Evening journal., 1921-07-20
Military Pensions
(From the New York Times.)

From the founding OF the Federal
government to the beginning of the
Civil War $90,O0O,OOO was paid in
pensions to soldiers and sailors and
their dependents. Since the Civil
War the expenditure for pensions
has exceeded $1,000 ,OOO. 900. On
July %, 1861, a bill authorizing the
President to. accept the services of
5000 volunteers provided that
volunteers wounded or otherwise
disabled should be entitled to the
benefits allowed soldiers in the regu-
lar army who incurred disability.
But as volunteers had already fought
at Bull Run and in other minor en-
gagements it was necessary after
this bill became a law to give the
'invalid" pension principle a general
application. On July IA, 1852, Presi-
dent Lincoln approved what became
the fundamental law for all pension
claims arising out of disability or
death due to military service in the
regular army, the volunteers, the
militia, the navy and the marine
corps. Thus was founded the gem
eral pension law system. This"
says william H. Glasson in his Fed
eral Military Pensions in the United
States" was the only system of
pension laws in force and applying
to the Civil War until 1890" From
June 81 of that year dates an ex-
pansion of the system that came to
have hardly any limit at all. the
service pension system" The act of
June 81. 1890, provided pensions on
proof of military service in the Civil
War for a period of ninety days or
more and honorable discharge in the
case Of any soldier who suffered
from a bodily disability, not neces-
sarily of service origin. and could
not perform manual labor. Widows
and children we're to be cared for
without regard to the scause of the
soldiers death.
Arrears pension legislation came
earlier. An act of 1868 allowed the
veteran Eve years TO file a pension
claim for disability. Sometimes he
discovered when the time had ex-
pired that an illness from which he
suffered could be traced back to SER
vice conditions. The principle Of ar
rears\ legislation was just in itself
but it was shamefully abused. In
the Senate Mr.. Ingalls, of Kansas, a
candidate for recollection, was the
advocate and champion of an ar
rears bill Zone ofs many, which
finally became a law in 1879. There
was, as opponents of the measure
had predicted, "a grand scramble
by a horde of hungry claim agents
to get their hands upon vast un-
earned portions OF the national
treasure" There was no Limitation
upon the date of filing the claim
Arrears might be for any number OF
years. They were payable on claims
already allowed. There was a greai
deal of collision. an incalculable de-
gree Of perjury. Arrears could be
paid to the family of a soldier en-
titled TO the pension. In short. the
act opened the way 10 a general raid
on the treasury. Secretary Sher'
man, who was confronted with q
treasury deficit. declared that the Ar
rears act was not demanded by the
pensioners. but by the claim agents.
Pension Commissioner Bentley in his
report for 1879 said: Besides be
ing cumbersome and expensive, the
present system is an open door tS
the treasury for the preparation Of
fraud" The following year he cal
culated that the Arrears act would
ultimately cost the country $780,
100000. In five years the total was
S179, 100000. The law often came
up in debates in Congress. Senator
Hawley Of Connecticut said on one
occasion:
"I believe that the mass Of the
soldiers did not ask for this act
they did not expect it; they we're "a
much surprised by it as anybody