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Show . . > - ; / ' ' < : - f// f fe / / , ; , " A C Ce e l1ll nturittpf nturittpfr t UJllr a w K A ' ) a eX : ASS ASS4Nf ( Z i 4N/f 4N f / J ! z - ' a , fro r ; y ! , y yy y JF FederaU FederaUa1 e d e QL ( 7 ' re1rlL Pe n n if 0 ( ) l1ll fl ww/f ww f , / t\ t \ ' a1 1 ; ? tC / 2) 2 ) ) , jv jvs : : /s\/ s / s4 s1r \ / 4 , . i f 1r H J Q i t tti ti tii y } y y'SEYI 'SEYI SEYI ' \ 4 ' * , K , at atti ti 3 ' ran " t j 1 I r rL : L ' . . . , Mt t } h , x'ct xct ' " ' o , M ; MI I Y r ? Y nCawS nCawSo ; C FY t F i + i , , c Y t ta a 444i4IIa 4 4444i4IIa k ct : c4 : R Rct ; u0 F :1 1 : + I/ I : / j ? 4Y whw.m whwm whw.mr whw.mb . r b/ b bw'KOK ' / $ " " - w'KOK wKOK ' ' hrY " ( M ; \ " r r'Ir rIr ; ' : The Pen.ston Penston Pension : . . Buildiruq BuildIng BuildiruqBy 4 1 1By 4By By ELMO SCOTT WATSONHAT WATSON HAT Is the most expensive thingin thingin thing thingIn In the world ? No , It Is Js not a rare metal , nor nora nora norf a precious stone , nor any of the theother theother theI other things which we commonly commonly common- common commonly - ly thlnk think thlnkof , + of when the adjecth adjectises adjectises"expensive adjectives"expensive adjectivesexpensive es es"expensIve "expensIve expensIve " " " or "costly costly " " are ap- ap applIed applied ap-k ap k - - plied to them themThe themThe them9 The most e expensive E'nsive Ensive ' thing inthe In Inthe Inthe the world Is wart war ' / For war oar ar arbHe , while \\bHe bHe ttltlle \ \ It Is In prog prog- pros- pros prosress progress progress - . ress , not only exacts a fearful fearfultoU fearfultoll fearfultoll toU toll of lives , careers and money moneybut , but long after the last gun has been fired and andthe andthe andthe the battle flags fiags have been furled , a nation en- en en.aged enraged en engaged - gaged .aged aged raged . In It Wit continues to pay P'lY PlY ' and pay and pay payr payThe pay'The payThe r ' ' The occasion for these reflections upon the thecosts thecosts thecosts costs of war Is the fact fnct tint th'1t th1t that ' March 12 of thIs thIs1ear thisrear thisyear 1ear rear marks the one hundredth anniversary annivers'1ry annivers1ry ' of ofthe ofthe ofthe the establishment of the United States pension pensionbureau pensionbureau pensionbureau bureau and during durlDg that Institution's Institutions ' career of ofDearly ofnearly ofnearly Dearly nearly a century , it , was vas the medium throughwhIch throughwhich through which there were paid out st'1 st1 staggering ' gering sums ot of otmoney ofmoney ofmoney money in pensions penSlOns to veterans , their " widows idows and andtheir andtheir andtheir their dependents And these staggering st'1ggermg st1ggermg ' sums sumswere sumswere sumswere were only a small sm'11J sm11J sm'ill smill ' ' part of the actual actu'll actull actwil ' expense of ofthe ofthe ofthe the wars in which hlch Uncle Sam has been engaged engaged.Here engagedHere . Here are the latest available avatlable figures on the theamounts theamounts theamounts amounts of pensions paid out from 1790 1700 to 1932 1932but , but as will w1ll be seen later In this article artfc1e even eventhese eventhese eventhese these figures do not tell teU all aU the story story"War ' "War War " of revolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 7000000000War 70 7000000000 000 000 00 00War War of 1812 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4620372040Indian 46 4620372040 4620372040Indian 203 720 40 40Indian Indian wars . , . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 53587996881far 6358799688 5358799688 587 996 88 88'f'ar 1far 'f'ar far ' War ' with Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 6013912829 6013912829Civil 13912829 13912829Civil 139 128 29 29Civil Civil war . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 760032152534War 7 760032152534 600 321 525 34 34War War with Spain . . - . - . - . - . . - . - . - . . - . - . - . . - . - . . - . - 686 688 68651368971 68651368971Regrular 513 689 71 71Regular 71Regular Regrular Regular establishment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102912871 102 10291287161 912 871 61 61World 61World World war . . . . . , . