OCR Text |
Show THE PROGRESSIVE OPINION r Soldiers' Allotment Checks Help Solve Problem of Home Front Dependency S . ; - b r. - ; -- 1 - ' -- --J . I t I ' y It i i - i twiMW)ft;ai3-"4- ll Ifflfi? rmiinr n nnr ' " t " feawhtfataMiiJ Army Finance Corps Offers Assistance To Men in Service As more and more husbands and fathers enter the armed forces, the nation must assume the care of the soldiers' dependents. No man, it has been well said, fights well when his heart is filled with anxiety about his loved ones. The federal government is providing for the basic needs, at least, of millions of wives, children and parents of fight-ing men through pay allotment and family allowance checks, sent out monthly. To distribute the billions of dol-lars involved, and to handle the many details of this vast affair, the war department established the Of-fice of Dependency Benefits in Oc-tober, 1942, by consolidating four separate agencies. The navy has a similar service in the Bureau of Na-val Personnel., "Pay allotment" means simply that the soldier sends home a cer-tain fixed part of his army pay ev-ery month. He directs the army finance corps to deduct this amount from his salary, and to remit it through the Office of Dependency Benefits to any dependent. He may send money to his wife and children, parents or to a bank for deposit, or to a life insurance company. This allotment is entirely voluntary, and can be stopped any time, or in-creased or decreased. The only reg-ulation is that a man keep at least ' $10 a month for his own needs. Soldier Gives ?22 a Month. The family allowance is a sum provided by the soldier and the gov-ernment jointly. The enlisted man gives $22 a month from his army pay, and to this the government adds an amount that Increases ac-cording to the number of depend-ents. There are two classes of de-pendents: A, wife and children; and B, parents, brothers and sisters, and other relatives, in special cases. If a man wishes to provide for both class A and B dependents, he must pay $27 a month. Otherwise his contribution is just $22, regardless Wherever they are, soldiers must receive their pay regularly. Here the men of the 46lh engineering regiment line up for their money at night, while on maneuvers In Louisiana. More than VA million men provide for their dependents through contributions from their salaries under the family allowance plan. Added to these benefits are the vol-untary allotments, thereby insuring the essentials of life to the sol-dier's family. The Office of Dependency Benefits mails out about 2 million family allowance checks a month at pres-ent. This number will doubtless in-crease rapidly as fathers go to war. About 120,000 men have made pay allotments. Most of these probably are included in the family allowance figure too. About 83 per cent of the army's personnel are eligible for the family allowance benefit. All men, from buck privates to full generals, may make pay allotments. The director of the Office points out that more than s of the money disbursed by the Office of Dependency Benefits comes from army men's pay. The ODB acts as a fiscal agent, that is, a bank or currency exchange, for soldiers. One hundred per cent of the pay allotments, and 45 per cent of the family allowances are deductions from soldiers' salaries. The rest renresents the government's contri-- anticipated induction of more fathers and childless married men as the war progresses. Brig. Gen. H. N. Gilbert, U. S. A., director, has an-nounced. Even if the induction rate exceeds the present estimate of 12,000 a day, this will not throw the ODB ma-chinery out of gear, nor strain its capacity, the director pointed out. The original framework of the ODB was set up on a modern production line plan, capable of rapid expan-sion and geared to handle a large volume of work with efficiency and speed. The ODB now receives an average of 12,000 family allowance applications a day and 4,000 Class E allotments-of-pa- y a day, and is processing those that are in order at a comparable rate, the director stated. Men now going into the army are given an opportunity to apply for a family allowance at the Reception Center, he said, in order to get the application in as soon as possible since the family allowances begin bution to the family allowance, or about one-thir- d of the total sum dis-bursed each month. Two Billion Dollars Yearly. Right now the Office of Depend-ency Benefits is sending out money at the rate of 2 billion dollars a year, to 7Vi million dependents of soldiers. Every month more than 3 million checks go out, to all parts of the nation, from Newark, N. J., which is headquarters. Since the Office was organized last October, it has disbursed some' 19 million checks. Ten thousand clerks and a staff of army officers under direction of Brig. Gen. H. N. Gilbert labor at the tremendous clerical burden. They are housed in an building. The volume of mail has forced the Newark post-master to increase his staff by one-sixt- The mail room of the Office handles 60,000 pieces of incoming mail, and 74,000 pieces of outgoing mail every day. This is exclusive of checks, which would bring the daily outgoing total to 130,000 pieces. Ample machinery has been set up by the Office of Dependency Bene-fits to handle the expected increase in requests for family allowances and allotments-of-pa- y to soldiers' de-pendents which will result from the of his army pay grade. All men are eligible for this family allowance, excepting those above the rank of sergeant, that is, those in the four lowest grades. How much dependents can receive Is shown for typical cases by this summary: A wife gets $50 