Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-22

for their tUdr peterGHs and what
they contemplate doing)
BY q stan Correspondent of The Star and
North American Newspaper Alliance
By Cable 10 The Star
PARIS, August 21.--War pensions
cost France annually 24o,O00,o0o. OF
this, 16O,o0O,00O gees to the mutilated,
the widows and to a certain proportion
of the front-line veterans Of the World
War who have passed So
There were 100000 men modified
in France during the war. Few escaped
injury in some form. There were, TO
begin with, 1900, 900 killed. Mere than
a million are on the pension list. receiv-
ing regular payments, often not much,
for wounds or incapacity in some form.
Outside the damage by bullets ano
shells, the worst and most lasting was
by gas. There are on the pension list
more than 800. 900 whose health was
permanently impaired by gas, and II
all who we're harmed by it were on the
list the number would double.
II ell the front victims were on the
pension list. in fact, the number still
receiving pensions would exceed 1000
thu pension list of the Wcrld War alone
The highest pension paid in France Is
Abeut 81 400 a year Few receive 1t, as
n a given only to those who are COM
Rr-rely helpless aud require the AID VI
$ame one. The most completely In
ended Of these lost both legs, one arm
nmd both eyes. Fate had just little
Wy, leaving him part of his left hand.
He has the stump of his forehnger and
the thumb. The 81 400 takes care OF
him and the two woman relatives who
look after him. It goes farther and pro-
vides more than similar sum IN the
United States.
The "grands mutiles," those badly
mutilated number $4,000, and they re-
ceive pensions almost $500 year to the
ton figure. Sl.40O. These "grands
nlitiles" have not necessarily lost legs
or srrns, many having facial wounds
which left them only twisted masks.
These "gueules cassees" (broken JowisD
number many thousand, but Tor the
most part they are not segregated, as
most of them LIST legs or arms as well.
Heavy Mortality in Gas Cases.
OF the gas victims most of the recog-
nized cases we're listed Immediately after
the war. Large numbers were placed
in the "grsnds mutiles" class, but they
were not long charge to the public;
their lungs failed to resist even the
comparatively mild climate of France.
OF the 100000 front victims re-
ceiyine World War pensions the greatest
number are classified as having between
10 and 30 per cent disability. They are
considered IN q position, which IS
usually the case, of looking after them
selves. Their compensation is there
fore small They number $4,000, the
largest group, and receive only $50 q
year.
Most Of the World War victims re-
ceiving pensions have been on the list
since the end Of the war. The law OF
1919 which established the present PEN
sion system, required registration within
five years. Most Of the serious or eyi-
dent victims registered at once, and
being readily able to produce proof,
received pensions But some victims
did not realize their disabilities ct once,
so 1t was decided to extend the period
Of registration two years. and this has
happened every two years since.
Those who can still apply, however.
belong to certain definite lists of trench
fighters whose presence in the firing
line is on record. In practice it has
become extremely difficult even for these
unquestioned combatants to get on the
pension list.
Many beginning TO perceive their dis
ability only now were gas victims, lightly
touched. Their bronchial tubes snd
lungs have with time weakened much
more than would normally have been
the case. The tendency Of the exanIin-
ing boards has been, however. to refuse
these cases. with the explanation that IL
is impossible to establish whether the
present weakness Is due TO gaSSing in
the war or other causes since the war;
This attitude is to prevent large IN
crease IN the pension list, which could
easily be made If every soldier who
had smelled gas at the front was eii-
gible for pension.
New Conflicts Swell Pensions.
The World War produced, of course.
most OF the pensions paid by the French
government, but the French Army Is
daily active somewhere 1t Is In state
Of open warfare with the dissidents on
the Southern borders Of Algiers and
Morocco and has been at war with those
OF Algiers more than 100 years.
The French Army Is scattered and
so is the navy, and the forces Of the sea
being counted with those of the land
and all being Jumped together with
those Of the World War, the general
pension list Is constantly growing from
new conflicts as victims Of old conflicts
die OF.
Pensions in the past were always han
died as part Of the ministry Of war.
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