Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-12-08
QREAUCHIEF
URGES MEN TO
MAKE CLAIMS
Soon Too Late to Apply for
Rehabilitation
Training

Rehabilitation claims during the last
year in the district comprised of Mon
tana. the Dakotas and Minnesota have
greatly decreased, according to c. D.
Hibbard, district United States vet
Grams bureau manager. who spoke to
a crowd of about 100 service men at
Veterans hall Thursday night regard
ing disability and other service mems
matters. All men interested were
urged to make applications for re-
Mobilization training before December
16, the latest date allowed by law.
Service men who have let their gov
eminent insurance lapse were urged
TO take it up. This must be done
within five years after discharge. Men
in as good physical condition as when
they left the service MAJ be reinstated
by payment Of two months delin-
quency, he said.
Problems Outside Bureau
G. T. Busha, sub-district manager OF
the veterans bureau for Montana,
and former commander of the Ameri-
can Legion III Montana, said there
were certain problems before the
service men outside the scope Of the
sub-district and district offices which
must be worked out by the service
mems organizations. He said there
were certain changes in laws to aid
the service men that are expected to
be passed by congress soon. One of
these is the new Sweet bill now being
framed. which it is expected will ex-
tend the time that tuberculosis may
be contracted after discharge and
compensation received. The present
law allows two years, the proposed
law three. The American Legion is
working for five.
Rehabilitation training is not in
tended to fit men for high saIaried
positions. but for jobs. Mr.. Hibbard
said, adding that the plan is to fit
men to carr a living, to take their
place in the world and work out their
own salvation. He said the veterans
than in any other state in the dis
trict. During his IS months in office,
his men have been going out in an
effort TO serve all disabled men. the
idea being to bring the bureau to the
man. A year ago his office was get
ting about 100 claims a month and
now the number is down to between
800 and 400. he said. He believes
this is due to the efficient manner in
which the bureau has functioned.
Handle Local Claims
II. F. Dickenshee1s, chief rehabilita-
ton and cooperation officer for the
veterans bureau in Montana, and Will
liam Parker, state war risk officer for
the American Legion. were taking care
of individual complaints and claims
after the meeting Thursday night.
Colonel Oliver S. Perry of Kalispell,
an officer OF the 163rd infantry. who
is field superintendent for District
Manager IIibbard. was with the
party. He is working out of Helena
at the present time on bureau eff
cheney. Mr.. IIibbard has inaugurated
the plan of officers gathering data for
men with claims and taking the infor-
nation before claim and rating boards
ut Minneapolis TO increase the eff
cheney of the service to Montana men.
Mr.. Parker will work in Great Falls
this morning. returning to Helena this
afternoon. The other members of the
party intend to leave for Helena this
morning. MIR. Hibbard, who has been
in the state several days. will leave
Helena for Minneapolis headquarters
today.
The meeting was sponsored jointly
by the American Legion and Disabled
American Veterans of the World War.