a month. A wife and one child get $62. A wife and two children get $72. (There is an additional al-lowance for each child over two) . Wife and parents get $80. Father and mother only, $47. ' To be eligible for these benefits, the relatives must meet certain re-quirements of the office, the princi-pal one being that they prove actual i dependency. They must have been supported, at least in part by the soldier before he left for service. In many cases, this proof is difficult. On the other hand, in certain cases, the enlisted man must pay j his share of the allowance whether he wants to or not. A wife can demand her allowance, and a minor child may. Even a divorced woman may be entitled to payments, if she had been receiving alimony. Dependents in class B can get an allowance only if the army man agrees to it, in any case. The family allowance sum begins to accrue the first of the month fol-lowing the month in which the man applies for it. That is, if he makes application in June, the allbwance begins to accumulate on the first of July, and is paid after July 31. A soldier may apply as soon as he is on active duty, that is, as soon as he enters a camp or any army es-tablishment under orders. Every enlisted man can provide for his family and relatives both through the family allowance and the pay ; allotment channels. Twenty Million Affected. Army nurses, members of the v Women's Army Auxiliary corps (WAAC) and certain civilian em-ployees of the war department may make use of the pay allotment sys-tem, but only soldiers can obtain the benefits of the family allowance. More than 20 million people are Included in families of enlisted men. As the army is to be increased to about 8 million by the end of the year, many more wives and children will be left alone. While many wom-en are working in war plants and at other essential tasks while their husbands fight, other wives cannot, or should not leave their homes. The family allowance, authorized under the Servicemen's Dependents Allow-ance act of June, 1942, Is the nucleus of home security during wartime. i" i Tx I after application and are due for payment at the end of that month. To further save time men entering the service are advised to take with them such documents to support their applications as are necessary: certified copy of marriage certif-icate, and birth certificates of chil-dren, and affidavits of dependency for fathers and mothers or minor brothers or sisters who are depend-ent upon them. In the case of wives and children the family allowance is payable on proof of relationship only. Chiselers Are Few. We have all heard that there are some people taking advantage of the family allotment. No doubt there are. It is practically unavoidable that a small number of wives, par-ents and other relatives who are not entitled to support should be obtaining it. These cases are being investigated, however, and rules are being tightened, so that these leaks will be plugged in time. On the other hand, it is inspiring to know that many dependents, wives, children, fathers and moth-ers who are worthy of every as-sistance, are patriotically refusing aid. Here are a few typical letters: A soldier's mother writes from Michigan: , the mother of this soldier, did not expect any monthly allowance. Let my son have his full monthly payments, which I think he needs. The govern-ment needs money, too, which we all know. I have a son on the farm yet. I can depend on him and we will do our bit here, too. All I ask is to take care of my son in the forces. Another mother says: thank you very much for sending me the application for family allow-ance. I wish to say, for the govern-ment to lake the money which I should have from them, and use it to help win this war, and bring my two sons safe, and to keep the other one from going. Thanking you very kindly . . . From a divorced wife in Arizona comes this refusal to accept any-thing from her I don't ask of Private or the government any help. I did not ask for alimony when I obtained my divorce, but only custody of the chil-dren. Another mother came into the Newark office and told the inter-viewer, "I've got a job. and so I stopped in to discontinue my family allowance. My son arranged for it, but I won't need it any longer I start work tomorrow." This widespread attitude of patri-otic pride and unselfish desire to sac-rifice, goes far to counterbalance the chiselers and unworthy depend-ents. The Office of Dependency Ben-efits believes that it is providing basic security on the home front. Security for Mary Ellen, who is 19 and unafraid as she prepares for motherhood while her young husband is fighting to make sure there is a free world for his child to enter. Security for small Jimmie, whose big brother helped clothe him and get him "book larnin' " before he marched off to war. And for old Pat, too, the family allowance means security. Old Pat had raised his grandson and now has watched him shoulder a gun and go off to camp, watched with pride in his faded eyes. Pat's been doing grandson's chores on Joe Briggs' farm. But he can't do that any more, since he broke his hip. Security for wives and children, security for fathers and mothers and sisters and brothers whose fight-ing morale at home must be kept high, just as the fighting morale of our men on the firing lines must be maintained. wwm mmemmmm ti m ii, i- - Service men stationed in remote parts of the world often have little opportunity to spend their salaries, so they send home larger sums un-der the pay allotment method. This finance corps officer is handling $150,000 for the 57th fighter group of North Africa. i ; ; r ., s w r I 3 7 i ' i 'I ! .