The Washington herald., 1921-07-13
Declares Lower Taxes Are
Essential for Return
to Normally. >,

tional ipgratitude I would not ure'
1t. It has been my privilege u
speak to Congress on our obitGa-
tions to the disabled and dependen'
soldiers and the governments oeeI
desire to prove its concern for theii
welfare. I should be ashamed OF
the republic IL 1t failed in its duty
to them. Neither armistice nor per-
manent peace puts and end TO the
obligations Of government to Its de-
defenders 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.
Reviews Work BeisG Dose.
In view of some Of the things
which have been said, and very
carelessly said. perhaps ought TO
report officially some OF the things
which have been done. In the de-
partment of war risk Insurance.
there have been filed up to July Z,
1921. compensation and 'nsurnn""
claims numbering sl3,442. OF these
747,7SG have been adjudicat.d. at an
expenditure Of s47l.s46,762. There
were 100000 claims pending when
the war risk department was re-
organized. late in April. this year
and the number Of pending claims
has been reduced by 134.54I. Al
work In this department will bt
current by the 2lst of this Julv
that is to say, all action which the
bureau may take on a given cast
will be current. though new claim.
are being filed at the rate of 700 per
day.
There have been requested $751;
GA medical examinations, and les,
than $4,000 await medical action
Up to July there have been 26.,
237 disabled soldiers hospitalized
and in ment-controlled hos,
pitfalls today there are 5000 available
beds without occupants. You ar,
already aware OF the progress made
toward the construction Of addi,
tional government hospitals. not be.
cause we are not meeting all de.
mands, but to better meet them and
the better to specialize in the treat,
ment of those who come under oul
care.
There has been paid out in al.
lotment and allowances the sum OF
357S.465,65s, and nearly $4,000, 900, ,00t
OF government insurance Is IL
force.
Training Disabled Men.
In vocational training and re.
Mobilization of disa bled soldiers there
have been enrolled to date lo7.s24
men. Today there are 1852 men
who are training with pay, at the
maximum cost OF $3.50 per month
s,20S training without pay, but at a
tuition and supply outlay OF S35 PEI
month. Four thousand disabled men
have completed their training and
have been returned to gainful en-
ployment. These earned an average
OF S1.o51 per year before entering
the army, and are earning today
in spite, OF their war disability and
in spite OF diminished wage or
salary levels. an average OF sl,55o
per annum.
1t is an interesting revelation and
fine achievement. attended by both
abuses and triumphs. Congress ha,
appropriated ss5.ooo.o 900 for this
noble work for the current year
but the estimated acceptance OF
Aoi year pttOTe us con
templates an average of $4,000 dis.
abled men. and tine cost will be in
excess of sl63.000,0oo or nearly
500. 100000 more than Congress has
provided. This additional sum must
be made available. With the in
crease of availability to training. al
recently urged upon Congress. the
estimated additional expenditure
will be s46S,00. 900 per annum, until,
the pledge OF training is discharged
These figures suggest neither ne
glect nor ingratitude. It is more
than the entire annual cost of Fed
eral government for many years fol-
lowing the Civil War and challenges
every charge of failure to deal con-
siderately with our nations de-
tenders. I do not recite the figures
to suggest that ii is all we may
do, or ultimately ought to do. 1t is
inevitable that our obligations will
grow. and grow enormously. We
never have neglected and never will
neglect the dependent soldier, and
there Is no way to avoid times re-
norseless classifications.
PIeads for Readjustment.
Contemplating the tremendous
liability which the government
never will shirk. I would be remiss
in my duty il / failed to ask Con-
grcss to pause at this particular
time, rather than break down our
Treasury, from which SO much is
later on to be expected. The de-
tenders of the republic amid the
perils of war would be the last of
our citizenship to wish its stability
me1aced by an individual pittaace
of peace.
/ know the feelings of my own
breast. and that OF yours and the
grateful people of this republic. But
no thoughtful person. possessed with
lRil the facts, is ready for added COM
pensation for the healthful, self-re-
liant masses of our great armies at