The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-06-03
(valedictorian)

A uniform pension bill placing all classes of war veterans on one footing has been introduced at the present session of congress, by Representatives Nell G. Underwood of Ohio. The bill is aimed at the reduction of operation of veterans administration on grounds of econ- omy and calls for the abolishment of the veterans administration as an independent executive establish ment and the scrapping of the of- fee of the administrator of vet erans' affairs, an office now held by General Hines, who was re- tained in that office by President Roosevelt when President Hoover stepped out of the White House.
 Creates New Department
 The bill provides for the estab- lishment of a department of vet erans affairs, at the head of which shall sbe a secretary of veterans af- fairs, who shall be appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the senate, and who shall receive compensation at the rate of $15,000 per annum.
 It provides pensions for World war veterans who served 90 days and were discharged with an hon. orable discharge on account of dis ability incurred in service and line of duty, and who are suffering from mental or physical disabilities not the result of misconduct. The rates of such pension are-if the vet eran has reached the age of 50 years, and is 50 per cent disabled, SIS. If he is 55 years of age, and 75 per cent. disabled, $50. If he is totally disabled from the perform ance of manual labor, and unable to earn living, regardless of age, $45.
 Representative Underwood intro duced two bills, one to abolish the Veterans administration, and the other creating uniform pensions for any and all veterans of American wars.
 Cost of Operation
 The present Veterans Admins tration in addition to its central of- flee, in Washington, with it's 5,- 952 employees, operates regional offices and hospitals in every state except Delaware, and maintains and operates 72 hospitals and IA soldiers homes, necessitating the services of about 30,415 more em- ployes. Salaries for this army of employees totaled $5S,52S,639 for 1883.
 The author of the bill pointed out that the present pension system is a patchwork of old legislation, new legislation, reenacted legis- lation, regulations and precedents. Out of the jumbled mess, no one can hope for the equality and jus- tice which should be the very foundatoin of any pension system. In 1898 the old pension bureau, be- fore it was consolidated with the Veterans Administration did the work with 1886 employees. It takes 34,S90 employees to take care of the department cases, under the Veterans. Administration according to the Underwood estimate.
 Under the bill the secretary WOotu AidN0 thO POWSh " o0bAioAa as many regional offices as he found not needed, and cut the force of employees as he saw lit, All claims for pensions would be handel solely in the central office in Washington, and the method of procedure in use by the old bu- reau of pensions of the depart. ment of the interior, as before the World war, restored, which was operated on real economies. and had a well regulated system. :.
 MT. Underwood believes that If the bills are enacted that they will represent new deal for the veterans, their dependents, and the taxpayers of the country. and point a way out of the forest of red tape now surrounding the veteran question. If either of the two bills are passed by congress