Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-03
WORLD WAR MAY COST
s25.OOO,OOO,OOO PENSIONS
u. S. Launched on Policy of Compensa.
ticn Declared Capable of Reach
ing That Figure.

the veteran would be regarded as fully
disabled and unable to do manual labor
| In a speech in the House last jan
uary Representative William F. Kopp OF
Iowa, member of the Pensions Commit
tee, gave history Of pension legislation
in this country. 1t shows that the
practice of granting pensions began with
the Continental Congress and that
| service pensions were granted sooner
or later to the veterans of every i'm
portant war this country has been en-
gagged in, including the Revolution, the
War of 1912, the Mexican War, the
Civil War and the Spanish War.
Mr.. Kopp declared that the policy OF
service pensions would never be aban-
doned and that service pension would
| follow the World War. He declared the
country would inevitably take up with
the service pension system for the
World War veterans. Mr.. Kopp spoke
prophetically, although the pension
legislation for World War veterans
came about much sooner than even he
had anticipated.
Just as the allowances to the veterans
of the Mexican War, the Civil War and
the Spanish War have been increased
from time to time, so the allowances
will be steadily augmented. That fact
seems indisputable and unacceptable.
The records of the Pension Bureau
show that the greatest number of PEN
sioners on the rolls in the past was
reached in 1905. The total was 1,001,-
494 Not all but nearly all of these
were veterans of the Civil War or their
widows About 100000 men enlisted
in the northern armies in the war of
1896. In the World War, there were
about 100000 in service.
May Put 100000 on Roll.
When it is considered that the Gov
eminent has begun service pensions for
World War veterans within little more
than IL years after the end of this
war-much earlier than in the case of
other conflicts-it seems a safe predic-
ton that there will ultimately be on
the pension rolls of the Government
more than 100000 pensioners of the
World War, in addition to those of
ether wars.
What this will mean in dollars can
only be conjectured. It may be pointed
out, however, that if 2,000,000 pen
sioners were paid each $3.50 year the
total would be $500, 600, 900. Also the
average Spanish War pension now is
about $32 a month, or 1884 a year.
Obviously when predictions are made
of World War pension expenditure OF
$500, 060, 900 year they cannot be
looked on as out of bounds, or exag-
gerated.
In the year ended June 80, 1905, the
annual pension expenditure was $780,
1925. That was when the army of
pensioners ran over 100000. At pres
ent, with the number of pensioners
fewer than half what it was in 1905,
the expenditure Is about S220,000. 900.
The explanation Is that while the num-
Der of pensioners has declined, espe-
cially those of the Civil War, the pay
ments per person have increased
greatly.
Without question the policy of Con-
gress will be to pay World War vet
Grams on a liberal scale, and thus the
aggregate as the years go by will be-
come enormous. On the other hand,
the national wealth has become such
that 1t will be contended the country
Is better able to pay liberal pensions
to veterans than 1t was two or three
decades ago.
Politics Called Factor.
In the recent debates in Congress
there was talk of politics in connection
viii pensions And instances were cited
where men with little service to their
credit were getting literally compen-
linked That cannot be disputed. They
have been more or less interrelated since
the days when julius Caesar was hard
put to find land to bestow on his clam
orous veterans who wanted to be pen
stoned in acres for their service in the
Gallo wars, or since the time when
Pompey found land In Spain to satisfy
his DICTIONARIES.
Politics will drive Congress to enact
further pension legislation and will
drive the White House sooner or later
to sign it. And politics will play its
part in the administration of the law
by the Veterans Bureau, of which Gen.
Frank T. Hines Is the head, whether
officials admit it or not.
Every Senator and every Representa-
tive has claimants for pensions on his
hands whom he feels it incumbent on
him for political or other reasons to
satisfy. In return he expects the polit-
ical support of the pensioner From
this source and from organizations of
the veterans there is pressure on the
veterans administration which cannot
as practical fact be resisted.
Special Pension Bills.
Besides, there is the system of enact
ing at every session of Congress spe-
cial pension bills for the relief Of those
claimants who for technical or other
reasons cannot pass the pension au-
thorities. 1t Is asserted that politics
plays a part in such measures, despite
the fact that members of the Pensions
Committee deny it and assert that the
special cases are considered as fairly
as court of equity would consider
them, regardless of whether the appli-
cant is Republican or Democrat.
The fact seems to be in any event
that the individual cases relating to
pensions in which politics is played
are but small fraction of the cases
which are disposed of by the Govern
ment officials. Most of the applications,
which are now coming in by the thou
sand. are made on blank forms through
the regional Offices of the veterans ad-
ministration and will be handled as a
matter of routine. Now and then, where
case has a doubtful aspect and gets
clogged, the good Offices of Senator
or Representative will be enlisted.
The largest and most important as
pect of politics in connection with pen
sions concerns not the individual cases.
but the recurring bills for higher rates
and more liberal pension legislation.
The history of the country's important
pension laws shows that not many men,
bers Of either House stand cut against
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