Shortly after the World War began, and long before the United States became a participator, Congress established a new office under the Treasury Department known as the Bureau of War Risk Insurance, for the purpose of insuring American vessels and their cargoes against the risks of war. In June, 1917, the Government provided insurance for the officers and crews of such vessels. Finally, in October, 1917, the Bureau of War Risk Insurance became the agency for a vast scheme of protection and compensation afforded to the soldiers and sailors of the United States and their families--a substitute for the old plan of war pensions. Under the new plan three forms of financial aid were rendered, as follows: 1. _Allotments and Allowances._ Every enlisted man was required to allot at least $15 a month from his pay to his wife and children and other dependents. To this amount the Government added family allowances, up to a maximum of $50 a month. 2. _Compensation for Death or Disability._ This applies to officers and enlisted men alike, and is the same for all ranks, but varies with the size of the soldier’s or sailor’s family. A bachelor, without dependents, gets $30 a month for total disability incurred in the war, while a married man with three or more children may receive as much as $75 a month. The disabled veteran is also entitled to free medical and hospital service, artificial limbs, et cetera. In case of death resulting from injury in the line of duty, the widow and family receive monthly allowances. 3. _Government Insurance._ During the war all persons in the military and naval services were granted the privilege of taking out insurance against death or total disability (whether due to war service or otherwise) up to the amount of $10,000, at a very low cost. This was entirely distinct from and in addition to the compensation provided as mentioned in the foregoing paragraph. The war insurance runs for a period of five years after the war, and may then be converted into any of the ordinary forms of insurance offered by commercial companies, without medical examination. Up to July 1, 1918, the Government received 2,579,912 applications for insurance under this novel plan, representing $21,640,065,000 of insurance--an amount about equal to that carried by all the insurance companies of the United States. In some regiments every man was insured for $10,000, the maximum amount allowed. The Bureau of War Risk Insurance occupies a magnificent new building in Washington and has about 15,000 employees.