The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-11-07

During the month OF November
the enlisted men will knit their brows
In vain over the knotty problems
which voluntary allotments present
under soldiers and sailors insurance
law. unless they thoroughly master
the principles under which these prob
lens are solved" So writes Lieut.
Tristr.am Tupper OF the 1O2nd En-
gineers. I'm charge of headquarters
bureau of allotments and soldiers
and sailors insurance. to The Spar
tanburg Herald. He explains that
the division OF dependents into two
classes is not merely arbitrary: there
Is sound reason in making the sup
port of wife and child compulsory,
and. on the other hand. I'm leaving
to mans free will the decision OF
whether or not he will provide for
his parents. brothers or sisters. The
law provides the compulsory allot-
ment where the enlisted man HIS {,
wife - Child and the reason for this
no doubt. is that the wife is of his
own choosinsN He himself has
brought about the obligation. while in
the case OF the child he is RESPONSE
BILE for its support on tho grounds
that II Is his own creation. Even a
common law he could be made to
support them. The soldiers and sail
ors' insurance law merely reenacts
these principles and decides upon the
share OF mans earnings which must
be turned over to those who are pc
culiarly his own. The law presumes
that his wife and child are depen-
dent upon him. but IL she has means
SUFFICIENT to support herself or IL by
her own act she has ended the right
to her husbands support then the
law provides that the enlisted man
may be relieved. and points out the
manner In which these facts may be
brought attention to- the authorities.
For example: III the wife has des-
erted. the enlisted man may show
this and he will be relieved from
making a compulsory allotment in her
favor. Also. IL the wife states IN
writing that she Is not in need OF
any part OF her husbands pay and
gives sufficient proof OF her ability
to support herself. the soldier viii
not have to make an allotment. Bu,
woe to the enlisted man who makes
a false statement in this or any other
respect connected with the soldiers
and sailors insurance law. heavy
hne, or imprisonment. or both. IL The
penalty for stating a material fac,
knowing II to be false. The maxi
mum fine is $1,000. the maximum
term OF imprisonment is two years
The provisions Of the law govern.
ing voluntary allotments privilege the
enlisted man TO decide wh.ther ~.
not he shall contribute to the support
OF po-ents. brother and sister. for II
Is not To- be presumed that they are
dependent upon him. The table of
hllOW4uttS hlstuF ny the government
In connection with voluntary allot.
ments provides $40 per month /,
there Is but one dependent or $50 N
there arc two. Five dollars will bC
provided for each brother, sister
grand-parent Jr step-parent To 80
cure "a government allowance i'm con
nection with a voluntary allotment tn,
person must he wholly or in part dc
pendent on the enlisted man. and tn
amount must not exceed that aCtuall
contributed To- such support. Tn
enlisted man must give an amour
equal Co the government allowance
except that only Oae-h half of his pa
may he required. and the minimum
allotment is $15 where he is not max
ing an allotment TO a wife or child
Lieut.. Tupper seems To he givlrg IN
soldiers some matters upon Viii
they might we'll bc studying up.