(iT V ,t 1 - - x ? f ?N V , , I Soldiers in Skirts A vital position in America's army, a chance to put a fight-ing man at the front, training in technical skills, development of leadership qualities these are some of the opportunities awaiting the two girls pictured above as they stand on the threshold of a WAAC signal corps training school. They are fulfilling the tradition that all patriotic American women have always taken their share of responsibility for the wel-fare of their country, in war and peace. Thus, the roots of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps go back to the origin of this nation. These girls will learn radio code operation, radio repair, teletypewriter operation, switchboard installation and the operation and maintenance of many other instruments of communication. Many other WAAC schools teach a wide variety of occupations that prepare the girls for wartime and peacetime work. ' 'f ! 1 vbaradl) ,.W & . ... A A-t-.. , A Dots and dashes are the backbone of the corps' global radio communications network. Four enrollees are shown learning to receive and type code messages. After three to six months' train-- ing the WAAC is functioning at some job that will release an able-bodie- d man to a battlefront. These girls (right) operating a field switchboard know how to install and repair it. They have become a vital part of the Signal corps which needs 2,000 more girls. Upon successful comple-tion of the training course they will be called to active military duty. Later there is always the opportunity to rise to higher grades and eventually attend offi-cers' training school. 0, .V "H ( " ' x :':.: )jSA .. "Gas!" At this command the WAAC instantly removes her hat, places it between her knees and quickly dons a mask. Close order drill while wearing masks is performed by WAACs in photo at upper right. A change from civilian life is demonstrated by Auxiliary Grace Terry (right), who awakens at 5:40 a. m. and stands at attention in an inspec-tion line at 6 a. m., disproving the popular misconception that it takes women a long time to dress. One of the WAAC training camps is at Daytona Beach, Fla. A WAAC motor convoy group rolls along the sands of Daytona Beach over which many an auto speed king has raced to fame. tot??, ' ffW u Si. ;f A company of WAACs drills on the beach with the waves of the Atlantic crashing nearby. Newspaper Union. Released by western APPROPRIATIONS AND THE WAR EFFORT THE PRESIDENT has been In-clined of congress for to be critical what he has termed its lethargy In There can regard to the war. be no criticism on the subject of appropriations for they keep wett ability to ahead of the President's 1940, to spend. From January, March, 1943, congress aPPrPr'a.d over 240 bil-lion for war purposes only dollars. During the same period the President had been able to spend only some 90 billion dollars That expenditure covered not only the war commodities we bought, but in-cluded billions spent for the erection and equipment of war production plants and billions more for food and other commodities purchased for our Allies by lend-leas- e funds. Even at the high cost of production caused by an wage scale, and the paying of time and a half for over 40 hours, we simply cannot produce enough to eat up all the vast sums congress has put into the hands of the President. At the present time, including the new rmv and navy appropriations, the President has at his command an unexpended balance of more than 150 billion dollars. It will take some spending to get rid of such an amount. Congress gives him what he asks for without a dissenting vote. Neither Republican nor Demo-crat will vote against a war appro-priation bill. SUCCESSFUL FORMULA FOR FARMERS WHEN A BOY back in the early eighties, it was a pleasure to visit the farm home of Uncle John Nich- - ols and listen to the reminiscences of the patriarch then well beyond the four score year span of life. Uncle John was an Iowa pioneer of 1840. "When Mother and Ben and I came to Iowa, three other couples came with us and the four men took up the claims that are now this farm," he said. "We were all New England born and raised, but only two of us had been farm raised, that was Bill Rooks and me. The other two men came from town! All proved upon our adjoining claims, but the two from town did not have the 'know-how- ,' and Bill expected the rain, sunshine and soil to do it all. In time I bought the other three claims and with mine, they make this 640 acre farm. Yes, sir, it takes some-thing more than rain, sunshine and soil to make a success of farming. The other things are 'know-ho- and work, just as they are needed in any other business." A CYCLE OF WAGE 'EQUALITY' TO THE EQUALIZATION of wages there is no end. One group of work-ers demands more money on the ground that some other group is re-ceiving more. When they win on the grounds of equalizing wages, the oth-er group demands more on the basis of being more essential and point to the difference in wages existing be-fore the second group was raised as evidence of worth. So it goes on, month after month. With war and the necessities of war as a stimulus, with a week to retard maxi-mum production, wage earners, with government backing, have been able to force an war cost as the penalty for which all must pay. A bit of sacrifice on the part of each individual would have pre-vented much of the war cost and reduced the debt burden we must carry. ' FARM POLICY 'CONSISTENCY' A FARM-OWNIN- FRIEND tells me he has just received a govern-ment check as payment for his laud-able accomplishment of "not plant-ing 47 acres of wheat." People of the United Nations need food. The department of agriculture is de-manding increased food production. Congress refuses to pay a subsidy to farmers for the production of in-creased foods. The OPA refuses to allow a fair price for'what the farm-er raises. The Manpower board re-fuses to give the farms adequate help. WPB refuses to permit the production of needed farm equip- ment. "Consistency tnou art a jewel." FARMER'S PROBLEM WLB CAN FIND innumerable ways of increasing wages, despite the President's fear of inflation, and OPA can find equally as many rea- sons for maintaining or lowering the price the farmer may have for the food he raises. The farmer would hke a taste of that time and a half pay for over 40 hours a week. 