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . 2Q5 205 2 5 265 42Unclassified 42Unclassified 42 42Unclassified Unclassified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 1651342554 1651342554Total 513 425 54 54Total Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , $8 8 $863648762319 863648762319 $863648762319It $ 636 487 623 19 19It It will wtll be noticed that unbelle\ unbelle unbeliev unbelievably unbelle'lbly \ 'lbly lbly ' bly small fig- fig figures fignres fig figures - ures nres are cited for the World war pensioners pensioners.Obviously pensionersObviously . Obvlouslv Obviously this does not include the vast sums sumsthat sumsthat sumsthat that have hate ha\ ha habeen \ been paid out In one form forIb forth or another anotherto anotherto to these veterans and the explanation e1.planatton e1planatton eiplanation . Is that thatthere thatthere thatthere there was a different dlfrerent ; set cet up for compensating compensatingthose compensatingthose compensatingthose those who served In this conflict contUct . . . Since the close of the Worldar World \ war \\ar ar the gov gov- government goy- goy goyernment government - - ernment has paid out approximately appro-imately appro imately - . : ? G,31S- G,31S G31S G,31S103,733 0,312 0312 G,318-108,733 G,318 G318 108,733 108733 , , , , - 103,733 103733 10S,733 10S733 , on account of relief rellef of World war"et war vet \"et- "et et vet- "eterans veterans \ " veterans - erans and their dependents-an dependents an dependents--an dependents - - - an average of about about(451,300000 about451300000 $451,300 451300 $ ( $ , 000 annually Some of this money was wasJaid waspatd waspaid Jaid patd } in Insurance premiums by the veterans veteranstherosehes veteransthemseltes veteransthemselves therosehes themseltes , , but the greater portion pOltion poitlon came from fromthe fromthe fromthe the treasury Appropriations mads mlde made : by congress congresstor congressfor congressfor tor for the financing of veterans ' relief in the fiscal fiscalyear fiscalyear .ear ear year , . 1933 103'3 1033 ' total $027,84D 02784D $927,849 927849 $927,849000 927849000 $927,849000Seven $ , 000 000Seven 000Seven Seven form forms of relief rellef have been provided and andaU andall andall aU all are In operation They are ' " ' Adjusted cervice service cervicecompens'ltlon servicecompensation ; servicecompensation compens'ltlon compensltlon compensation : ' , medical care and treatment , dis dig disability . ability ablhty compensation . , United States insurance Insuranceterm , term Insurance Incur'1nce Incur1nce : ' paid for permanent and total totaldlsabmt totaldisability totaldisability dlsabmt disability , , disability dlsablhty allowances , and emergency emergencyomcers emergencyofficers emergencyofficers omcers officers ' retirement payOn payOn pay payOn On June 30 , 1931 , the veterans admmistratton administration administrationwas admmistrattonwas was set up , the old pension bureau was absorbed absorbed1n absorbedin absorbedIn 1n in It and all \ veterans eterans ' ' activities actlvlUes and operation ot of othomes ofhomes ofhomes homes for veterans are now concentrated In this thistederal thisfederal thisfederal tederal federal organization orgamzation which Is headed by BrIg BrIgGen BrigGen BrigGen Gen Frank Prank T Hines as administratorThe administratorThe administrator administratorThe bythe The adjusted compensation compensatlOn law , changed by the act of 1931 , made it possible pocslble ; that compensa compens'l- compens'l compensl compensa- compensation compens'ltion compensation ' - tion certificates , maturing in 20 years , should be beavaUable beavailable beavailable avaUable available to all aU below the rank of captain cnptaln who whohad whohad ho hohad had served sened In the military