New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-04
Urge u. S. Help
For Dependents
Of Enlisted Men
National Chamber Of Com
merce Recommends Fed
eral Allowance


Washington. June 3.-The Chamber
Of Commerce Of the United States to-
day announced that special commit
tee Of its organization, acting 1T the
instance Of the Secretary Of War, had
reported to the Council OF Defence in
favor Of Federal allowances TO the de-
pendents Of enlisted men in the army
and navy. tho compensation to be ap-
rortioned according to the number oil
dependents in each family.
The committee. Of which +. \. Sci
bcrling. Of Akron. Ohio, president OF
the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Com
many. is chairman, further recommend
ed that the government officially des-
ignate some national organization to
raise a general fund by voluntary pub
lie subscription TO be used for the
alienation of conditions now made
ouately met by national or state al
lowanccs. This organization would
operate in conjunction with repre-
sentative local bodies. the report rec
ommends.
Prompt Action Urged
The committee is Of the further opin-
ION that. pending action of the Federal
government in the matter and the pub
LEGATION Of details OF the ultimate plan
omployers throughout the country
should make only temporary allow
ances to The dependents Of their en-
Moves who enlist. m accordance win
The recent suggestion of the Secretary
of War TO the National Chamber.
in view. however, Of the business
uncertainty which the temporary nature
Of these comm 'tWcnts creates, the re-
port goes on. land IN view OF the large
and confusing number Of individual and
gcnarats community efforts 20 raise
funds for tho anticipated needs Of de-
pendcut families. an indicating the
need for co0rJiuated effort, this COM
mittee very respectfully urges prompt
action by the government and the
sDeedv publicatiou of the details of the
general plan.
country already have taken the initia-
tive. as they did during the periods
when troops we're required Tor the
guardianship OF the Mexican border,
and have made provision for the care
Of the dependents Of their enlisted en-
ploycs. II D. realized, however, that
this cannot continue upon any general
scale. particularly IN view OF the I'M
certain period Of duration Of the war,
without imposing hardship and embar-
rassmcnt upon the smaller employers,
who are in the majority throughout the
country. Obviously. business firms and
corrolatiOns everywhere would be the
larres. contributors 20 any national
pat- otIc fund raised for the purpose
aamed'
The Plan in Britain
Secretary Goodwin of the National
Chamber said the plans iu operation in
Great Britain and Canada differ IN de-
tail, though the experiences of each
seem TO have been similar. In
Great Britain there is separation al
lowance for the dependent family. The
wife receives from the government a
specified allowance, TO which is added
further allotment out Of the husbands
pay The government makes
an additional allowance for the first
child. so much for the second and so
much for every other child in the fam
lily. These allowances do not do away
with the necessity for relief efforts on
the part Of the public organizations,
such as the Soldiers and Sailors Relief
Society and other organizations whose
voluntary workers and local committees
take care OF cases demanding special
assistance.
In Canada there are three sources Of
revenue for dependents: First. a por-
ton % his pay, the percentage deter
mined by individual conditions. is de-
Duct .d and sort homo to thor" de0cnd-