Evening star., 1933-03-19
PUBLICITY IS SUGGESTED
FOR PENSION PAYMENTS
Writer Declares Current Abuses Could
Be Checked by Posting Names on
Walls of Local P3st Offices.

that since the Great War the French
government has twice tried to reduce
the rate of pensions paid to French
veterans-and in each case the govern
ment in power making the attempt has
fallen.
No Group Ever Removed.
The ether part of this statement,
not materially different, is: No group
CT veterans, once placed on the pen
SIGN rolls. has ever thereafter been re-
moved as a group. Occasionally individ-
uals, of course, have been removed
through discovery of fraud or for other
reasons but no class of veterans once
on the pension list has ever, as a class,
been removed This statement like
wise is here made of the United States;
but, as in the other case, suspect 1t Is
also true of other countries and Of all
history.
To this latter part of the statement
there is one exception, a very tiny
exception, lost in the history Of more
than 100 years ago, but dug up and
presented to the writer of this article
by Edwin G. Dexter of Washington.
Nearly 116 years ago. in 1917. Amer
lea was very prosperous and the Treas
ury of the United States found itself
In that agreeable condition President
James Munroe in his message to Con-
gress December 2, 1877, suggested gen.
eroslty to veterans of the Revolution
ary War Congress agreed with Presi-
enacted pensions for each veteran of
the Revolutionary War who is. BY
reason of his reduced circumstances in
life. left in need Of assistance from his
country for support The law went
duly into effect. The number who re-
celved pensions was 1920.
Scandal Arises.
Presently it was perceived that q
good many veterans were receiving
pensions who decidedly did not con-
form to the specification in the statute.
They were not in reduced circum-
stances and not in need of assist
ance for his support" Scandal arose.
There was agitation much like the
present. Violent newspaper attacks
were made on the administration.
AS a result of the uproar there was
enacted on May 1, 1920, legislation to
the effect that persons receiving the
new pension must actually be in re
duced circumstances" actually lin need
VI dSS1StdiISc llOill lllS SOuiltly
The remedial law required that every
should go before some court of rec
ord n the county, city or borough in
which he resides" and should there
swear to a statement showing his in
come from business, employment or
investments and the property that he
owned. This schedule of assets and
income, the law required, shall be
filed in the clerks Office CT the court
and shall be exhibited"
That last phrase, shall be exhibited"
meant publicity. And publicity, together
with the remedial law itself, did the
work. Some 5000 men. more than one
in three, were dropped from the pen
sion rolls.
Publicity was effective in 1920 Pub
licity might be similarly effective now.
One Of the objectives demanded by the
National Economic League is that the
names of all recipients Of veterans
compensation shall be posted on the
receive their checks. AS the law now
stands, the records are kept secret.
1t is widely asserted, and is probably
true, that if each community in the
United States knew the names of those
among them who are receiving pensions,
and the amount they are receiving, a
good many abuses would be ventilated.
and, through ventilation, be stopped
There are stories so fantastic as to be
almost incredible about men who are
ablebodied enough to receive salaries as
policemen, firemen or in other occupa-
tions requiring strong physical equip
ment, but who are at the same time
receiving compensation from the Fed
eral Government upon the theory that
they are wholly or partially disabled.
Stories OF this sort so grotesque as to
challenge possibility float about It Is
impossible to verify them because there
is no access to the records.
Several Cases Cited.
Occasional instances happen to be-
come known through accidental dis
closure of the information. A number
of cases are described by Ernest Angel,
writing on The American Legion VS..
America in the Nation for March IS.
Mr.. Angel tells the case of a policeman
who has passed four successive, rig
orous physical examinations for promo
tion-but who is being paid s85 a
month by the Federal Government upon
the theory that he is 95 per cent dis
abled by tuberculosis" Another city
employe drawing a very considerable
salary, upon the theory that he is able
to give full service to the city, Is also
on the rolls of the Federal Government.
receiving compensation upon the theory
that he is "33 per cent disabled by
arthritis" There are said to be literally
tens of thousands of such cases. A re-
quirement by law that the names of
pensioners be displayed on the post Of
flee wall would enable neighbors to pass
judgment on the merit of such cases.
Parenthetically. Mr. Angel, by a
happy turn of fact into phrase, has ex-
pressed one of the most vivid and con-
vincing arguments emerging in this
whole agitation. He says, Congress in
the short session voted to give to per
cent of the people more than 80 per
cent of the entire probable revenue of
the Government for. the next fiscal
year"
This conforms strictly to accuracy.
The probable revenue of the Govern
ment for the next fiscal year from all
sources - income taxes, inheritance
taxes, taxes on tobacco. taxes on luxury
and import duties-will be little over
$4,000, 100000. The total expenditures
for veterans is just under 81, 900, 1000 900.