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Show ASK CHANGES IN WAR RISK ACT Important Amendments in Bill Are Asked of National Lawmakers. REVISE SCHEDULE UPWARD Increased Compensation for Disabled Ex-Service Men Is Urged Bureau Seeks to Give Fullest Possible Service to Those Affected. Washington. "Our work in conducting conduct-ing the affairs of the bureau must be guided by the counsel of the soldiers, sailors and marines themselves. Our aim Is to be of the fullest possible service serv-ice to those affected by the act." Thus Colonel It. (J. Choi meley-Jones, director of the bureau of war risk insurance, in-surance, in the course of a talk to wounded soldiers at Walter Heed hospital, hos-pital, Washington, D. C, epitomized the motives behind the action of the bureau in requesting congress, through the treasury department, to enact several sev-eral important amendments to the war risk insurance act. These may be divided di-vided into two general classes those affecting the compensation features of the act, and those concerning war risk insurance. A very Important proposed amendment, amend-ment, and one which meets with widespread wide-spread approval, is the upward revision revi-sion of the schedule of compensation payable to disabled ex-service men. Under the present schedule a man totally to-tally disabled is entitled to $30 a month, If single. The amendment rtiises this by $50, making .$80 payable pay-able under these circumstances. If he lias a wife but no child living he gets $45; the amendment provides $C0. If he has a wife and one child, he draws at present, $55; the amendment gives him $95. Extend the Provisions. The law now provides that if a man loses both hands, both feet, or the sight of both eyes, or becomes helpless and permanently bedridden, he shall receive $100 a month compensation. Experience has shown that many men who have lost an arm and a leg, or one limb and the sight of one eye, are just as badly crippled as men who have lost both feet or both bands, and so the bureau has recommended that in addition to the injuries at present entitling en-titling a man to compensation at the rate of $100 a month, the following shall be included : The loss of one foot and one hand ; the loss of one foot and the sight of one eye. These are deemed deem-ed "total and permanent disability" by the express wording of the amendment. amend-ment. There is also a provision that for a "double total permanent disability," disabil-ity," meaning cases in which men are maimed so seriously that their injuries include two of these classifications, the compensation shall be $200 a month. The bureau has found a very widespread wide-spread sentiment among ex-service men in favor of having their policies made payable in a lump sum, or in installments in-stallments covering a short period of time, at their option. To meet this demand Director Cholmeley-Jones has urgently recommended a modification of the war risk insurance act to permit making provision In the contract for converted insurance for optional settlements set-tlements on the part of the insured, making such insurance payable either in one sum or in Installments for thir-; thir-; ty-six months or more. If the insured has not exercised his right of election, under the proposed amendment the beneficiary may elect to receive the insurance in monthly installments covering a period of not less than three years. Include Other Relatives. Another very important item is the proposed enlargement of the permitted class of insurance beneficiaries (spouse, child, grandchild, parent, brother or sister) to include, in addition to those enumerated, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law. All of the amendments described above, together with several other proposed pro-posed measures of less general interest, inter-est, but of much importance, are incorporated incor-porated in the so-called "Sweet bill," introducer! by Congressman Sweet of Iowa in the house of representatives on August 2G, 1919. The whole trend of the bureau's recommendations manifest Us desire to be of the greatest possible service to those for whom it was created the men who served our country in the Great War. Not only In recommending the adoption of amendatory legislation, but in every other possible way, the bureau is doing Its best to expedite its service, and to carry out the letter and spirit of the act in behalf of the men for whom it was prepared. In the matter of the settlement of insurance in-surance claims the bureau is practically practical-ly current. Of over 12:!,000 claims, all but 9,000 have been settled, and regular regu-lar payments are being made. The 9,000 unsettled cases consist of those in which the beneficiaries live in foreign for-eign countries or for some other reason rea-son cannot be reached. A diligent effort ef-fort is being made to get in touch with this comparatively small residue. Insurance Paid Promptly. A great many people do not renlizt that there is a wide difference between the insurance feature of the act and the provision for compensation. An insurance claim is paid immediately tc the beneficiary ; but in the case of a claim for compensation a great many features must, under the law, be considered, con-sidered, such as the members of the family within the permitted class, the extent of their dependency, and the extent of the soldier's disability. This accounts for the fact that claims for compensation have not been settled as promptly as insurance claims. The compensation and claims division of the bureau is bending every effort to determine these cases as quickly as thorough and intelligent handling will permit. A large staff of examiners is working night and day in making compensation com-pensation awards. The medical division has just completed com-pleted a very trying and difficult task the preparation of a schedule of disability dis-ability ratings for different injuries and combinations of injuries, based on $100 per month as compensation for total to-tal disability. If the Sweet bill (H. It. 877S) becomes law, all compensation for disability will be based upon $100 per month as a maximum instead of upon $30 as at present. This schedule is necessarily very complicated, being designed to cover all probable combinations combina-tions and degrees of injuries, and must be revised from time to time in accordance with the bureau's experience experi-ence in order that full justice may be done in all cases. "Unquestionably, the government insurance in-surance contracts will be constantly improved, as experience indicates the need for improvements, and it is decidedly de-cidedly to the advantage of all of us to hold the maximum amount of this government insurance," adds the director. di-rector. , Reinstatement of Insurance. "A recent treasury decision has auth- orized the reinstatement of govern-j govern-j menf Insurance within 18 months after discharge by the payment of only two months premiums on the amount of insurance in-surance to be reinstated, one covering the month of grace during which the policy was in force, and one for the month in which reinstatement is made. This is a very generous provision, and will make it possible for all ex-service men to retain their government insurance insur-ance after they have become adjusted again in their normal civil life. Indeed, I look for a very heavy reinstatement and conversion as soon as the Sweet bill passes the senate and becomes an act and it is made known to all those who are affected. "The bureau appreciates tremendously tremendous-ly the co-operation it has had from the insurance officials and the men of the insurance profession, and it is. to be regretted that there are some few who disregarded their moral obligation to assist the ex-service men by encouraging encour-aging the men to drop their government govern-ment insurance and take out insurance in private companies. It Is my personal per-sonal opinion that all ex-service men in such instances should combine in their disapproval of such action, and 'should in some forceful way express their utter disgust for those who are found guilty of such practices. Indeed, in the years to come, I feel confident that in such cases where ex-service men have been advised in such way as to allow them to lose their government insurance, that there will be at least one man in the world whom the ex-service ex-service men will utterly despise, and distrust, and that will be the unscrupulous un-scrupulous agent who in a time of test was found wanting." |