is a captain. may have had his
knee slightly injured so as to impair
the usefulness of his knee but will not
4 impair his resuming his former occupa-
zion.
!. # nder this proposed legislation the
4 man with the stiff knee would receive
; very much larger compensation than the
private who lost his leg
MI Take another illustration Of a
/, colonel. we will say. who has lost his
/ hearing in one ear. Under this proposal
he would get much larger compensa-
4 tion than a private who was completely
F., disabled for life.
WI II ara willing TO increase the present
K compensation for total disability. We
/ cannot do too much for those disabled
\ for life, but l want the increase TO be
on the same basis for the private ana
the emergency officer.
iH "The claim is now being made that
we have made this arrangement for the
z navy and the Marine Corps The an
swer to that is that il was wrong TO
do IL and the statute referred to should
be repealed