Evening star., 1933-05-30

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the Veterans Administration from $685.
600 to 225,000. Still unable to stay
within this fund. the Veterans Admin
istration has ordered reductions aver
aging so per cent in pensions.
Revised Pension Rates.
The committee is known to have laid
before the President the following re-
vised regulations now placed in effect
by the Veterans Administration, aHect-
ing combat wounded:
Decentralization of arm, for which the
present rating gives the veteran s94 for
his right arm. and $89 for his left, is
cut SO per cent.
Amputation of hand. which warrants
a $40 pension under the present rating,
is cut AZ per cent.
Decentralization of thigh. which war-
rants S65. under the present rating, Is
cut 20 per cent.
Amputation of thigh at knee joint,
which calls for pension OF s58 under
the present rating system, Is cut s.
Amputation of the foot, which calls
for a pension of $44 under the present
rating system, is cut 54 per cent.
Loss of hearing in one ear. which
now calls for a pension OF $50, is re-
duced to So.
Loss of one kidney, which now calls
for a pension of $40. is reduced to $40.
It is also known that the committee
informed Mr.. Roosevelt that the reduc-
tions for combat wounded would cause
considerable suffering and one member
is known to have asserted that deaths
brought about by these drastic cuts
will equal. II not exceed. the number OF
veterans killed in combat during the
World War" The committee has among
its records now, it was stated, several
cases of suicide.
Douglas Blamed.
The committee Is also known to have
placed the responsibility for the reduc-
tions squarely on the shoulders Of Bud
get Director Douglas and Of charging
that Douglas was not keeping faith"
with his campaign promises made to
his Arizona constituents during the last
campaign.
In citing proof the committee is
known to have handed Mr.. Roosevelt
a letter, which he is reported to have
given lengthy perusal. The letter fol-
lows:
September 8. 1882,
Phoenix, Ariz
Hon r. c. Stanford,
Ellis Building,
Phoenix, Ariz
Dear Judge Stanford:
II am writing this letter to advise
you fully concerning my stand on legis-
lation in regard to the Spanish -Ameri-
can War Veterans.
1T is not now, never has been and
never will be my intention to require
of the Spanish American War Veteran
proof of service-connected disability.
I realize that after the lapse of all these
years since the Spanish-American War
it would be impracticable, If not utterly
impossible, for the vast majority Of
these veterans to prove such service
connection, although it actually exists.
Il have not now, nor did ever have.
any idea of disturbing any legislation
concerning the Spanish American War
Veterans. except those economically in
dependent.
Trusting that this satisfactorily ex-
plains my stand in regard to the matter
of special interest to you and the hun
dreds of other Spanish-American War
Veterans throughout Arizona, am,
Very sincerely yours,
(Signed) Il. w. DOUGLAS"
Fixed Lump Sum.
Committee members asserted that
they have secured evidence at hearings
they have conducted showing that
Douglas fixed the lump sum cut with
out consultation with veterans ad-
miniStration officials. He then called
in Solicitor James O'Connor Roberts
of the veterans administration ac-
cording to the committee members,
and ordered the solicitor to draft the
veterans provisions in the economy act
and the regulations affecting compen-
sation reductions issued by executive
orGe:.
The committee further charges that
on March 10, the day before the
economy measure passed the House,
Douglas and Veterans Administrator
Frank T Hines testified at an eXecu-
Committee during which they sub
mitted figures revealing how dractic
the veterans cuts would be.
1t is further charged that the report,
marked confidential. issued by the COM
mittee on the day the measure was
voted on in the House, was withheld
from House members until after the
measure had been passed. The COM
mittee members further charged that
had members of the House known how
drastic these cuts would be before the
roll call was taken in the House. the
economy measure would not have been
approved.
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