Mr. BURSUM, from the Committee on Pensions, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. R. 2158.] The Committee on Pensions, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 2158) to provide for the monthly payment of pensions, having considered the same, report favorably thereon, with the recommendation that the bill do pass with an amendment. On page 1, lines 4 and 5, strike out "September, 1921," and insert in lieu thereof "July, 1922." The report of the Committee on Invalid Pensions of the House of Representatives, hereto appended, is adopted and made a part of this report. [House of Representatives, Report No. 69, Sixty-seventh Congress, first session.] The law which authorizes compensation is only another name for pension, and is based on military or naval service from and after October 6, 1917, and provides for monthly compensation to be paid monthly. The pensions now paid quarterly are based on military and naval service performed in the War of 1812, the War with Mexico, 1846-1848, the Civil War, 1861-1865, the War with Spain, 1898, the various Indian wars up to 1891, and during the peace up to October 6, 1917. There are at present approximately 571,000 pensioners on the rolls. Over 225,000 are soldiers who rendered service in the Civil War, and more than 280,000 are the widows of soldiers of that war. In providing for compensation for soldiers and sailors of the war with Germany, and the widows and dependents of such, Congress acted wisely in making a law requiring the payments to be made monthly, and they are so made to more than 200,000 persons. Last July the Invalid Pensions Committee of the House of Representatives of the Sixty-sixth Congress reported a bill providing for the monthly payment of the same class of soldiers covered by this bill. At that time extensive hearings were had. The Hon. Gaylord M. Saltzgaber, Commissioner of Pensions, appeared before the committee and earnestly advocated the passage of the bill. The reasons for his support of the measure were substantially the same as those set out in the letter of the Hon. Albert B. Fall, Secretary of the Interior, on May 11, 1921, and which is included as a part of this report. The letter is so complete in its statement of facts and figures that it covers the case entirely: WASHINGTON, D. C., May 11, 1921. MY DEAR MR. BLAND: Referring to H. R. 2158. a bill introduced by you April 11, 1921, providing for the payment of pensions monthly on the fourth day of each month, beginning not later than July, 1921, I have to inform you that the terms of the bill can be complied with in the Bureau of Pensions, with the exception of the date of commencement. Owing to the vast amount of preparation, changing of the records, ordering new machinery, procuring more spacious quarters and desks for an additional clerical force, at least five months should elapse between the date of the approval of the act and the date the actual operations thereunder should commence. Inasmuch as the monthly payment of pensions would mean that the amount of work now performed in three months would have to be performed in one, it would be necessary to employ immediately after the approval of the act an additional force of 167 clerks at an average annual salary of $1,440. It is estimated that an appropriation of at least $44,075.12 will be required at once for the purpose of procuring and installing machinery, desks, etc., itemized as follows: 1 check-cutting machine, to be made by Benj. Stickney, mechanical expert, Bureau of Engraving and Printing.. 3 10-pen signagraphs, at $1,000 each... 10 automatic addressographs, at $1,600 each. $35; long arm, $30; lister, $30; cut-off, $2; each $322. 10 addressographs, model F-1, $175; motor, $50; check-listing attachment, $1,300.00 3,220.00 10 graphotypes, at $385 each.. 3,850.00 1 card-index machine.. 1 sealing machine..... 164 desks, listed in schedule at $42 each.. 164 chairs, listed in schedule at $9.25 each.. Additional schedule paper required for 1922. Additional vouchers required for 1922. Additional envelopes required for 1922. Additional stationery required for 1922.. 300.00 250.00 6,888.00 Additional postage required for foreign mail for 1922.. Total...... 1,517.00 841. 28 260.60 4, 674. 45 1,500.00 473.79 44,075. 12 Under the act of August 17, 1912, the pensioners are arranged into three groups and paid their pensions quarterly. The first group is paid on January 4, April 4, July 4, and October 4; the second on February 4, May 4, August 4, and November 4; and the third on March 4, June 4, September 4, and December 4 of each year. Approximately 200,000 pensioners are paid each month of the quarter under the present system. In the event the change is made during the next fiscal year an additional appropriation of $20,000,000 should be added to the present appropriation of $265,000,000 for the payment of pensions for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1922, for the reason that there would be no funds to pay two months' pension to the pensioners in group 1 from April 4 to June 4, or one month's pension to the pensioners in group 2 from May 4 to June 4, as the annual appropriation for the payment of pensions is made to cover the fiscal year from July 1 to June 30, inclusive. The appropriations provide payment for group 1 to April 4 and for group 2 to May 4 only, so that if no additional appropriation be made for the succeeding year there would be no funds to pay group 1 beyond April 4 or group 2 beyond May 4. It should be noted that this estimate provides only for the additional cost in the Bureau of Pensions. The increased number of checks would affect the work in the Post Office Department and in three branches of the Treasury Department, viz, the Treasurer's Office, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and the Office of the Auditor for the Interior Department. It is thought that the additional number of clerks required during the first year after the change is made could be diminished in proportion to the annual net decrease in the number of pensioners on the roll, which in the last eight years has averaged 31,000. Bills have been introduced and much discussion had on the subject of transferring the Division of Compensation of the Bureau of War Risk Insurance to the Bureau of Pensions. Should this be done the Bureau of Pensions would receive in the transfer an equipment and a trained force now used in preparing and sending out checks for compensation monthly and there would be no necessity for appropriating any money for additional equipment, supplies, and clerk hire. T The laws authorizing the pensions for different