Evening star., 1925-10-05

=
and making adjudications on the
ground. The decentraliZed system, he
said. had proved it's efficiency and viii
be adhered to.
BY eliminating unnecessary steps
in the handling of cases. the bureau,
the director said, has been able to
concentrate on building up more eff
cient forces and at the same time
effect a reduction of 1000 in the
number Of field employees in the past
l3 months.
1T is significant" Gen. Hines said.
that this reduction has been accom-
plished with no breakdown in the
quality of service and in the face OF
Il considerable extension in authority
to the field Offices"
Many Veterans on staff.
AS a result of the bureaus policy
of placing in key positions" when
ever available, qualified ex-service
men and women to the end that
service to veterans may be rendered
with the utmost sympathy and un-
derstanding.' their number, Mr..
Hines reported, has now been in
creased to 51.I0 per cent of the bu-
reau's total force of $500. Excluding
hospital attendants. he said. 62 per
cent of the male force are eX-Service
men.
Gen. Hines reported that construc-
ton has been completed at six ma jor
hospital projects, adding a total of
2,111 beds. He said the effort was
being pressed to make the Govern
ment-built or own hospitals equal or
superior TO the private institutions
, in which veterans are receiving
treatment
The director reported that despite
! the fact that the limit of time for
| conversion of the yearly renewable
term of insurance is but nine months
| away, there are still l7Z go yearly
! renewable insurance contracts still
in effect.
I'm anticipation of the expected
necessity for conversion by July >.
1926" Gen. Hines said. requests are
being received for insurance at a
lower premium than the ordinary life
rate. Bearing in mind the fact that
many of our term insurance con
tracts are with disabled veterans in
capable of earning a full livelihood
and that in other instances ConVer-
sion will be impossible because of
financial inability at this time to meet
the higher level rates, ! favor effect
ing for these cases a further eXten-
SlOn or protection at a prelnl um rate
less than that called for under the
ordinary life plan
New Plan Sought.
This question is now being studied
with view of providing insurance at
a low premium for a period of five
years and a legal reserve level pre-
MUM thereafter, with the privilege Of
exchange on any anniversary date
during the first five years to any
policy on higher premium basis un
der such conditions as may he neceS
ssIry through the application of reCog
nlzed insurance principles
Gen. Hines commented on tie speed
with which applications for adjusted
compensation were received and han
died by the bureau, declaring it to be
an unprecedented administrative aC-
complishment."
The veterans lined up for a fight on
the Endorsement of Col. William
Mitchell's recommendation to Con
gress OF q separate air service depart
,nent.
Disappointment at the cOlonel's in
ability TO attend was assuaged some
what by announcement that a mes
sage from him would be ready before
as d distinguished guest was regarded
by his friends as an attempt to keep
him from carrying his fight to the
floor of the convention, although
legion officials announced that only
combat generals and admirals were
invited as distinguished guests.