Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-10-16

,~>otiCes hive been sent by Adjutant
General George Mel. Presson to the va
rious cides, towns and plantations or
Maine of the provisions and requirements
of Chapter 2I5 of the Public Laws of 1917,
an act to provide for the support Of am
lilies of volunteers.
It will be remembered that towns and
cities provided for dependents of soldiers
who went to the Mexican border last
summer and the Legislature at it's last
session reimbursed those places. The
Legislature then passed Chapter c76. to
care for the European war situation.
Some doubt or uncertainty existing to
the interpretations of it's provision, the
matter was referred TO Attorney General
Guy H. Sturgis. who in an opinion re-
Gently handed to Governor Milliken holds
that the law was directed TO cities. towns
and plantations and they must raise
money by taxation or otherwise and to
eNpend it according to the provisions of
Chapter E6. reimbursement would be,
he stated. from the State treasury.
The provisions of the act are limited by
the text to the families of volunteers and
the attorney general does not touch upon
any ~ ~ " INC iNC oiAi iAllNi VII
of drafted soldiers. A penalty is provided
by the law for noncompliance with II.
through neglect or refusal, and on proof
TO the Governor and Council, such city,
town or plantation. or the municipal Off
GERS thereof shall forfeit and pay the sun
OF 500. one-half to the use Of the ag-
grieved party and one-half to the county
where the cause Is tried. to be recovered
by an action On the case in any court
proper to try the same"
The Executive Council committee on
military affairs, in accordance with the
opinion of Attorney General Sturgis, has
issued the following notice, which has
been sent out through the adjutant gen
erals department:
Under the provision OF Chapter T6 Of
! the Public Laws OF 1911 the municipalities
Of this state are authorized and required
to raise money to be applied to the sup
port of the wife. aged. inf1rm and de-
pendent father, mother or other member
Of the household Of which a soldier.
sailor or marine Is the head, and children
under the age of Is, being inhabitants OF
said municipality. Of any soldier. sailor
or marine actually in the military or
IdNdl service VI Tile CIlleu oldtcS VI VI
this state.
You will note the written opinion of
the attorney general of this state, made
In response to a request for official inter
probation by the governor, "a copy Of
which is enclosed). in which the attorney
general decides that:
I. Section l of the aforesaid cha pier
is mandatory upon all cities. towns and
plantations.
,. Section . gives the municipalities au-
thority to apply aid in excess Of that for
which reimbursement may be had from
the state, but this not mandatory n
may be done or not, in the discretion Of
the municipality.
3. -Four dollars A week must be paid to
the wife of a soldier, sailor or marine
who has been dependent upon her hCs-
band for support. whether she is able to
support herself or not. and for this ex-
penditure the state will reimburse the
municipality.
4 Four dollars a week must be paid to
an aged, infrm, and dependent father.
mother or other member of the household
Of which the soldier, sailor or marine is
the head. Note carefully that in order
for the municipality to he reimbursed by
the state these dependents must be both
aged and infrm as we'll as dependent.
Some difficulty may arise in an attempt to
define the exact meaning Of the word
aged 1t is suggested that any father,
mother, or other member Of the house
hoId Of the soldier. sailor or marine. who
is in advanced years. and is actually una
bic to earn a living and dependent upon
the soldier. sailor or marine, may he re-