causes based on military or naval service which ended before October 6, 1917, fixed monthly rates in every instance but provided for their payment quarterly. The law which authorized compensation based on military or naval service from and after October 6, 1917, provides for monthly compensation to be paid each month. The pensions now paid quarterly are based on military and naval service performed in the War of 1812, the War with Mexico, 18461848, the Civil War, 1861-1865, the War with Spain, 1898, the various Indian wars up to 1891, and during peace up to October 6, 1917. There are at present approximately 571,000 pensioners, of which number more than 225,000 are persons who rendered service in the Civil War, and more than 280,000 are widows of soldiers of that war. The number of persons receiving compensation based on service in the World War at the present time is approximately 200,000. In providing for compensation for soldiers and sailors of the World War and the widows and dependents of such, the Congress made provision that the payments be made monthly, and they are so made. Salaries and wages are universally paid weekly, bimonthly, or monthly, and retail business generally is conducted on a cash basis or on short-time credit, 30 days at the longest. The men and boys who entered the Army or Navy in defense of the Government in the World War were mostly persons who earned their livelihood with their hands or brains, and who had up to the beginning of their service received their wages weekly, bimonthly, or monthly. In considering these facts the Congress doubtless reasoned that if it was considered good policy to pay salaries and wages at short intervals to people in good health to enable them to use their income to the best advantage it would be equally as good policy and more necessary to pay the compensation to disabled men, widowed women, and minor orphaned children at the very shortest practicable intervals, and fixed upon the monthly payment as the proper period. Now, if upon full consideration of the facts and conditions the Congress decided that the compensation to be paid by the Bureau of War Risk Insurance to soldiers and sailors of the World War and their dependents should be paid monthly, I think it is fair to assume that taking into consideration the necessarily advanced ages of the pensioners of the War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Civil War, the War with Spain, and the Indian wars, all pensions paid by the Bureau of Pensions should be paid monthly. As stated before, there are now approximately 505,000 soldiers and widow pensioners of the Civil War alone, and the great majority of them depend largely upon their pensions for support. Many, perhaps most of them, have no other source of income. They live on a three months' credit and whenever, as sometimes happens, a quarterly check miscarries in the mails and is not received on the date it is due, complaint is made, frequently with a heart-rending story, about the hardship entailed by the failure of the check to arrive on time. Sometimes a quarterly check is lost in the mails or otherwise, and in such case a duplicate check can not be issued until after the lapse of 30 days from the date of the original, and then only after an indemnifying bond has been furnished by the pensioner. That takes time and causes some expense to the pensioner and prolongs considerably the period between payments. As a general rule duplicate checks do not reach their owners under two months from the date of the original or lost check. The pensioner therefore suffers much inconvenience and great hardship if he has no other income, and his creditors likewise are inconvenienced. Assuming that the Congress did right in making the payment of compensation by the Bureau of War Risk Insurance monthly and that no change will be made in the law, there is no apparent reason why the Congress should not be asked to authorize monthly payments to pensioners paid by the Bureau of Pensions. Under the existing laws it appears that there is a discrimination in favor of a comparatively youthful list of beneficiaries receiving compensation and against a large list of very aged beneficiaries receiving pension. The payment of pensions monthly would enable very many Civil War pensioners to receive one or two months' more pension than they get, for the reason that they are dying at the rate of about 4,000 a month and very many of them live until within a few days of the quarterly payment. If paid monthly they would receive pension up to the fourth day of the month of their death if they died after that date. Sincerely, ALBERT B. FALL, Secretary. The Committee on Invalid Pensions, having under consideration the said bill, recommends that the same be amended by striking out the word "July" and inserting therein the word "September" in line 4, and when so amended that said bill do pass. O SENATE. 67TH CONGRESS, 2d Session. REPORT { No. 480. EXTENSION OF THE PARK SYSTEM OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. FEBRUARY 3, 1922.-Ordered to be printed. Mr. BALL, from the Committee on the District of Columbia, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany S. 3098.] The Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom was referred the bill (S. 3098) authorizing the extension of the park system in the District of Columbia, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with the recommendation that the bill do pass without amendment. It provides for acquiring, by purchase or condemnation, three tracts needed in the development of the park system, known as the Klingle Ford Valley, the Piney Branch Parkway, and the Patterson tract. THE KLINGLE FORD VALLEY TRACT. The Klingle Ford Valley is one of the branches of the Rock Creek Valley coming in from the west at the north boundary of the Zoological Park. It is a beautiful ravine, covered with natural forest on both sides and will provide a park roadway of gradual descent. It is very greatly needed as an approach to the park for the great population lying west of the Rock Creek Valley. It is also urgently needed to form a parkway connection between the upper and lower Rock Creek Parks. The Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway, extending from the south boundary of the Zoological Park to the Potomac River, along the valley of Rock Creek is rapidly being acquired and will be open for travel in the near future. The road along Rock Creek in the Zoological Park is closed at nightfall, and is also closed whenever the Rock Creek is so high as to make the ford dangerous. There is urgent need therefore for a park driveway |