The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-04-15
VETERANS TREATED
BEST In U. S. HISTORY
Senator Fernald (Maine) Re-
views Expenditures Com
pared With Other Wars.
MILLION SPENT DAILY
100000 Bill for Hospital
ization Passes Senate
Unanimously.
MILLION SPENT DAILY

Special Dispatch 90 THE New York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington. ID. G.. April II. J
Senator Fernald (Me.). chairman or
the Committee on Public Buildings and
Grounds, in engineering the passage OF
a bill providing s17.000.00o for tho
disqualification OF ex-service men to-day
clearly indicated he does not look with
favor upon the plan to provide bonus
for able bodied soldiers. On that point
Senator Fernald said:
There was one group of 1.950,o00
soldiers OF the late war who returned
ablebodied and took up their life where
they left 1t off. They are better physi-
caily mentally and morally than when
they went overseas. There is diff
ference of opinion. possibly. as to the
be-t attitude for the Government to take
toward these men. one thing is Ger
tain. the Government of the United
States win treat all men justly"
BY vote of 81 to the Senate APP
proved the bill advocated by Senator
Fernald to provide additional hospital
Senator Lodge, the Republican floor
leader. announced all absent members OF
his side were in favor of the bill and
a similar announcement was made by
Senator Harrison (Mich.), speaking for
the Democrats.
Turing the discussion of the bill Sem
ator Fernald pointed out that the Gov
eminent is now spending $43S, 100000 per
annum for the benefit OF the soldiers in
the late war--"twice as much as was
over expended before to aid soldiers Of
any war;"
Senator King Utah) interrupted Sem
"a oh
Senator will find It will be considerably
more than that. / think l can assure
the Senator that the expenditures for
the fiscal year 1922 win exceed $500 ,0OO. 600
for the purposes indicated"
Referring to the insurance paid to the
disabled Senator Fernald continued:
Already $4,000 claims have been al
lotted. There is still in force insurance
to the amount of $500. 000.0 900. and no
Government ever made such provisions
before for the soldiers of any war. They
are handling at the Veterans Bureau
now 1000 claims a day in addition to
the 100000 already on file. They en-
ploy 1000 ex-service men in carrying
out the work.
I'm addition, the Veterans Bureau has
allowed 305 900 compensation claims and
has paid out in compensation benefits
$500, 600. 600. We are mailing out $4,000
checks every month, representing an
expenditure of 900 month. CIV
ing vocational training without cost to
100000 disabled ex-service men, provid-
ing hospital care for 10000 ex-servce men
at an annual expense of $50 100000, and
expanding 81 100000 cash every day for
ex-service men and their dependents.
To emphasize the care with which the
Government Is taking of the disabled
soldiers OF the late war Senator Fer
maid contrasted the benefits they re-
ceive with those offered the soldiers of
previous wars. He said:
mo soldier Of the Revolutionary War
received a pension OF more than SIS a
month until forty years after the close
of the war. and that only in case of dis
ability to such an extent as to prevent
his performing manual labor.
mo soldier OF the War OF 1912 was
pensioned for any cause. except disable
ity incurred in service. until sixty years
after the war.
mo widow OF the War OF 1912 re-
ceived a pension until the act OF 1916.
and then only 81 a month.
mo soldier of the Mexican War re-
ceived a pension, except such as were
wounded or disabled in the service. until
forty years after the close OF the war.
Those totally disabled as the result
OF service received IS per month.
mo soldier Of the civil war who was
not injured or disabled by his military
service received any pension from the
Government until the act OF 1890,
twenty-five years after the close of the
war. Those totally disabled received
only So a month in the case OF privates.
and only $50 a month in the case OF
Lieutenant Colonies and those of higher
rank.
mo widow OF a civil war soldier was
granted a pension until twenty-five
years after the close of the war. and
then only upon proof OF the soldiers
death being of service origin