The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-02-01

insurance premiums and Must Pay
St,3O0,00O,OOO - Great Expense for
Dead and Disabled Affects Sentiment
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Despatch to The Reformer)
Copyright 1922.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-AIore than
$4J0,000,000 a year. which in pre-war
years represented half the amount spent
for the entire government budget of the
United States, is to be expended during
the coming year and doubtless for the
next five or six years to pay compensa-
ton to disabled veterans and insurance
on the lives of those who were victims
of the war.
While the agitation for soldier bonus
to be given to those who were physically
uninjured by the war continues. the
facts of what the disabled veterans are
costing the government are gradually
being disclosed. 1t was not generally
realized until the house of representa-
| tives Yesterday sent to the senate the
veterans bill that so large an amount
is being expended as a result of the war.
The best estimates available indicate
that the S450,00000 item will continue
TO be a part of the budget for the next
several years. 1t is one-eighth of the
total cost of government nowadays and
may be cut somewhat as the hoSpitaliZ-
alton expense diminisheS. but in general
the expenditure viii be in the neighbor-
hood of S400,000.000.
Insurance Bill Will Grow
There is one item. however. which will
grow. 1t is rarely spoken of in connec-
ton with estimates of the future but it
is as much Il debt rs anything else in the
/ long tabulatiOns of government expense.
| In the budget sent to congress the words
indefinite appropriation" are used, but
the truth is, the government must set
aside fully a billion dollars during the
next 20 years to meet a payment on the
insurance policies of those who died dur
ing the war
Unfortunately from a fiscal stand
point only S3J0OO0.00O in premiums
were collected during the war to meet
the insurance policies that might be-
come due. The potential liability of the
government to those who died is about
81 100000 900. Thus far the payments
have been made out of the premium col
lcctions of $500 100000 Dlt this viii
come to an end in Il year. Then provi-
sion must be made to meet the billion
dollar deficit. The payments are grad
uated over 20 years 50 il will not strain
The government at one time but 1t means
that the annual appropriations for the
veterans bureau will always carry it.
Nerlnalcy 10 Years Away. r.u1uaau
In other words if the days of normalcv
should ever come, the debt of the govern
mPnt to the disabled veterans will re-
quire at least half a billion dollars. The
chances are that America will never see
/ Il pre-war budget of a billion dollars
| for at least 20 years to come.
Another item which promises to be of
! long duration is the interest on the pub
! lie debt which amounts to about $500
| 600 900 Il year This may be reduced
rs some of the loans are retired. but if.
as seems certain. the allies are unable
to pay the principal, the United States
government will have to keep on borrow
ing aud keep ON paying interest through
out this generation.
! The reason the bonus is really being
/ fought 50 aggressively by the men who
know the fiscal side of the government
! is that they know ii Il bonus Is paid II
! viii be a continuing item. The govern
ment will have TO pay annually and once
! the precedent of government aid to those
who were uninjurcd physically Is cstab-
lishcd the chances of indefinite appro-
priatieuS for a period Of years are ap-
preciably increased,
| Millions for Salaries.
Analysing the appropriation for dis
abIed veterans, one finds S26000,000 for
| Only about 100000 of this is spent
| in Washington and about $19.0O0,000 in
the II regional offices where the govern
ment tries to keep in closer touch with
/ More than S160,O0OOOO is required
/ this year TO pay compensation to the
H families of these who lost their lives
n and to those who we're disabled. About
h $40. 100000 is being spent for hospitals
I and medical and surgical aid still being
h extended to victims of the war. This
/ item may diminish somewhat in the next
4 five years. Vocational education and
I training is costing about S13OOOO,OoO a
(, year These are principal items.
|, 1t was thought ut first that the aid
1 to the disabled would be cut down three
!! years after the war. but while the gov
/ crnmcnt spent S3s00OO.O0O in the fis-
\ cal year of 1921 for this purpose. the
/ amounts needed for 1922 and 1923 aver
I age $3.50 100000. On top of all this a
\ soldier bonus is declared by government
n officials to be an unwarranted strain
!, with more disadvantages in the long run
E.