The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-10-13
NJ CARL s
DECISION
OSLKE:D
Amendment Also Provides
Chance in Section Affect
ing Kin Of Deceased

Washington representatives Of
the American Legion have started
. Congressional drive for modifi-
cation Of the world war bonus act,
it was learned today.
Success Of this campaign means
that the near relative Of a de-
ceased veteran mayo forego the
miracles Of the application process,
which provides that they must
swear they were dependent upon
the veteran at the time Of his
death.
Amendments Drawn Up
It also means that decision Of
the Comptroller General requiring
deductions from the bonus for
amounts owed the Government by
soldiers, win go by the, board.
This latter provision, it was ex.
planned today, will not affect Al
great number Of veterans, but will
mean considerable loss to some who
left the service overpaid or having
post exchange debts.
The action is being taken by the
legislative committee of the Afneri-
can Legion. It was authorized, in
Q general way, by the legion con-
vention in St. Paul, recently.
The amendments to the law have
been drawn up, and soon are to be
presented to leading members Of
both houses Of Congress who have
displayed an interest in veterans
legislation during the past few years.
Law At Present.
At present, the law provides
that the nearest living relative of
q veteran-wife, child, mother or
father-must submit, in applying
for the bonus, sworn statement
Of dependency at the Veterans
death.
This phase Of the law has been
q matter of constant argument
among the various departments
handling the bonus, and Of late
some common form Of the depend
ency statement has been agreed
upon. This form, however, is not
entirely satisfactory, and veterans
organization officials hold it to
be needlessly harsh and not In
accord with the intent of Con.
gress. The passage of the sug-
gested amendment would be al
most as welcome to the Govern
ment as to those persons more
directly affected.
The other change sought in the
law is based upon an interpreta-
ton handed down by the Comptrol-
Ter General, who holds that debts
owed the United States by ex-ser.
vice men must be deducted from the
adjusted service credit of these
veterans. The credit is what might
be called the premium on the bonuS
insurance.
The Comptroller General has been
asked why the amount could not be
taken from the total of the insur.
aIice certificate-twenty years from
now. Through this arrangement,
the men would have larger prem
iun1, and the final deduction would
not be SO ,proportionately large. The
reply was that the men had had the
use OF the Governments money all
these years and It was high tiTnel
they had paid It.
Rulings Not Popular.
Some Of COMPTROLLER General
McCarl's rulings are not very pop
ular, and this is among the most
disliked, according to officials who
have heard the reaction of veterans
TO the proposal. I.
The man who was most instru-
mental in having the American
Legion take up the matter OF modl.
flying the bonus law is Major w o.
Clark, head of the bonus section Of
the Veterans Bureau. Major Clark,
who is probably more closely in
touch with veterans affairs as re-
CARDS the bonus than any other
official, went to st, Paul with the
idea that the law could be modified.
The legion was OF the same opinion.
Major Clark stated today that his
office is handling approximately
$4,000 applications day, after the
papers have been passed upon by
Inent, while the Navy Department
being converted into Certificates,
which viii be mailed out on Janu.
ary /, and into checks, ia be sent
g veterans and dependents on
March i. &.
About 10000 OF these applications
arrive daily from the War Depart.
menE whiel the Navy Department
send over approximately 100 and
the Marine Corps keeps a strict
daily average of 800. A force OF
500 employees is handling the work
IN the bureau, This Is Considerably
below the number which e was ex.
pected would be needed.