Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-27
SOLDIERS FAMILIES
CARED FOR BY CITY
Relief Work Now Under
Way Means Much to Fight
ers' Families
MORE MONEY IS NEEDED

Few persons aside from direct bene-
flciaries. have knowledge Of the scope Of the
relief work now under way among depend
ent families OF soldiers and sailors Thou-
sands Of dollars are being paid out each
month, and soon thousands OF dollars VIII
be paid out each week to protect the heeoy
from actual want.
Since the departure Of the guard regi-
ments for the south and the mobilization OF
the soldiers of the new National Army III
cantonments, demands for help nave oeeh
received from all sides by members OF Coun-
ellis special committee on care, sus'ehance
and relief. The last appropriation OF S26'-
600 and the Mayors direct appropriation Tor
expenses incidental TO the preparation Tor
war of $780, 900 are both nearly exhausted,
but funds are now being paid out at the
rate OF $3.50 each seven days. MOST OF the
appropriation TO the Mayor has been ex-
pended in dinners, etc, in the entertain
ment Of distinguished guests and in caring
for the needs Of commands passing through
the city.
Although the funds are low, councilmanic
financiers have promised TO find by transfer
the many thousands of dollars that Will be
needed to feed clothe and keep warm de"
pendent wives, mothers and children while
the heads of the households are preparing
to leave for France. Action along this
line will be taken at the next meeting OF
Councils.
Select Councilman Isaac u. Hetzell,
chairman of the Relief Committee, and a
corps Of clerks and investigators are daily
besieged by new applicants with stories
of destitution or near destitution. The
committee rooms on the fourth moor
of City Hall are at all times well filled with
mothers, wives and others dependent upon
the absent men. No worthy case is turned
away and weekly orders are made for the
benefit of those found to have need OF them.
So quietly has the relief work progressed
that It has attracted but it'll public atten-
ton. It's existence, however, is well known
to the men composing the various Phila-
delpha commands and the soldiers and
sailors have not been slow in acquainting
their families with the fact that their wants
will be cared for over the winter and, In
fact. as long as the war continues.
Present plans for keeping the fund alive
call for making use Of the more than $780,
600 that the city will receive in 1918 by
reason Of the additional hve-cent rebate
it will get from the United Gas Improve
ment Company for each 1000 feet of gas
sold under the lease.
Those in charge of the work claim that
a half million or even three-quarters Of a
million dollars can well be set aside for
expenditure during 1918. because of the
fact that demands will most likely increase
with the drafting or enlistment of men as
the war continues The fund is for the
benefit Of all needy dependents of men in
every branch Of the army and navy and
for the payment of the difference in SAL
aries received by city employees now in Gov
ernment service or who at any time enter
Federal employ. The only requirement is
that the benehciaries shall be Pniladel-
phians.
The action of the city in caring for de-
pendents has lghtened the task of exemp-
tion boards to the extent of making their
investigation of claims on the grounds of
dependents much less vital a matter. Cities
and towns which have not yet adopted the
Philadelphia method perforce must use more
care in the treatment Of this important
subject.