mtUtnry service more than than60 60 days At maturity these certificates will vary 1n in varyIn vary1n value from $150 150 $ I1.i0 I1i0 . to $1,595 1595 $15D5 15D5 $ , , ! , , depending on the thelength thelength thelength length of the veterans ' ser service , Ice , , and meantime meantimemoney meantimemoney meantimexnoney money may be borrowed on them Certificates CertificatesSesued Certificatesissued CertificatesIssued Sesued issued up to March 1 , 1931 , totaled 3,498 3498 3,498376and 3498376and , 376 , 022,777.Loans 022777.Loans 022777Loans and had a total maturity value of $3,528022,777 3528022777 $ $3,528 3528 $ , 022,777 022777 , . Loans made upon them approximated approxlm'lted approxlmlted ' about about(243,000000 about243000000 > $243,000000 243000000 ( $ 6243,000 6243000 , , 000 during tho the same periodUnder periodUnder period periodUnder Under the hoepltallzatlon hospitalization plan all veterans veteransare veteransare veteransare are entitled to free tree treatment of hospital nature natureeither natureeither natureeither 51hospitals fi1hospitals either In or out of ot government hospitals . , fi1 51 hospitals being operated In 1931 , five more be- be be - . ing being built buUt and nnd ten more authorized by congress . The congress.The congressThe cost of operating these Institutions and car car- - ing 1I1g 1ng caring car1I1g car1ng $450000,000to 450000000to 000,000to for the patients Is In excess of $450 450 $450000,000 450000000 $ 000,000 000000 , to January 1 , 1931The 1931 1931The The government go\ernment go ernment \ relief reltef program Includes death deathand deathand deathand and di disability ablllty compensation , disabled emergency omcers officers emergencyofficers emergencyomcers ' retirement pay and disability allowance allowancewhich allowancewhich allowancewhich which 1932.Another 1932Another have cost $2 2 $ $ 205,215,659 205215659 205,215,050 205215050 205,215,6 2052156 , , ! ' , D up to July 1 , 1932 . Another relief rehef activity Is the grant of ot lo low cost Insurance costInsurance against ag.tlnst agtlnst . death or permanent disabIlity disabilityIn disabIlity1n 1n in any multiple of $500 500 $ from $1,000 1000 $ , to $10,000 10000 $ , to toany toany toany any healthy veteran who has pre\ pre prey previously preiously \ iously applied appliedtor appliedfor annuallyWiewable annuallyrenewable annuallyrecewable tor for or hn has been eligible eltglble to apply for annually renewable recewable war time Insurance or United State Stater . = = : : = : = 11 11r 114I r 4I ( ! Ir " , - ; X Y.If YIf . A AA _ A ; I'LL ILL I'LLwr1 ' wr1 " ar aro o * ' L + 1 1ti ti tiL James Monroe e r . Orover Grover Clevelandgovernment Clevelan-cL Clevelan cL Cleveland ClevelancLgovernment - government life hfe ( com converted concerted erted ) Insurance The Thetotal Thetotal Thetotal total amount paid on these Items is $1G70,157- $1G70,157 1G70157 $1,670,157- $1,670,157 1670157 $1G70,157400 $1,670,157400 $1,070,157-409 $1,070,157 1070157 409 $1,070,157409Many $ , , , - 400 400Mun 400Many Many Mun thousands of claims have been filed flied un- un under under un under - der the law lav , provIding "providing providing " monthly pa payment patiment ' ment of term termInsm terminsurance termInsuiance insurance Insm 'lnce lnce ' and go government , ernment life IIfe Insurance for total totaland totaland totaland and permanent disability disablIItv , and relief reIlef was beIng beInggiven beinggiven beinggiven given In.20HJ5 In20HJ5 In * . 