The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-07-12

exorable dedation which imitation
had preceded. It has been wholly
proper to seek to apply govern
ment relief to minimize the hard
ships and the government had aid
ed wherever possible, and is aiding
now, but all the special acts ever
dreamed of, the particular favors
ever conceived, will not avoid all
the distresses nor ward off all the
! losses. The proper mental state
! of our people will commit US reso-
| lutely and confidently to our taxes
and definite assurances as to taxa
ton and expenditure will contrib
ute to that helpful mental order
The only sure way to normally is
over the paths nature has marked
throughout all human history.
War Not All to Blame.
With the approval of congress
the executive branch of govern
ment has been driving toward that
decreased expenditure which is the
most practical assurance of dimin-
ished taxation. With enthusiastic
resolution your administrative
agents are making not only con-
scientious effort to reduce the call
for appropriations, but to reduce
the cost of government far below
the appropriations you have already
provided. 1t is easy to believe that
the only way to diminish the bur-
dens which the people must pay is
to cut the outlay in which public
moneys are expended. War is not
wholly responsible for staggering
costs; it has merely accumulated
the menace which lies in mounting
cost of government and excuses it
attends. l believe that world resto-
ration is possible, but only with
honest, diligent work in productiv
ity on the one hand, and honest
and diligent opposition to excess
sive public expenditures on the
other.
If the suggested recOmmitment of
this measure bore the merest sug
gestion of neglect or hint of ma
tional ingratitude 1 would not urge
it. 1t has been my privilege to
speak to congress on our obliga-
tions to the disabled and dependent
soldiers and the governments deep
desire to prove its concern for their
L
the republic if it failed in it's duty
to them. Neither armistice nor
permanent peac~ puts an end to the
obligations of government to its de-
tenders or the obligations of citi-
zens to the government Mindful
of these things, the administrative
branch of the government has not
only spoken, it has acted and has
accomplished.
What Has Been Done.
In view of some of the things
which have been said. and very
carelessly said, perhaps l ought to
report officially some of the things
which have been done. In the de-
partnlent of war risk there have
been filed up to July Z, 1921, COM
pensation and insurance claims
numbering S13,442. Of these, 747,-
7S6 have been adjudicated at an ex-
penditure of S471,9i6,762. There
| were 100000 claims paid pending
when the war risk department was
reorganized, late in April this year.
and the number of pending claims
has been reduced by 134,344. All
work in this d. artment will be
current by the 21st of this July;
that is to say, all action which the
bureau will take on a given case
will be current, though new claims
are being filed at the rate OF 700
per day.
There have been requested $751;
Ola medical examinations, and less
than $4,000 await medical action.
Up to July Z there have been 26,-
zS7 disabled soldiers hospitalized,
and in government controlled hos
pltals today there are 5000 avail
able beds without occupants. You
are already aware of the progress
made toward the construction of
additional government hospitals.
not because we are not meeting all
demands, but to better meet them
and the better to specialize in the
treatment of those who come under
our care.
Disabled Soldiers Trained.
There has been paid out in aIlot-
ment and allowances the sum of
$57S,465, 65S, and nearly 81 DOC, 0Oo,-
900 of government insurance is in
force
In vocational training and reha-
Utilization of disabled soldiers there
have been enrolled to date 107, S24
men. Today there are 1882 men
who are training with pay, at the
maximum cost of S166 per month;
S,02S training without pay. but at
tuition and supply outlay of $35
per month. Four thousand dis
abled men have completed their
training and have been returned TO
gainful employment. These earned
an average of s1.051 per year before
entering the army. and are earning
today, in spite of their war disabil-