Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-04

number OF dependents Of each veteran
This was given in addition to the hos
pitaltzation granted by the Government
which cost the Government Sl20 a
month, so that each one of the bills to
which have referred granted a pension
OF about 5000 month or more to every
ex-service person affected who had de-
pendents if such person was hospitalized
In some cases the pension would be
$3.50 month.
The bill reported by the committee
at least had the virtue of consistency
in that 1t provided that any person suf-
fering from any disability which could
be shown to have existed prior to Janu-
airy /, 1925, would receive exactly the
same amount Of money as the few
classes already given the presumption
of service connection. It was purely a
pension measure at compensation rates.
III contained many other provisions
which were of great merit, but did in
clude one discriminatory provision
which provided that any man given
disqualification by the Government,
which costs the Government $120 a
month, should further receive an al
lowance while in the hospital for his
dependents. This was $50 a month for
the wife. $40 for the first child and Sc
for each additional child. That bill was
presented to the House and violently
amended One amendment provided
that selective list of people suffering
from certain diseases if contracted prior
to January 1, 1880, should be deemed to
have secured that disability In the sery-
ice during the war. 1t contained many
aosurditieS. For instance, it provided
that man who contracted the govt or
had become so fat that he could not
work, or suffered from hemophilia a
disease that could only be inherited,
or ricketts,, q disease of childhood. or
pellagra or scurvy, that can come only
from faulty diet, would be presumed
70 nave been contracted in the service.
House Made Bill More Absurd.
The House of Representatives made
the Dill more absurd by providing that
the Government would practicaIlv hs
PROMPTED from showing that these dis
eases were not contracted in the service.
1t was further amended to provide that
any person suffering from any disability
contracted before January /, 1880, should
be deemed to have secured such disability
in the World War 1t would have cost
somewhere between $l81 100000 and
S4OO, 100000 each year, in addition to
the SSH ,000, 900 which now Is expended
for veterans relief. 1t would have eStab-
lished permanent pension policy for
rate given man who was actually in
jured in the war.
1t was amended in the Senate so as TO
provide that q certain limited number
Of diseases contracted prior to 1880
should presurnptively have been &C.
quired In the service. AS 1t came from
the Senate, it included the discrimina-
tory hospital allowance to which I have
referred.
The President vetoed this bill on
June IS, 1880. In my judgment, he
could not have done otherwise. It was
manifestly unfair and discriminatory.
to secure bed in hospital, 1t gave an
allowance Of from $40 to $50, depending
on his dependents. To the man not
fortunate enough to secure bed in a
hospital, or who was willing to fight
his way In the world outside the hos
pital, 1t gave nothing. To the man with
govt scurvy, ricketts,. pellagra and some
other diseases 1t gave full compensation
To the man with certain forms of heart
trouble phlebitis, bronchitis, dysentery
malaria, pleurisy and other diseases,
which were entirely disabling, it gave
nothing. 1t took approximately 1900
men unquestionably suffering from GER
tain specific diseases and gave them
everything To 100000 men equally
disabled it gave nothing. Men suffering
from diseases included in the bill might
have enlisted In June, 1921, nearly 3
years after the close Of the World War,
served a few days, been perfectly sound
as to health until December, 1929, and
receive the same compensation as man
who fought throughout the World War
and suffered every disability.
Issue Well Drawn by Veto.
It was so discriminatory that no
President could fail to see it, and hav-
ing seen it could fail to veto 1t. If this
bill had become a law. fairness, decency
and justice to the veterans would have
demanded that at the next session Of
Congress every veteran be included in
It's provisions, and no government could
have sustained the cost OF such bill.
Not its cost but its discrimination,
however. is It's vital defect because the
Government has a right TO expend
whatever II desires on veterans. II does
not, however. have a right to descriml-
nate as between veterans equally dis
abled l do moi know of single in
telligent World War veteran in the
United States who attempts to justify
the determinations, preferences and In
justices Of the bill President Hoover
vetoed. Some OF them may say that all
veterans who become Ill should be hos