'HORSE-SENS-lafaIDf hES and cege theoretical fa'ti5 are the type of legl average American annr. of "horsTT P"ferthe and perience. That calls for something more than a college degree BRING BACK the 'winter d. cussions held evenine bellied around the stove in the country generai 'or Hitler and the German! hora. to say about theTllow whHed1 "ZT edwi5 -e-ded figt when Tokbutom iS dist to south and weTth on818 aU Hush Up "Now, sir," said the ambiti0l young man, "you have tried tnv voice. I want you to tell me frank ly what it is best adapted to." Without a moment's hesitatin the singing master replied: "Whi pering." Too Much! Cop How did you knock this m. desrrian down? Motorist I didn't. just pulled u to him, stopped my car, wailed for him to pass and he fainted. In His Stead Henpeck was being shown over a large works. "That machine," said his guye "does the work of thirty men." ' Henpeck sighed. "Ah," he said. "At last I'v& seen what my wife should From a letter sent out from a government department: "Kindly quote the reference above in vour reply to facilitate delay." But to Come Back "You're an hour late." "Yes, sir, I fell down a flight of stairs." "But surely it doesn't take an hour to fall down a flight of stairs?" One thing a soldier is afraid of is a display of emotion. That's why his slang so often sounds derogatory. For example, he re-fers to the silver eagles on his colonel's shoulder straps as "bu-zzards." But when he speaks of his favorite cigarette, he says: "Cam-els." They're first with men in the Army as well as with Sailors, M-arines, and Coast Guardsmen. (A-ccording to actual sales records in service men's stores.) And though there are Post Office restrictions on packages to overseas Army men, you can still send Camels to soldiers in the U. S., and to men in the Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard wherever they are.-d- v. if back aches from need of diuretic aid Functional kidney disturbance due to need of diuretic aid may cause stabbing bac-kache! May cause urinary flow to be fr-equent, yet scanty and smarting! You may lose sleep from "getting up nights" ofiea may feel dizzy, nervous, "headachy." In such cases, you want to stimulult kidney action Jast. So if there is nothing systemically or organically wrong, try Gold Medal Capsules. They've been f-amous for prompt action for 30 years. Take care to use them only as directed. Accept no substitutes. 35 at your drug store. " SNAPPY FACTS , v ABOUT Jg) RUBBER The first privately owned turnpike toll company to be organized in this country was the Philadelphia and La-ncaster Turnpike Co. incorp-orated in 1792. New York was the first state to charge an automobile registration fee to pay highway costs and in 1901 collected $954 In such fees. In 1843 an English woman obtained a patent for a pavement material consisting, among other things, of "oil rubber." Eleven per cent of the tires of the 25,400 passenger cars on New Jersey farms were found to be "bald" in a check made by Rutgers University. BIGoodrich 6 jjW JOIN THE CB.C, (Civilian Bomb Cotps) ' BuY WtW Stahj War Saving BondUS Influence of Teacher A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops. Henry Adams. ODB Rules Children Aren't 'Evidence' The Office of Dependency Bene-fits can't accept the physical ap-pearance of a soldier's children as "required documentary evidence." Why? Well, for one thing, this evi-dence has to be filed with the appli- - cation for that family allowance, and Mrs. America naturally doesn't want to file Junior and Mary Anne, even in an building. Quite a few Mrs. Americas have brought their young along, however, when they went to the ODB Infor mation office to arrange for that family allowance, or to present proof that they were really married to the soldier and entitled to the monthly benefits. One soldier's wife arrived the oth-er day with nine children in tow. She didn't leave them, though, as "proof." She left their names on the application blank. The ODB as-sured her that their names and their birth certificates, would be quite enough. Faulty Applications Delay Payments A soldier's mother inquiring at the Office of Dependency Benefits why she had not yet received the family allowance her son had re-quested for her, learned that the delay had resulted from incomplete information in her filed affidavits. Two neighbors, testifying to her dependency upon the soldier, had stated that he contributed $14 to his mother's support, but failed to state whether his contribution was $14 a week, J14 a month, or $14 a year. A delay of several weeks resulted, while letters were exchanged. In another case a dependent's affi-davit was correctly filled out except-ing for the last line. On that line, the notary had instructed the father to sign the document in the space pro-vided for the notary's own signature. Then the notary affixed his seal. This piece of required evidence was worthless. |