Evening star., 1933-05-26
COMBAT Disabled
face HEAVY CUT
Revelation Brings Criticism
of Administration by Caucus
of House Democrats.
Continued Frem First Page.)

Continued Frem First Page)
will be variations as to the groups
within this total.
"I.feaF. that any new publicity given
to- preliminary estimates as quoted
above will create unnecessary appre-
hension on the part Of many. For TINS
| reason the subcommittee of the Appro-
prfation Committee Of the House han
| ding this particular appropriations bill
saw fit to withhold this information
frem the House as whole and conflne
it to the above subcommittee
Certain House members are under
stood to have gained possession Of tins
letter, resulting in the calling or the
secret caucus last night.
The amount specified by Gen. Hines
he being governed entirely by figures
furnished him By the Budget Bureau-
as applicable to pensions for veterans
disabled In the World War. will, accord
ing to an authoritative estimate, provide
pensions at the average rate Of less
than $21 a month for the combat dis
abied.
Prior to the economy act. those vet
Grams disabled in combat received. ac--
cording to official records, an average
of $44.12 month.
As was expected in disabled veterans
thousands of veterans from the pension
rolls whose disability compensations
we're granted on the presumption that
their injuries occurred in the line OF
duty.
But despite this; the appropriation
Is SO limited that the combat disabled
veteran must take . drastic cut. OF
the total of 1913 ,658 World War veterans
now receiving compensation for war
ant tnd io &C d
after July 1, 265, 900 will still be- on
the rolls to receive the approximately
$65 5000 This will average approxf-
mately $244 year each. S20.33 month
for each war-connected disability case.
Prompt to Request Figures.
1t is understood the Senate Appropri-
ations Committee was prompted to call
on Gen. Hines for the breakdown of the
$l03 786, 900 because such was omitted
from the Independent Offices measure.
In former years when this measureA
was submitted to Congress, detailed
statements from the veterans admins
tration accompanied it which broke
down the totals carried in the bill so
that members Of Congress might know
the sums the Government proposed to |
pay out. In, the new measure the
World War cofnpensations are Jumped
in with the pensions for Civil War. |
Spanish American War and others, |
totaling 1921. 100000. a cut of $751;
100000 from the. vetoed bill, and no
effort was made to itemize it.
When the bin was presented, persons |
interested in veterans affairs said they
requested the veterans administration |
for a breakdown. The administration |
declined, referring all requests to Di- |
rector Douglas, who, likewise, refused |
to make the breakdown public
Meantime, the war-injured veteran |
Is taking the only. course allotted to |
him after he has received notification |
from the Veterans Administration that |
his compensation Will be cut. They |
are reported appealing by the thou |
sands to the three veteran organiza-
tions-American Legion, Veterans of |
Foreign Wars and the Disabled Amer
ican Veterans-for aid in shaping their |
cases for 1evtew. The organizations act |
as leeai advisers In such matters.
Right to Only One Appeal.
Under the regulations drafted by |
President Roosevelt the veteran has |
only the right to one appeal of his case
and this must be confined to claims In |
volving benefits and not on the basis of /
the rating given him on the degree of |
disability.
In order to determine, the number of |
Eases OF combat disability being reduced |
the veterans organizations have con-
Quoted a. survey by questicnnaire sent |
to the various administrations regional |
ofnces. An analysis of this study COM !
pleted from reports sent in. by Is re-
gional offices In various sections Of the |
country Is as follows:
The number Of cases 50 far, reviewed |
70 IF
compensation cases discontinued. 6,258: |
number to receive nonservice war time |
$50 permanent total award, 289, num- |
ber to receive service connected war |
time pension, 1927
The monthly allowance previously
paid service connected pensioners, $344,
908.35. New amount, according to the
analysis. to be paid this group, $l6e,470.
The study showed that. a.. per cent
OF the cases reviewed removed from
the rolls either because of breaking
service connected or rated no per cent;
2 per cent remain OH the rolls for the
$40 permanent nof1service' connected
award. and 81 per cent will remain on
the rolls for war time service connected
pensions, but at a reduced rate as
follows:
Average monthly rate under old sys-
tenn, $46
hN6IdBc IIOIllllly Idte IlcW SyS-
tenn. S21, OF reduction in money pay
naents of 81 per cent.
Appeal to President.
So drastic were cuts affecting the
erans' organization recently appealed
directly to President Roosevelt for a
more liberal. ruling The President
readily complied. by raising the rating
percentage by 10 per cent and promis-
ing review.
Under the new ruling veterans who
were classified as 10 to- Is per, cent |
disabled are given a rating of 10 per
cent. Those rated from 20 to IS per
cent are granted Is per cent; those
rated from IS to 60 per cent are given
so per cent, and these from 65 to 80
per cent are allowed rs per cent
Under the old ruling veterans who
we're classified as 10 to 20 per cent |
disabled were rated 10 per cent; those
from IS to 45 were rated Is per cent, |
and those judged SO to TO per cent were
rated SO per cent
Because of the lack of time, 1t was !
explained, the rating or reviewing |
boards, composed of two laymen and |
one physician each are not calling on |
the veterans to appear In person. In |
StcdQ Only IllS IcCOIu ID StuQleQ III uc- !
termining his new disability percent
age
Work II Mzchineiike
The average boards work is machine |
like and its decisions are limited to the |
rulings handed down by the Veterans |
Administration A sample rating sheet |
furnished the boards by the administra- |
ton shows that John Doughboy in COM |
bat was hit by shrapnel, resulting in |
the following injuries: /
Enucleation of right eye scars, multi
pie, disfiguring right forehead and
foreign body retained in right cheek.