Evening star., 1933-05-26
COMBAT DISABLED
FACE 90 PER CENT
COMPENSATION CUT
Revelation Brings Criticism
of Administration by Caucus
of House Democrats.

Although assurance was given that
veteran economies proposed by the ad-
ministration would not affect the COM
bat disabled World War veterans whose
disabilities were incurred on the bat
tlefields Of France these veterans stand
today slated for approximately so per
cent cut in the compensations granted
them by the Government.
Shortly after this statement was
culled from the records of the Veterans
Administration yesterday, House Demo-
Gratis convened in q secret caucus on
Capitol Hill and assailed the admins
tration of the national economy act as
1t affects veterans.
They authorized the Steering Com
mittee to name group to wait on Pres
ident Roosevelt to demand q relaxing of
the regulations. Speaker Rainey and
Representative Woodrum of Virginia
asked the members to support the Pres
ident in the administration Of the econ
omy act, but many of them said they
didn't get much response"
However, responding to an appeal by
Speaker Rainey that no resolutions be
adopted criticizing the administration
for its treatment Of the veterans, the
caucus allowed Representative Rankin
of Mississippi, to withdraw his proposal
to create committee of seven to pro-
test to the Chief Executive.
Adun;ufxtraf afion Ase.J JIsd
Instead, Representative Crosser Of
Ohio, chairman of the Steering Com
mittee, was authorized to select q
time during today.
Describing the caucus, Representative
Shannon Of Missouri, said:
There were a number Of speakers
and they all assailed the administration
of the economy act and the treatment
the veterans are receiving The senti-
ment of the members was that they had
been bunked into voting for this
economy act and that they all regret it"
Budget Director Lewis Douglas in
drafting the independent offices ap-
preparation bill. cut, in conformity with
the administrations desire, the pension
allowance for World War veterans from
1912 100000 in the 1884 bill, which was
pocket-vetoed by President Hoover, to
s103, 10000 in the new measure.
Gen. Frank T. Hines, veterans ad-
ministrator, upon demand, it was
learned authoritatively, has supplied
the Senate Appropriations Committee
with the following breakdown Of pen
sions for all wars:
World War, $103. .786, 900.
Spanish-American War, 41,659.644
Civil War STA l41 800
Other wars. $4,070.966.
Peace time. $8,072, 900.
In letter to the Senate Committee
Gen. Hines further classified the item
of sl03,786,000 for the World War as
follows:
Disability compensation (war con-
nected injuries, which the 1884 bill We
toed by President Hoover allowed $221,-
739.879), s64 ,902, 900.
Disability allowance (non service con-
nected injuries which the Hoover vetoed
bill allowed slol $4,000, $s,884. .oO0
Emergency officers retirement pay
$10,029, ,826), $3,300,000.
World War death compensations
(Which the 1884 vetoed bill allowed
S39 ,389, ,000), s25, 100000.
Figures Are Guarded.
Gen. Hines letter has been guarded
with extreme precaution to prevent
these figures becoming public before
action is taken on the independent Of
fees bill, probably next week. The ad-
ministrators letter explained the rea-
son as follows:
I'VE have been extremely loath to
give out information concerning the
breakdown of these items, as it is felt
that only through the review now being
made may we arrive at a reasonably
accurate distribution of pension ex-
pense, especially in view of the fact
that but one appropriation covers pen
sions of all types and there probably
Continued on Page 2. Column 81