Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-09-10
More Than Half
Remains Unpaid.

| AseAaAAo oAPa4u' those notes 1910 =
| 900 has been paid. Much more than
| half of them remain unpaid a year
after the emergency arose. For a long
| time the Treasury was receiving money
| on them at the rate Of $500 a day. Now
| it is coming in only at the rate of 800
a day. having materially slowed up.
Three difficulties are most in the way
of the collection of this money. Many
of Its recipients cannot be found Many
others state that. at the time of re-
ceiving the money. it was not their
understanding that 1t was to be re-
turned. Many are in financial straits
and unable to pay.
The payment of these loans in some
instances involves considerable hard
ship. Many Of the stranded tourists
were teachers and other small salaried
people who had saved money for years
for the purpose of making the Euro
pean trip. which had been planned as
economically as possible. In most in
stances round-trip tickets had been
purchased, but it was rarely possible
to use them in getting back home. So
the expenses caused by the war often
amounted to almost if not quite as
much as the sum provided for the en-
tire trip. Yet the Indebtedness Is being
paid off slowly but surely, sometimes
in installments as small as a single
celed except upon their payment and
the government will steadily proceed
in it's attempts to collect them.
Some individuals have shown dis
but they are likely to be dealt with
summarily. Several persons who gave
fictitious addresses in Europe have
been located through special in
vestigations.. AS each note was re-
ceived from Europe a communication
was sent to its maker giving notifica-
ton of the fact that it was in possess
sion of the United States Treasury In
many instances prompt replies were re-
ceived proposing a method of payment
Several borrowers RENTED their loans
to the Treasury before their notes had
been received from Europe.
When the address given upon the
note was found to be incorrect, the CO.
operation of the
T, U. Department Post Office De-
Co-n,.r.4. partm ent has
~P~Ao'es' been asked and
hundreds have been Strengthened out.
Mistakes in many cases were unin-
territorial A few persons who evident
ly had intended to evade payment,
upon being located. were induced to ar
range terms of settlement.
Despite Treasurer Burke's supreme
optimism. there is still a large per-
centage of borrowers who have made
from the government. The Attorney
General has been asked to make pre-
liminary examination preparatory to
legal proceedings. No suit yet has been
brought and the United States govern
ment will not distress any delinquent
who acknowledges his obligation, but
those who are able to pay will be COM
PEELED to do So
The clerical work in connection with
these notes Is tremendous. Sometimes
several notes were given by the same
individual. For instance, a note might
be given in Berlin for funds sufficient
to meet certain obligations and take
the tourist to Paris. A second might be
given there. and perhaps third in
London to pay for the passage to
America. There necessarily is consider
able delay in securing these notes from
the ofhces abroad, as in many instances
the consuls are without sufficient cler
zeal assistance and the account of an
individual cannot be closed until all
mis- notes are presented.
The details of this great emergency
loan business, involving the handling
OF more than 100000 in compare
lively small sums, include many incl
dents OF both humor and pathos. Few
OF these will ever be made public.
Persons not entitled to receive aid fire.
quently presented themselves with fic-
titious claims. The utmost vigilance
was required to prevent fraud. At the
same time the generous spirit which
provided the funds aided its distribu-
tlon, so that prompt relief was render
ed to urgent need even in cases of pos
slble doubt. Even though the govern
ment should lose a considerable part
of its advances. the loss would be con-
stdered insignificant in proportion to
the value of the service rendered, and
the avoidance of possible complications
that might have arisen with large num-
bers of stranded AnQericans in the war
zone.