Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1909-08-26
Savings Of Enlisted Men in Navy

Savings vi EniiStCu HSH III iNo'y
That thrift is a CHARACTERISTIC OF a
large per cent OF the enlisted men OF
the Navy is we'll known to those in a
position to judge. Investigation has
shown that as class they compare fsv-
orably In this respect with men outside
the service. The Government has
made special provisions to encourage
thrift in the Navy. While the public
is aware that many large corporations
have provided means to aid their en-
ployees to save, few know Of the steps
taken by the government in the same
direction.
1t has been ascertained that from ten
to twenty per cent. of the employees OF
various corporations take advantage oil
savings systems established for their
use. Twenty-seven per cent. OF the en-
listed men of the Navy save part OF
their earnings. This large proportion
is no doubt due to the allotment system
which the Navy has maintained since
the early days of the Navy and more
recently established deposit account
kept by Pay Officers OF ships.
Through the medium Of allotment di-
visions in the Navy Pay Offices at San
Francisco, New York, Boston, Phila-
delphia, Baltimore. Washington and
Norfolk, the enlisted men Of the Navy
are depositing money in the best saw
ings institution in the country. A GER
tain geographical division OF the Unit
ed States and territories is assigned to
each Office, and the pay officers OF ships
are instructed to make allotments pay
able accordingly.
Only men serving afloat and subject
to being ordered beyond the limits OF
the United,States are permitted to leave
allotments. Therefore but thirty-five
thousand of the forty-fve thousand men
in the Navy have the privilege. The
average pay of an enlisted man is about
| thirty dollars month. Accordingly
the men afoat are receiving more than
twelve million dollars annually.
There are fourteen thousand men
who leave allotments, The average
amount allotted each month is twenty
dollars. Consequently $500, 900. 90, in
round numbers is being allotted every
year. Seven thousand seven hundred
men are saving and six thousand three
hundred are helping to support theil
families. Almost $4,000, 100000 is as
signed for the former, and $1,000, 900 o.
for the latter purpose, In short, tw'
out of every five men allot two-third
of their wages. One in every five save
In this way, or, to be exact, twenty-five
per cent.
The Bowery Savings Bank and tn
Naval Branch Of the Young Men
Christian Association have been yer
popular repositories among the men.
} At least once each month word is pas
red aboard ships that sailors may nam
allotees to whom they wish to assign
portion OF their wages. The necessar
data is then forwarded to the prope
, nav Office, where it is entered upo
specially devised cards. Payments
: allottees are made promptly by check o
Assistant Treasurers OF the Unite
States at the end of each month.
sailors were compelled to send none
orders, weeks would frequently elaps
before their receipt. Information re
garding the status of their allotment
furnished when necessary.
The Navy Department has assigne
, twelve clerks to allotment work. A
, New York Pay officer gives his wnol
time to the supervision of the work
while at the other pay Offices the Pul
, chasing Pay Officers have charge OF To
allotments in addition to their othe
duties.
! Allotment Divisions of the Navy Pa
Offices are supplied with the most mC
dern mechanical devices to faciltat
work. No receipts for payment are RI
| ouired from the allottes, as paid check
r are used for this purpose. This not OF
ly facilitates the work Of the Navy D.
. partments, but is very convenient fc
the allottees
The Deposit Account aboard shiI
was established to further encourag
$ the men to save. About five per cen
Y have opened deposit accounts wit
their pay officers. -Four per cent. il
Q teress is gratuously paid by the govern
:. ment on these accounts.
r There is no means of telling no
q much men save in other ways, but it
Q reasonable to suppose that this amour
is relatively as large as that thus acc
: INFLATED by employees of large corpor
tions throughout the country. As g
}. example, and there are many simil
instances, while serving as Pay Offic
n of ship, the writer exchanged Ma,
checks for twelve hundred dollars
cash with man who had been homo
y ably discharged after four year Q
u listment. Most OF this amount be h
+. 10 .