The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1917-09-21
HOW TO CARE FOR
SOLDIERS PEOPLE
MONTANA FIGHTERS. OFF FOR
FRANCE, LEAVE DEPEND
ENTS BEHIND.
How Canada Is Taking Care of De-
pendents of Soldiers Who Are
Helping to Save the Empire; An
Example the United States Can At
ford to Emulate.

A problem which the government
will have to solve is the allowance
for dependents whom soldiers leave
behind them, and thousands of Mon
tana wives, whose husbands have
been called to the colors are vitality
interested in what may be done. Fol
lowing the action of Canada the
United States has moved the pay of
the soldiers up from former made
quate standards, and if the process
of emulation is extended to depend
ents there will be no want in homes
where the breadwinner has been TAX
en- to fight for his country.
No nation in war has pas provided
quite as we'll for the dependents of
soldiers in service as has Canada
There are several sources of revenue
for the soldiers family. Enlisted
men are required to assign one-half
their pay, which is $33 per mouth.
flor maintenance of wife and children.
This applies to the private. AS the
rank of the soldier advances the as
slgnment is increased.
Based on the rank of the soldier
the government makes an allowance.
The wife of private receives 500
per month; sergeants' helpmates,
$25; lieutenants', $50; captains.
$40; majors, $50; lieutenant colon
els, $50.
Then there is the Canadian Patri-
otto fund, raised by public subscrip-
ton but administered and disbursed
by the government. 1t gives assist
ance to soldiers dependents proper
Tomato to the cost of living in differ
ent localities. Generally a wife with
out children receives SIS per month
from this source. If there is a child
the Patriotic fund allowance varies
from S13 to $3.50 per month, the
maximum, no matter how many chill
dren there are in the family, being
$50. Provision is also made for the
allowance of $40 monthly to the in
capacitated parents of soldiers.
A highly interesting report on care
OF dependents in Canada has been
prepared for department of labor by
S. Herbert Wolf, New York consult
ing actuary. He concludes by saying
Canadian patriotic fund has furnish
ed great incentive to enlistment.
Beneficiaries receive what is just
ly their own, while breadwinner is
fighting for his country, and it bene-
fits donors, for it enables them to
render direct service to their coun-
try.
Activities incident to collection
and administration of the fund have
given practical and effective turn to
a high form of social service work,
and have drawn to it an Invaluable
army of recruits.
Besides these three sources of
maintenance, many municipalities
pay insurance premiums on lives of
soldiers. City of Toronto carries
three fourths of amount of such pre-
miums. Policies are for $1,000 and
run until death of insured, or six
months after his discharge or resig-
nation from service. In May, 1917,
there was outstanding in Toronto |
$42,297, 900 of this insurance, 1914
per cent thereof carried by the city,
which had paid 100000 in death
claims usually in monthly install
ments of $50 each.
After soldiers discharge, if he is
incapacitated, allowance is made pro-
portioned to degree of disability sus-
J
sion has been established where voca-
tional training for convalescents is
provided. During such training SOL
der with wife and six children re-
ceives monthly allowance Of $55, less
any pension he may receive, besides
So for spending money and $50 for
allowance. In event of
total disability, pension is $3.50 a
year for private, and ranges from
that up to $2,700 year for briga-
der general. Widow of soldier who
has lost his life as result of service
receives so per cent of total disability
pension and allowance for support of
children.
Those who have seen practical side
Of the work have not only been as
founded at the munificence with
which it has been supported by all
classes of Canadians and immigrants
Of every nationality, but they have
been as much amazed at efficiency
and zeal displayed in management.
A permanent and complete pension
system is to be esta blished and a vast
plan of land settlement for returned
veterans is now being planned.