The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-08
HUGE SUMS FOR
VETERANS WHO
NEVER FOUGHT
Real Heroes Are Paid Less
Than Gold Bricks for
War Disability.
Continued from Page Il


# the Unknown Soldier has a
mother and father living, each is re-
ceiYing SIS month.
II the Unknown soldier left be-
hind only a mother, she now is get
ting $40 month.
II the Unknown Soldier left a
wife, she is receiving a dollar day,
$50 month, in return for the man
she gave. If she has his child to
rear and educate, the United States
adds $40 a month, with six dollars
additional month for each ad-
ditional child.
Well Paid for No Risk
TO visualize the iniquities and
abuses made possible under this
program of legislation, let us take
the hypothetical case of a man
drafted into service Just before the
srnaistice.
Say that he spent a month in
the army, taking out war risk in
surance, which he allowed to lapse
promptly with his discharge; that
he got q job and worked regularly
until June, 1924; that he then dis
covered that an old case Of syphilis
which he contracted in the army
and for which he was courtmar-
tailed, had developed into locomotor
ataxia; that he had refnstated his
government insurance and shortly
afterward became totally blind as
result of his malady.
Under the law, this mans trou-
bles would be the result of his war
service, although there was no OBJ
legation on him as a soldier to ex-
pose himself to syphilis. Neverthe-
less congress has rated him along
with the man whose eyes were
gouged out in a bayonet fight with
the enemy, and he would receive
500 month for total disability
an additional $50 a month for blind
ness, $50 month for an attendant
and $3.50 a month from his gov
eminent insurance, grand total OF
$257.50 a month.
He is receiving far more in a week
than any Of the Unknown Soldiers
dependents get in month.
"Soft" for Officer
Or consider the hypothetical case
of an emergency reserve captain who
did short tour of duty in nom
combatant service. Say he was dis
charged suffering from some minor
malady, such as a cough due to
over smoking, or chronic constipa-
ton.
He worked at his profession after
the war, earning good living,
Meanwhile, his slight indisposition
became somewhat worse.
In 1928-ten years after the armi-
stice-congress passed the emer-
geney officers retirement act. Under
the terms of that law, if the ex-
officer could show that his difficulty
was 80 per cent or more "perma-
nently" disabling (Which it would
not be hard for him to prove), he
would be handed q present Of $1,000
a year for life, regardless of whether
he later recovered from his diSabil-
ity, and regardless of what he was
earning in civil life.
The law makes a case like that
possible, places a value on this kind
of case at five times the value of the
life of the Unknown Soldier, so far
as his widow is concerned, and seven
and one-half times the payment to
his mother.
Pets of Government
Victims of other wars in govern
ment hospitals refer jestihgly tc
World war veterans as heroes.
This because a World war veterans
lobby has been able to shove through
congress laws giving veterans of the
late war far greater emolumcntS
than those of other wars.
For instance, a World war vet
eran gets his travelling expenses
and receives $2.65 day in addi-
ton when he reports for phySica,
examination to determine whether
the government owes him anything
for disability. These payments are
made whether there is any merit ir
his claim or not. Veterans of other
wars pay their own travelling eX-
penses, receive no wages.
A soldier blinded by a German
bullet gets $3.50 q month in COM
pensation. If it was a Confederate
bullet, an Indian bullet, or Span
ish bullet, it brings $125 month.
System Is Confusing
A German shell which caused
total deafness brings a man $500 9
month; a Confederate or a Spanish
shell brings $40 month. These are
typical examples. To enumerat:
all would fill volume.
The whole problem becomes con-
fusion twice COMPOUNDED when al
effort is made to gauge the value
of dead soldiers of various wars
A widow of a veteran of the Civil
war who is past 70 and was mar.
ried prior to June q, 1905, collect:
$40 a month; If she was married Il
the soldier during his service, She
gets $50 month. Thus she il
rated higher than a World wal
widow.
The mother of a Civil war veteran
receives $50 a month--ten dollar,
more than the amount given the
mother of a World war veteran
The mother of a veteran of tht
regular army or navy is entitled K
from So to $40 month, depending
upon her sons rank.
orphan brothers and sisters az
not figure at all in the compensation
legislation for World war veterans
But in the case of other wars, if {
pensioner dies from a service-con.
nected disability, leaving neither
widow nor legitimate children, TIT
mansion NAV be paid in the orde,