20,195 20195 , cases ca'5es ca5es ' on June 30 , 1032The 1032The 1932 1032 1932The The disability dfsabtuty allowance plan , \ which \ hlch went Into Intoetl'ect intoeffect Intoeffect etl'ect etlect effect ' July 1 , 1930 . , provides monthly payments paymentsto to veterans eterans teterans \ permanently disabled to the extent extentof extentof extentof of 25 per cent or more , c\ c even cen \ en though their dls dis dlsabl1lty disability disability abl1lty ability was "as as " not Incurred In or as a result of oftheir oftheir oftheir their terms of service Another new relief reIlef law lawprovides lawprovides lawprovides provides for the pensioning of emergency om ofQ ofQcers omcers offlcers cers who are 30 per cent or more disabled or in- in incap'1cltated incapicitated In Incapacitated - capacitated cap'1cltated cap1cltated cap-icitated cap icitated ' - as a result of their World war service serv serv- servIce service - ice on the same basis b'1si'3 b1si3 b'isis bisis ' ' ' as retired ofilcers officers ofifcers of the thereguar theregular theregular reguar regular ] armvThe armyThe armv army armvThe The history of pensions for veterans of Amer Amer- AmerIcan American American - - ican wars goes back to the earliest e'lrltest elrltest ' days davs of the thercpubhc therepublic therepublic rcpubhc republic On June 20 , 1776 , even e.en een . before the theDeclaration theDeclaration theDeclaration Declaration of Independence had been adopted adoptedthe , the Continental congress congreqs appointed a committee committeeto to ' Consider 'Consider ' what provision ou ought ht to be mnde made mndefor madefor madefor for such as are wounded or disabled wsabled In the land landor landor landor or sea service " This committee made a prompt report , and on onAugust onAugust onAugust August 26 , 1776 , the first national pension act in inAmerIca inAmerica InAmerica AmerIca " was "as as passed by the Continental con con- congress congress congress - gress That part of the law fixing fi"Cmg fiCmg fi'zing fizing " ' the amount amountwas amountwas amountwas was as follows "That That " every commissioned commlscloned : oll ofil ollcer ofilcer ofllcer cer , non commissioned officer , and 'lnd lnd Wind ' private prlv'1te prlv1te ' soldier soldierwho soldierwho soldierwho who shall lose loqe loge a limb IImb In any eJg'l eJgl engagement : ' ement , or be beso beso beso so disabled in the service of the United States Statesof Statesof Statesof of America as to render him incapable inc'lpable inclpable ' after after- afterwards afterwards afterwards - wards of getting ettmg a Ih livelihood ell hood , , shall shull receh receive e , dur dur- durIng during during - ing his life or the continuance contfnu'1nce contfnu1nce ' of such disabil disabil- disabilIty disability disability - - ity . , the one-half one half one-h'llf h'llf hllf one-hilf hilf - - ' of his monthly pay from and andafter andafter andafter after the time that his pay as an officer or orsoldier orsoldier orsoldier soldier ceases cease , ; : ' " After the Constitution had been adopted and andthe andthe andthe the new government had been organized . , It con contlnued continued continued tlnued tinued for a time the pensions which hlch had been beenpre beenpreciously beenpreviously pre\ pre prelousl preciously paymentSoon \ lousl granted gr'lnted grlnted grtnted ' and a assumed sumed their payment Soon , however , a strong demand arose for a anew anew anew new pension law lay , and on ' "March March 'larch larch " 23 , 1792 1702 , the thefirst thefirst thefirst first pension law passed by the new government governmentwent governmentwent governmentwent went Into effect etrect . . . Later there tbere grew a demand for a pension law lawnot lawnot lawnot not based upon dumbtu disability ty Incurred in the serice service serviceand ser\ ser serviceand \ ice iceand and in his annual message to congresb congres congress : . on De December December Decomber cember 2 , 1817 , President Monroe recommended recommendedeuch recommendedsuch recommendedeuch euch such a law , . A bill bl1l was passed by the house on December onDecember 24 , as a sort of a Christmas present to presentto bythe the veterans of the Revolution , passed by the senate Immediately afterwaids afterwards afterwfil ds and approved by approvedby President Pre'lident Prelident ' Monroe on March 18 , 1818The 1818The 1818 1818The madefrauds m'ldefrauds m'tdefrauds The loose wording of this laho law la\\ la \ , however hoever ho\\ ho \ ever , |