The Arvada enterprise., 1923-04-19
SWEET BILL AIDS THOUSANDS
measure Passed at Close Of Sixty.
Seventh Congress Benefits Many
Afflicted Soldiers,

world war veterans will be saved or
at least prolonged, by the passage of
the Sweet bill just mt the close of the
SiSty-seVenth congress, according to
American Legion officials The United
States veterans bureau has highly
commended the activity of the Amerl.
can Legion in bringing this bin to
vote at the eleventh hour, though Ma
tional Commander Alvin Ow sley 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 and are now wanderers in
Western states in hope of seeking out
cure for the disease. Many of these
are destitute and the passage OF the
bill, which permits greater leniency
by the extension OF the time in which
disability resulting from service origin
may be termed ms emitting the veteran
to compensation. is one of the henefi.
cial results.
The provisions Of the bin. afyording
more practical, beneficial protection
for the veterans, are sweeping. Per-
haps that 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 previous law limited
the veterans bureau to n consideration
Of pulmonary cases alone, and no ex:
animation was required, but officers Of
the bureau were permitted to use their
medical knowledge In determining the
approximate date when the afflictiOn
became active.
In another section OF the law the
time for securing Il certificate Of dlsa-
bllity has been extended to March !,
1924. The former ruling terminated
this period on August Q. 1922. These
certificates are incontestable evidence
of the service origin of the injury. ex.
ccpt 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 We're included in the
act. These provide that discharge on
the grounds OF "mornl turpitude" and
persistent misconduct" would not dis
bar the soldier from receiving compen.
sntlon unless he was found guilty by
court.martlal. A further provision Of
this section Is that if an injury was In
CURED In an enlistment previous I" the
one during which the veteran was dis
charged. that this would not dlsbar
him from compensation.
The Sweet act also provides that, III
cases where "A deceased Vctcrn leaves
insufficient funds 10 pay funeral en-
pens"s. the government will pay 500,
and an additional 81 for The cost of
flag with which to drape the cnskct.
A further provision will keep the bod.
les of many veterans from potters
fields. for the government will prepare
and transport home or to national
cemeteries the bodies of ex-service
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. insicnd ~ the beneil-
Charles being the only ones to receive
the benefits, the veteran VIII be cntl-
tied to the payments, on total or per.
manent disability. II his uncollected
compensation at the time Of the dlsa'
bIllty was sufficient {" meet past due
insurance premiums NJ the time the
policy elapsed.
Rejection for reinstatement ~ In
surnnce because OF a service disability
at the time of application for rein
statement was also 50 amended rs 10
permit reconsideration or the policy.
Eight thousand veterans are believed
Ia he affected by this provision. Fur
iher protection Is offered ihos" vet.
eraus who were mentally Incompetent
ana whose guardians permitted their
insurance to lupse Will. ia" patient
was rated mentally incompetent. Poll.
cics Of This nature are considered IN
,,nIr,I under the new law.