"

Then followed the passage of the War Risk Insurance Resolution. This
read:

"WHEREAS, one of the purposes of this organization is: 'To protect,
assist, and promote the general welfare of all persons in the
military and naval service of the United States and those dependent
upon them,' and,

"WHEREAS, owing to the speedy demobilization of the men in the
service, who had not had their rights, privileges, and benefits under
the War Risk Insurance Act fully explained to them, and these men,
therefore, are losing daily, such rights, privileges, and benefits,
which may never again be restored, and,

"WHEREAS, it is desirable that every means be pursued to acquaint the
men of their full rights, privileges, and benefits under the said act,
and to prevent the loss of the said rights, benefits, and privileges,
therefore,

"BE IT RESOLVED: That this caucus pledges its most energetic support
to a campaign of sound education and widespread activity, to the end
that the rights, privileges, and benefits under the War Risk Insurance
Act be conserved and that the men discharged from the service be made
to realize what are their rights under this act; and that the
Executive Committee be empowered and directed to confer with the War
Risk Insurance Bureau, that it may carry out the purposes herein
expressed and,

"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That it is the sense of this caucus that the
War Risk Insurance Act be amended to provide that the insured, under
the act, may be allowed to elect whether his insurance, upon maturity,
shall be paid as an annuity, or in one payment; and that he may select
his beneficiaries regardless of family relationship."

At the time of the caucus, Colonel Lindsley was director of the War
Risk Insurance Bureau in Washington. In speaking to the motion to pass
the foregoing resolution, he said that more than a year ago he and
other officers in France felt that if there were no other reasons for
an organization such as the Legion, it would be more than worth while
to create one even though its sole function was to let those who
served in the war know their rights about government insurance and if
it saw to it that the general scheme was perpetuated.

"I am speaking particularly of the insurance phase of the situation,"
he said in part. "The United States Government to-day is the greatest
insurance institution on earth. Thirty-nine billions of dollars of
applications have poured in from over four millions of