The Colorado statesman., 1923-10-06

For some months everything seems
to have been quiet In the veterans bu-
reau, which is the biggest single busi-
ness department the government of
the United States runs. This does
not mean that the bureau has not been
working. There are those ready to say
that 1t has been working harder than
ever, but that there has not been much
noise made.
II appears to be only right to say
that complaints which formerly
were made daily concerning the vet
ernns' bureau, and not only made daily.
but voclferously seem to have dlmin-
ished almost TO the vanishing point.
The disqualification plans of the bu-
reau all have been drawn, and most
of them have been put into effect.
The main trouble in the past was con-
nected with disqualification. Charges
of all kinds were made touching on
incompetence and neglect. They have
become fewer and fewer as time has
gone on. The hope seems TO be that
before long complaints which were the
immediate sequence of the war will
be heard no longer. If the veterans
are satisfied the people necessarily
will be.
There Is one matter, however, con-
nected with care of the veterans which
never yet has been given considera-
ton. 1t seems curious that 1t has
been overlooked, but the fact Is that
nothing has been done about it be-
hpg lot
be that the American Legion and
other veteran organizations will take
the subject up when some one Is found
who Is willing to call it to their at
tention.
The legislation of congress and all
the endeavor of the Legionnaires, out
side of beneficent efforts for the
wounded, have been directed for the
benefit Of the young men Of the serv-
ice. The volunteers of advanced age
have had nothing done for them, and
there Is no prospect apparently that
anything is to be done for them in
the future. The old fellows, SEEM
ingly, are too proud to speak for them
selves.
No one except the men who at an ad
vanced age volunteered for the serv>
ice and were accepted seems to know
that the man who went into the World
war as a volunteer after he had passe
the age of fifty is today without the
benefit of government insurance, with
out hope of benefit from the bonus and
without hope of a pension, no matter
what may happen to HIM physically in
his old age.
Congressman and other officials of
the government did things In hurry
at the outbreak of the war. 1t was
taken for granted that there would be
no old men In the service except those
who were in the regular army and
navy and whose future was provided
for under the retirement acts. All
the legislation of congress and all the
regulations of government were framed
for the youngsters.
Thousands of Them.
There were thousands of Americans
who, because of their previous military
training or because they possessed GER
tain useful qualifications, were taken
into the service at an age well beyond
that fixed as the draft limit. Most of
these were salaried men who gave up
fair returns for their work to receive
the much smaller pay of an army o.
Ger. Many of them willingly suffered
financial loss to serve their country.
These men went back to civil life at
an age when saving for the future was
necessity. These men of advanced
years took out government life lnsur-
ance policies. Today most of them
find that they are unable 70 convert
their policies into life contracts be-
cause of the prohibitive cost. The
young men find conversion and pay
ments easy. The older men are COM
PEELED. or will be in two years time,
to give over their policies because they
cannot afford to pay the premiums.
The man who had the spirit to vol
unteer in middle life has no pos
sible hope of government help If
sickness overtakes him. The soldiers
of the Spanish war automatically get
pensions when they arrive at the age
of siXty-two years. World war vet
eran who went through the hell of
the Argonne will get nothing on his
siXty-second birthday or any other
birthday. He can't keep up his in
surance; If he is in fair health he can
not get compensation, and he never
can get a pension unless some official
of government sees the rank injustice
of the whole thing and compels ac-
ton. Under the present condition the
young man gets everything and the old
man gets nothing.