Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1923-04-21
SWEET BILL AIDS THOUSANDS
Measure Passed at Close Of Sixty
Seventh Congress Benefits Many
Afflicted Soldiers.


The lives Of nearly ten thousand
World war veterans win be saved, or
at least prolonged, by the passage Of
the Sweet bill just at the close Of the
Sixty-seyenth congress, according to
American Legion officials. The United
States veterans bureau has highly
commended the activity Of the Ameri-
can Legion in bringing this bill to
vote at the eleventh hour, though Ma
tional Commander Alvin Owsley was
forced to get into the fight himself and,
through his organization, insist on the
passage of the act
Countless veterans afflicted with
some form of tuberculosis have left
their homes Ynd are now wanderers In
Western states in hope Of seeking out
q cure for the disease. Many Of these
are destitute and the passage of the
bill, which permits a greater leniency
by the extension of the time In which
disability resulting from service origin
may be termed as emitting the veteran
to compensation, is one Of the benef-
cial results
The provisions Of the bill, affording
more practical, beneficial protection
for the veterans, are sweeping. Per
haps chat feature which struck out of
the former law the word pulmonary,
so that every veteran may come under
the extent Of the act, Is the most far
reaching The prevIoas law limited
the veterans bureau to consideration
Of pulmonary cases alone, and no ex-
animation was required, but officers Of
the bureau were permitted to use their
medical knowledge I'm determining the
approximate date when the alTllction
became active.
In another section of the law the
time for securing a certificate Of disa-
bllify has been extended 10 March J,
1924 The former ruling terminated
this period on August 8, 1922. These
certificates are incontestable evidence
OF the service origin of The injury, ex-
cept In cases Of fraud, and holders may
receive compensation and hospital
care; or, If the veteran dies, death
compensation
More elastic rulings affecting dis
barred veterans were included In the
act These provide that discharge on
the grounds Of moral turpltuae' and
persistent misconduct" would not dis
bar the soldier from receiving compen-
sntion unless he was found guilty by
courtmartlal. A further provision Of
this section is that II an injury vas in
Cured IN an enlistment previous to the
one during which the veteran was dis
charged that this would not disbar
him from compensation
The Sweet uct also provides that, In
cases where a deceased vetern leaves
insufficient funds 10 pay funeral ex-
penses. the government viii pay 500,
and an additional So for the cost of a
flag with which to drape the casket
A further provision win keep the bod
ies of many veterans from potters'
fields. for the government will prepare
and transport home or to national
cemeteries the bodies Of ex-service
men who were receiving government
medical, surgical or hospital treat
ment.
The previous method of payment Of
insurance for disability and death only
on death of the veteran has been so
amended that, instead Of the benen-
Charles being the only ones 10 receive
the benefits, the veteran will be entl-
tied to the payments, on total or per
manent disability. II his uncollected
compensation az the time Of the disa-
bnlty was sufficient to meet past due
insurance premiums at the time the
policy elapsed
Rejection for reinstatement Of in-
surance because of service disability
at the time Of application for rein
statement was also SO amended as 10
permit reconsideration of the policy.
Eight thousand veterans are believed
TO be affected by this provision, Fur
Their protection is offered those vet
Grams who were mentally incompetent
and whose guardians permitted their
insurance to lapse while the patient
was rated mentally incompetent Poll
cies OF this nature are considered I'M
expired under the new law.