Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-08-08
To Aid War Disabled.
Continued from page 6ne)

The new enactment makes 10
more or less important changes in
the present system Of treating and
training disable dsoldiers and sail
ors. Under the old law the admin
| istration of Government insurance
| and all compensation claims is per-
formed by the Bureau of War Risk
Insurance; the disqualification, med
ical care and treatment, by the UNI
ted States Public Health Service,
and the vocational training by the
Federal Board for Vocational Edu-
cation.
! The Sweet bill corsolidates and
centralizes all of these buraeus by
creating an independent organiza-
ton under which they merge, TO
| be known as the Veterans Bureau.
/ mis- bureau is p,acal directly un-
der tn, jurisdiction Of the President.
The present Law limit: the medi-
cal care and treatment Of ircapacl-
I tated veteran 20 those suffering
with a service disease or injury Of
10 per cent. or more. The new bid
extenis medical rare ard treatment
! t. all service men suffering from
disease or injury Of service origin OF
less than 10 per cent as well as
above that mark. Many dental, eye,
ear, nose and throat cases, where
disability is less than 10 per cent,
now may be cared for.
/! Again the rate and amount of
compensation provided by the exist
ing law is no way affected by the
Sweet bill. The law remains the
same in providing that compensa-
ton shall not be paid to any inca
pacitated veteran unless the disabii-
ity is at least 10 per cent.
The rights OF ex-service men to
war risk insurance. however, are
increased by the bill in three i'm
portant respects. Men suffering
from disability Of service origin
may reinstate their lapsed insur-
arce. for instance, by payment of
all back premiums, provided they
are not permanently or totally dis
abled. Under existing law no in
surance policy can be reinstated I'M
less it is proved that the insured is
in as good physical condition at the
time of reinstatement as at the
time when the policy lapsed.
This has resulted in thousands Of
men being denied insurance. The
same opportunity to reinstate lapsed
insurance policies is extended to ben
eficiaries where it can be demonstra
ted that the death of the service
man was due to wounds or disease
contracted in the service
There is no clause in the new leg
islation affecting the vocational
training of disabled service men.
The existing system is to be carried
on as before.
Under the present law no compcn-
sation can be claimed CT paid unless
death or disability occurred prior
to or within one year after the pas
sage of the amendatory act.
Authority is vested in the Veter-
ans Bureau to review on its own
motion any award of compensation
previously granted. 1T also per-
mits the rating and granting of
compensation from the date Of the
disability began.
Another amendment further ex-
tends the benefits of the nresent law
by relieving applicants for compen-
sation. who are suffering with tu-
bercular or neuropsychiatrc dis
eases developing within two years
from the necessity OF proving that
the disease was contracted in the
line of service. This will settle it
is said. $4,000 claims pending now
awaiting proof that the applicants
tuberculosis or mental diseases
were contracted in the service.