Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-12-06
MORE PENSION TO
CIVIL WAR VETS
Sec. Work Advocates Plan Re-
CARELESS of Class
Urges Legislature at Once to In
crease Pension of Veterans and
Widows-Interior Department Re
port Brief

Washington, Dec. 5.-An increase
in Civil War pensions was advocated
by Secretary Work of the Interior
Department in his annual report sub
mtted today to the President.
1.-THE Iavages 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
pensioning of them should no longer
be based upon a showing of dis
ability due to wounds and disease,
On the contrary both the veterans
and widows should receive a pension
from the government after having
reached certain age, and the PEN
sion paid to them should be adequate
to fully support them.
Il therefore recommend that some
legislation be enacted by Congress 10
increase the pensions of Civil War
veterans and their widows, thereby
more fully recognizing the debt the
government owes them for the SER
vice they performed in preventing
the disruption of the Union"
The Interior Secretary went Into
no further details, and he likewise
dismissed with brief comment the
other points touched upon in his re-
port-One of the shortest ever sub
mitted by cabinet officer. He sum-
married in a paragraph his oft-re-
peated declaration for new
reclamation policy: notified the
President that he proposes soon to
undertake a survey of conditions in
the Patent Office; asked for addi-
tional facilities for Howard Univer-
sity, a negro institution here under
government supervision, and con-
cluded with sentence pointing out
that although the Departments APP
preparation had been reduced by the
last Congress the Budget Bureau
now proposed an additional cut of
$26.O00,000 for the coming year.
The reclamation problem was de-
scribed by Mr.. Work as presenting
"a critical situation"
1.-THE reclamation law" he said,
provides that the cost of construc-
ton of each project shall be paid
within a 20-year period in INSTALL
ments of fixed amounts, and also
provides the annual maintenance
cost, including operation, shall be
paid annually by the water users
Out of the % projects constructed.
or in the course of construction,
only l of these projects has fully
complied with this requirement not
Withstanding that relief extending
titiS VI pay vi three occasions
has been granted by Congress. A
number of them are in a state of
financial insolvency, making it i'm
possible for the government to re-
cover the money invested in them,
while other projects are in such q
dubious state that it Is difficult to
presage at the present time whether
they will ultimately pay out In Or
der to ascertain the true condition
| have appointed a special committee
of advisers composed of disinterested
citizens of national prominence,
familiar with irrigation matters, who
have begun an exhaustive analysis
of the entire reclamation require
ments. methods, and policies. As
soon as their work is completed I
expect to submit their report with
recommendations to the President.
This does not mean that the theory
OF governmental reclamation is I'M
sound. 1t merely means that a new
policy must be developed that will
safeguard the future so that the gov
eminent may proceed in a more Or
DERBY and business-like manner in
its redemption of the arid and SENT
arid lands of the West"
In the Pension Office. the Secretary
SAID, so much work has accumulated,
- AhNA StASCu utti idHUS OH the part
OF the public, that applications are
laid away, ''for about ten months
before any action is initiated toward
their examination" He added that
the need for a comprehensive sur
vey OF conditions there (which I
expect to- undertake at the first OBJ
pottunity" was apparent.
Increased facilities at Howard
University. the report declared, were
OF paramount public importance. The
institution is one of two in the coun-
try. he said. which provides training
Tor negro physicians and dentists, and
recent statistics have shown that
there is but one negro doctor to a.
9l4 members of the race and only
one negro dentist to 2O,500.
The Interior Departments receipts
Tor the fiscal year of 1923 were given
by the Secretary as s63.5e6,64 com
pared to s4S 612,52S in the year pre-
vious. Most of the increase came
from ROYALTIES from oil leases on
Indian lands.
Austria Rates Co Up
Vienna Nov 1S-(A p NV Mai1N-