Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-15
BIZ CARL I. zEIsBERG

Ell PAso, Tex, July 1S.--'Pay day Pay
dayi Got no money, but I'll soon have
somet Pay day sure has come !"
The clear notes Of massed hugles shat
tcrinG against the tawny-gray sides Of Mount
Franklin as they call Philadelphia soldiers
20 the pay counter will ring out today,
maybe. Strenuous efforts are being made
to pay or the Sd Regiment before the sun
swings down behind the hills.
II all depends on the Government pay
master whether or not the sweetest Of
bugle notes will sound--notes so sweet that
an ingeniousmind has hooked word son to
the bugle music. IL the mass of payrolls
can be Strengthened out in time the various
eager companies will line up and pass
through their mess tents, where the mogul
will sit and dole out the cash in round
silver.
q The I'd Regiment will be paid of Tues
xaay and the Sd Regiment Wednesday, IL
plans do not go awry.
Nine days pay, or about $4,000 per regi-
ment, will be the sum received by the citizen
soldiers. This amounts to $3.50 for a pri-
vate-50 cents day. The pay is for the
last nine day of June, dating from the time
Of the United States call for mobilization.
This sum, mot a hell of lot" as one
rough-and-ready private sad will come as
godsend to many of the men and to many
Of the officers. There's one perfectly good
major who offered to trade his moose-skin
boots for a dollar, and there Is a lieutenant
reduced to a penny and a trunk key.
Seriously. money is needed by the regi-
ments. Most of the privates will send
their pittances home and continue to Dor
row" cigarettes and "sody-pop." They are
worried about -heir families, those who
have dependents back in Philadelphia.
An undercurrent of anxiety flows through
this array of tents. Letters from home tell
ing Of no money in the house and of no
prospects for money have set the men to
wandering what the Relief Committee is
doing In Philadelphia. These letters, scrb-
bled by anxious wives who are not as well
hxed" as some others, are days late. Mails
are slow coming across the continent and
slower after reaching the stagnation of the
oVerworked postofflce here. Hence there is
no censure In their minds. There is only
wondering and thinking and worrying.
mo relief has come" wrote the wife of
. private in the Sd Regiment. ''The only
agent who has called at our house was the
rent collector. And 1 had nothing to give
him. have nothing to buy food" Another
member Is expected soon in this family
which now numbers three children
Anger did blaze out in some tents when
letters were opened and the soldier husbands
learned OF furniture being attached for. nom
payment Of rent Terrible threats are be-
Ing uttered on this tented mesa against
those who secured tha writs.
"'Patriotic' scouudrel who attached my
furniture will have a mark on him that he
Win rsTasn Der just as soon as I get back to
PhnhdGph.A." fiared broad-shouldered
sergeant "EVLry stick of it must be put
back or Sdsf& will be trouble for him. and
maybe fof me- don't care No man has a
right to take advantage of my family when
am away trying TO serve my country and
leaving good-paying job to do it,"
These men signed the cards circulated in
camp at Mount Gretna by the Citizens Sol
diers' Relief Committee, asking for state
ment OF the number OF dependents and their
financial condition. The only balm in their
thoughts is that relief has come to their
families since the week-old letters were
mailed.
Some of these soldier-fathers would ask
for their discharges IL they knew how to do
IL. Their only clue is to wait Officers
are awaiting instructions from Washington
following Secretary Bakers recent ruling
that all miltiamen with one or more de-
pendents would be granted their discharge
from the service.
Chaplain McFstridge. of the I'd Regiment,
laid down the law this morning to "his |
boys about writing home. Any private |
who is delinquent In that is in grave danger |
OF being forced to write letter home, with |
the unyielding form of the "sky pilot over |
him. This actually happened this morn |
tng. after the athletic chaplain received a |
letter from heart-broken mother who had |
not heard from her son since he left home. |
The thoughtless youth was seized by the |
Rev. Doctor McFetridge pushed into the |
tent given paper and ink and compelled to |
write a few lines TO his mother. the chap
lain using his authority as captain to com
pei obedience