Skelton v. United States

McDERMOTT, Circuit Judge.

This war risk insurance case turns upon a difficult question of statutory interpretation. By a statute first passed in 1921 and several times amended, Congress has enacted that term insurance shall not be considered as having lapsed as long as the insured had compensation due him sufficient to pay the premiums. World War Veterans’ Act 1924, § 305, as amended, 38 U.S. C.A. § 516. Broadly speaking, term insurance ceased on July 2, 1927, the insured having the right to convert it before that date into some form of regular life insurance with reserve values — generally…