The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-14
BRITAIN LIBERALT To
FIGHTERS FAMILIES
Warriors Themselves Forced
to Give, and Government
Adds Allowances.
GREAT SUM THUS SPENT

Special Correspondence to THr SrN.
LONDON. oct. ai.--One Of the greatest
drains on the British Treasury Is the
huge sum paid by the Government In
allowances to the wives, children and
dependent relatives of soldiers and
sailors. These allowances are probably
the most generous ever granted by any
Government In war time. A few In
stauces quoted below give an idea of
these allow ances.
Seamen and marines a'oat may allot
two-thirds OF their pay. which VIII he
paid to their dependent relatives by
postal order, or (2) may SEN through
the ships paymaster varying amounts
at irregular intervals. or 49, may buy
postal orders free of poundage and send
them direct to their relatives.
II the sailor allots $3.50 n month. his
wife will receive in addition sl4i per
Week and an allowance of % cents u
week for her eldest child, 72 cents for
the second. IS cents for the third and
"a cents each for any other children. For
motherless children $40 "A week each Is
to be allowed. Families residing In the
London postal area will receive an addi-
tional allowance of 50 cents "A week.
Soldiers. whether serving IN this II
try or abroad are now required to allot
q portion Of their pay mot To exceed
Is cents a day for men below the rank
Of sergeant. and 80 cents in higher
for the maintenance OF wives and
children.
Separation Allowances.
In addition to these compulsory al
lowances. soldiers may make voluntary
allotments, but the whole must not eN-
coed three-fourths OF their total pay.
In addition to the sums deducted from
the soldiers pay. separation allowances
are granted by the state to the wives
and children OF soldiers on the married
establishment. modified rcservists. ter
ritorials enlisted for active serviCe and
soldiers In kitchener's armies who We're
married before August IA. 1914 In case
OF those who married after that date the
allowances will begin from the date of
the marriage. or from February /. 1915.
whichever is the later date. In the case
OF a private with nc children the wiic's
income will be $40 a week. including
81 cents deducted from her husbands
pay.
The wife with one child will receive
W. WV w 'HN s'i'"
$3.50. four children s.. There is an
extra allowance of As cents a week Tor
each additional child For each moth
erless child the allowance is % si.2o.
and no deduction is made from the
soldiers pay. These allowances are
payable In respect of any children whom
the soldier has been permanently main
tanning as members OF his household
This will cover the case of children of
which the soldier Is the stepfathcr, and
Of children OF himself and his wife born
before wedlock. and OF younger brothers
and sisters of either soldier or his wife.
Separation allowances in respect of
children will be paid up TO the age Of
sixteen for all children, and provision
In now made for the payment for young
persons between the ages OF sixteen and
twenty-one on a certificate from the
local education authority that the young
person Is ar apprentice receiving only
a nominal wage. or is a day pupil at a
secondary school. technical school or
university.
Where the weekly cost Of rent Of n
soldiers family exceeds 90 cents, a spe-
cial allowance may be made by the
National Relief Fund. equal TO the
amount OF the excess, but the allowance
will not exceed s1.S2 a week. When
part Of the house is sbulet the amount
Of rental received will be deducted from
the total in calculating the amount Of
rent
The ordinary separation allowances
are increased by IL cents "A day for
families who on the date of mobilization
august - were residing and are still
living in the London postal area.
Issued 10 Dependent.
Separation allowance is now issued
TO the dependent OF an unmarried SOL
der. who when serving In this country
must apply to his Commanding officer. If
the soldier has paid his dependent So a
week in peace and will in future con-
tribute out Of his pay 81 cents "A week
the Government will pay the remaining
81. 10. which is the maximum allowance
that will be made. If the soldier all0ts
less than 81 cents the Government Will
pay less. If he allots So cents. for in
stance. the Government will provide
SIZE. But where more than one person
IL dependent OF the same soldier ,he
maximum limit will he that which would
be payable II the first dependent had
been n wife. and the others had been
children.
The War ONCE will not allow the full
sum weekly IL the soldier was himself
a member OF the family to which he in
tine Of peace contributed. They will
only consider the amount which the sol
dier contributed TO his dependents hene-
At, after deducting the amount OF his
own board and lodging.
Unmarried mothers and their children
are now recognized a. dependents OF
a soldier. sailor or marine. The army
order definition is "a woman who has
been entirely dependent on a soldier tor
her maintenance and who would other
wise be destitute. and children Of the
soldier in charge OF such person" In
their case the weekly allowance will he ::
Without children. 50 one child, SO IS +;
two children. So 96 three children. 81. IS
four children, $3.50. In each case this
includes the full allotment of 50 cents
a week from the fathers pay. In the
case OF the soldier serving abroad, II
there Is good reason to believe that he
will contribute his slrare, a temporary
grant may he made, but IL will cease
or he reduced IL III refuses or reduces
his contribution.
Allowance like that granted To un-
married mothers has now been extended
to hOllsekeepers, auuts, foster mothers,