Evening star., 1949-11-17
3Veterdns'
]Guide
By Maj. Thomos M. NiaI.

By Maj. Thomos N. Mol.
Congress eased very few laws
to the Presidents desk this past
session-on veterans affairs, that
Is. What there were will be COW
cred in this column over the next
couple Of weeks.
90. First on the list is new Public
Law 339. signed into law Octo-
Der 10.
yOften styled the omnibus COM
pensation bill" by reporters. the
new law boosts compensation rates
for veterans Of all wars. 1t also
increases death compensation for
q widow with one or more chill
dren. However, it does not raise
death compensation for dependent
parents or motherless children.
Until December l (when P. L.
339 starts operating) disability
compensation will be paid at the
old rates. They range from $3.50
for a 10 per cent disability to $138
q month for a 100 per cent dis
ability.
The new rates will run from SIS
to $3.50 a month, an per cent
increase. The additional amounts
of compensation paid for losses of
legs or arms, etc.. do not change.
For widows and children? The
old rate land present rate) Is 500
for q widow with one child and
SIS extra for each additional
child. The new act raises these
amounts to $105 for a widow and
one child, with $25 Cinstead of
.$15) for each other child.
A widow with three or four
children drawing compensation
for the service-connected death Of
her husband, will get comforta-
bic boost under the new rates. I'm
not styling 1t is adequate. but it Is
comfortable. $50 or $40 a month.
- In July, 1948, the 80th Congress
Iassed q law which offered special
sAxtra allowances to veterans go
Der cent or more disabled, and
who had dependents. This new
law brings into that special circle
about $4,000 ex-servicers only so
per cent disabled.
= How much allowance each de-
pendent rates depends on the vet
'eran's degree Of disability. For
100 per cent disabled the amounts
are:
With wife, $21 a month; wife
and one child, $35; wife and two
children. $45.50; wife and three or
more children, $56.
One child alone, $14 a month;
two children, $24.50; three or more
children, $35; dependent mother
or father, $17.50 each.
That's the allowance list for
veterans 100 per cent disabled.
Veterans with 80 per cent disa-
bilities get 80 per cent of those
amounts, 80 per cent disabled get
80 per cent, etc. The so per
centers will get exactly half.
2 When this law was being talked
about In committee. attempts were
made to grant allowances for de-
pendents to all disabled veterans
(service-connected) down to 10
per cent. Including the so per
cent grpllp was. q. compromise. Ant
attempt undouhtedlyY will be maaef
next year to lows &hesbarrier xiAl
further.
, Another proYisionl n p. L.-a3eI
4nocks outthe Apittatton on cc64f
psnsationnfor WerA War vet
erahs Tor Certain diseases and dis
abilities presumed to be service
connected. That limitation has
been rs per cent. It is now 100
per cent, or will be on December /.
: This has absolutely no effect at
all on World War II veterans, who
were never saddled with the rs
per cent restriction in the first
place. That came in 1884 as an
amendment to the famed Econ
omy Act of '33, which had wiped
out all compensation for all pre-
sumptive cases.
You may 1Drite Maj. Mai in
care OF this newspaper in con-
nection aDith your oUn service-
connected problem. Enclose q
seJ-addressed, stamped enue-
LOPEZ
(From Associated Press Newsfeatures)