Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-02-15
Veterans Face Delay
|0f Month in Getting
Increased 81 Aid
By George Beyeridqe


to school under the CT Bill face de-
lays of at least 80 days in receiving
subsistence payment increases due
early in May, it was learned late
last night.
President Truman yesterday
signed a bill raising living allow
ances for student veterans from SIS
to SIS a month for those without
dependents, from 500 to SOS for
those with one dependent. and from
$50 to $40 for those with more
than one.
The questions of whether the
measure applies to all students and
whether 1t will give increases to
trainees in other CT Bill programs,
however, has the Veterans Admin
istration, the veterans and observers
in a state of uncertainty.
To Cost S217,O00,D0O.
The bill was signed and became
law despite Mr.. Humans recent
budget-message statement that he
did not favor .eost-of Living in
creases for veterans at this time,
The increased benefits will cost the
Government about $2l7,000,000 a
year.
The new schedules are effective
April / and should be reflected in
checks sent out April 81.
Veterans Administration officials
said there might be delays of "at
least a month" however, because
of the amount of bookkeeping and
other administrative work involved.
Increased checks then will continue
normally.
OF more immediate Importance to
Wand thousands of CT trainees
is the myriad of legal problems
and conflicting opinions which the
law poses.
Exact Intent Uncertain.
The main difficulty centers on a
provision of the Jaw that the higher
rates will be paid only to veterans in
courses "of full-time institutional
training" Whether institutional
training means only schools, col
leges and universities is a problem
for Veterans Administrator Gray
and his aides to decide.
Officials cite on-the-farm train
ing as prime example of the prob
lem. In this case, veterans do
some classroom study in "insti-
tutions," and some sob" training
on farms.
Some officials feel that such
trainees as resident doctors in VA
hospitals, who are learning special
ties, should be classed as "institu-
tional" Others, however, contend
they are on-the-job trainees, be-
cause their study does not involve
formal courses of instruction.
Part-Time Students Involved.
Another problem is whether vet
Grams taking part-time courses at
colleges should get the higher rates.
Experts on the staff of the House
Veterans Affair Committee said that
they would be eligible, despite the
full time" provision in the law.
Still another important question
is a provision that the higher rates
will be paid upon application to
the Administrator VA does not
yet know whether this will mean
that each student will have to file
a formal appMcation-which could
mean additional delays in payment.
1T isgbelieyed that ,applicatio
need befiled only BY stude fts ehgible
for the@$120 payment, to prove that
they have more than one, de-
pendent. ~ VI s&s$ss,t
Income Ceiling Holds.
Many veterans who are eligible
for the increases. butswho also hold
Jobs, might lose out because of a
law which limits total income. These
ceilings" cut subsistence for vet
Grams without dependents if their
total income exceeds SITS a month,
and for those with dependents If
their income is more than $500.
If a veteran makes 500 month,
for instance, he could get only an
other s10O from the Government
for going to school, even if he were
eligible for the $3.50 payment under
the new law.
Senate and House conferees now
are trying to settle differences in
bills which would raise the ceilings
for on-the-job trainees. 1t could