The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1917-11-12
Department of Judge Advocate
General Kept Busy Sorting
Out Difficulties.
Is ALWAYS FRIEND OF MEN
Illegal Questions, Which May Be Pux-
cling, Explained in Thorough FASH
ion by Men Who Have Been
Trained to Understand the
Points at Issue.

New York-To relieve the perplexet
minds of our soldiers awaiting a cal
to the. battlefelds of France to make
complete the final rout Of Europe's I'M
masked ruffian and what he stands for
and the subsequent assurance of world
democracy, the judge advocate gener
ais department is busy these days adj
vising them of many legal questions
most likely to affect them. At Camp
Mills and Camp Upton, in this section
in fact, in every training cantonment
throughout the United soldiers
have sought advice on the allotment
of pay, the making of wills, the guard
ianship and custody of children, ac-
tons in court debts, mortgages, goods
bought on installment, insurance and
many other legal questions that usu-
ally tend to confuse the ordinary lay
mind.
Here is the judge advocate generals
department, especially installed to aid
the soldier seeking legal advice and
particularly equipped to give advice
based on latest decisions of the court
of appeals. A guide for soldiers-and
.seamen, TOBIAS been compiled by
able lawyers here for the legal aid bu-
reau of the Educational alliance of this
city. The guide Is distributed free to
the soldiers In the camps. Many Of
the knOtty problems are explained In
thorough fashion. Being reminded by
this pamphlet Of certain obligations
that bind him, the soldier then seeks
the judge advocate general for the
more technical procedure.
May Assign His Pay.
The pamphlet tells the soldier that
an allotment of pay is much like an
assignment of wages. A man in serv-
ice instructs the government regular
Iy to send part of his pay direct to his
wife or his mother or other depend
ents. 1t prevents delay and possible
loss, and is generally the businesslike
thing to do. Cases may arise where
money orders sent home by enlisted
men are lost or delayed for weeks in
the mails, with resulting hardship to
the families. Blank forms may be OBJ
tanned from commanding officers, and
they forward the allotment to the quar-
termaster general. The government
then sends the money direct to the sol
dier's family so long as he is in the
service.
AS to the making of valid will, the
soldier is given implicit instructions.
He also is shown how the law distin-
cuisines between real estate and per-
sonal property. How the law distrib-
utes his personal property should he
die without making a will is forcibly
brought home to him. If he leaves a
wife and children his wife is entitled
to one-third, the remainder going to
the children in equal portions. With
respect to real estate, his wife has
dover rights in a one-third interest as
long as she lives. Subject to this dow
er, the real property descends to his |
children, which includes legally adopt 7
ed children.
Exception in Making Will.
If he leaves a wife and no children !
or grandchildren and no parent, broth
er, sister, nephew or niece, his wife
takes all his personal property. Should !
he leave a wife and no children or
but a parent, brother, /
sister, nephew or niece, then one-haf .
of the personality and $4,000 of the
residue go to the wife. Being unmar-
ried, his entire estate goes to his ia
ther. If his father be dead, then his
mother shares the estate equally with
his brothers and sisters and the chill
1ren of deceased brothers and sisters,
he latter taking the deceased parents
share. These seem to be the principal
difficulties that beset the soldiers
mind. If he does not want his prop
,rty to be distributed in the manner
prescribed by law he must make val
d will.
At least two witnesses are necessary
or the willis validity and the testator
must sign the will at the end, telling
he witnesses the instrument is his last
will and testament. There is a notable
reception: If the soldier is engaged
q active service in the United States |
rmy or navy, he may make a valid
will by telling two persons what he
esires to be done with his property.
hey must write it out according to
he instructions of the soldier. A will I
] this way can dispose Of his person |!
lity, but not his real estate. This sort /
f will should never be made except In L
fear or peril of death. L
AS some states do not permit this i
ind of will, it is not safe for the sol 4
Ter to tell his comrades from other |:
tates that they can make a will in this Z
'ay. If his home is in New York and E
e in active service and not on fur B
ugh or detached from active service +
IF any reason he may take advantage \
this sort of will
Then comes guardianship of chill
rens property. # a soldiers children OF
zn property and he is leaving them al
ithOut anyone In whom he has con- re
tn