Show insurance for men who go to war to replace old pension system by W G mcadoo secretary of the treasury for tho the first time in tho the history of tho the united states a concerted effort on governmental initiative is now being made to provide adequate and scientific financial protection for the officers and enlisted men of ill alio army and navy for their dependents 7 instead of proceeding along the old course of fighting a war first and caring afterwards for injured soldiers ol 01 and sailors and the families of those killed the government is now at the very outset of americas entry into the war laying plans for insuring and indemnify ing its fighting men the plan is intended to take the place of the pension system so far as concerns men and women engaged in ilia present war it is based upon the fundamental idea that the government should as a matter of justice protect its soldiers and tailors sailors and their dependent families and should do this with due regard for conditions as they exist today Work Mork mens compensation laws pension laws in tho ilia united states and foreign countries insurance practice and other related questions have been investigated during the preparation of the plans and as a result information will ill bo be presented to congress which it is hoped will lead to the enactment of legislation both just and humane the necessity for such legislation is admittedly more pressing in this war than in any other to which the united states was a party because at the outset the government has adopted the selective draft system it is generally admitted that under r such conditions the government has a solemn duty to perform to those selected in working out the new system it is deemed essential that a system for reeducation education re and rehabilitation be established so BO that injured men may be fitted as far as possible for lives jives of usefulness either in their formey former or some other vocations |