New Britain herald., 1923-12-06
CIVIL WAR PENSION
 NOW IS TOO SMALL
Secretary Work Advises Increases
 for Old Veterans

Washington, Dec. 6.--An increase in Civil War pensions was advocated by Secretary Work of the interior de- partment in his annual report sub mitted today to the president.
 The rayages of time,' said the secretary, have now overcome these survivors of the Civil war, and in their old age it is my belief that the pen sioning of them should no longer be based upon a showing of disability due to wounds and disease. On the contrary both the veterans and Wid- oWs should receive a pension from the government after having reached certain age, and the pension paid to them should be adequate to fully support them.
 1 therefore recommend that some legislation be enacted by congress to increase the pensions of Civil war veterans and their widows, thereby more fully recognizing the debt the government owes them for the service they performed in preventing the dis ruption of the Union."
 Makes short Report
 The interior secretary went into no further details, and he likewise dis missed with brief comment the other points touched upon in his report one of the shortest ever submitted by cabinet officer. He summarized in a paragraph his oft-repeated decara- ton for a new reclamation policy: notified the president that he pro- posed soon to undertake a survey of conditions in the patent office; asked for additional facilities for Howard university, a negro institution here under government supervision, and concluded with a sentence pointing out that although the departments appropriation had been reduced by the last congress the budget bureau now proposed an additional cut of s26,000 900 for the coming year.
 The reclamation problem was de- scribed by Mir. Work as presenting "a critical situation"
 Reclamation Law
 "The reclamation law, he said, provides that the cost Of construction of each project shall be paid within n 20-year period in installmcnts of fixed amounts, and also provides the annual maintenance cost, including operation, shall be paid annually by the water users. Out of the 2s pro- jects constructed, or in the course of only 1 of these projects ! has fully compiled with this require | ment notwithstanding that relief ex- 1 te ending time Of payment on three oc- oasion has been granted by congress. l X number of them are in a state of | financial insolvency making it im- possible for the government to recover | the money invested in them, while | other projects arc in such a dubious | state that it is difficult to presage at | tho present time whether they will | ultimately pay out. In order to as- | certain the true conditions l have ap- l pointed a special committee of ad- | sisers composed Of disinterested citi- | gems Of national prominence, familiar | uith irrigation matters, who have be- | gun an exhaustive analysis of the en- tire reclamation requirements, | and policies. As soon as their work is completed I expect 10 submit their report with rccom- mendations to the president. This does not mean that the theory of reclamation is needed, It merely means that a new policy must be developed that will safe guard the future so that the govern nent may proceed in a more orderly and business-like manner in it's rec iemption of the arid and semarid ands of the west"
 Pension Of1ice III
 Tn the pension office, the secretary ,aid. so much work has accumulated, lue to increased demands on the part ,f the public. that applications are aid away flor about ten months be- orc any action is initiated toward heir examination" He added that he need for a comprehensive survey ,f conditions there which l expect to undertake at the first opportunity vas apparent. Increased facilities at Howard uni- ersity. the report declared, were of H ,aramount public importance. The institution is one Of two in the coun- ry. ho said, which provides training or negro physicians and dentists. and ecent statistics have shown that here is but one negro doctor to B. f4 members Of the race and only one egro dentist 10 20,50o. l The interior departments receipts or the fiscal year Of 1928 were given II N the secretary as ss3. 3.566.641, com ared to s4s.6i2.52s in the year revious Most Of the increase came rom royalties from oil leases on In- ian lands. III
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