Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-08-10
M'ADOO FOR ENFORCED
THRIFT FOR SOLDIERS
Plan for Protecting Fighters and
Families Approved by
President Wilson
WASHINGTON Auo N

compulsory thrift is to be taught the
american soldier. IL Secretary Of the Treas.
ury McAdoo has his way. The plan of the
Secretary. which provides for allotment NJ
at least SIS a month by members of the
American army for the benefit Of depend.
ents, has officially been approved by Presl.
dent Wilson.
Ihls Is distinct victory for the treasury
mead over his colleague, Secretary of Com.
merce Redield. and the insurance experts
with whom the plans for caring for the de-
pendents of soldiers has been discussed
McAdoo argued that 1t would teach the
troops thrift and also would aid greatly in
discipline If all were compelled to set aside
portion of their pay which is more than
Is paid to any army in the world.
The insurance experts held that this was
confiscation and an invasion of the rights of
the soldiers. They refused to indorse the
scheme General Pershing and the officers
now serving in France recommended to the
War Department that some such action be
taken The American soldiers wasted their
pay, they reported. and In consequence
there was much work for the provost guard
and lessening In discipline following the
paying off of the troops each month.
The McAdoo plan has been drafted into
a bill and was presented to Congress
today. 1t is a combined insurance and
allotment proposition, The insurance eX-
perts held that under the McAdoo plan
wealthy men would be favored. The Treas.
ury Secretary argued that, inasmuch as the
insurance would cost only from 81 to IS Il
thousand. any man could spare enough to
carry from $4,000 to $4,000 dollars of this
insurance.
Secretary McAdoo's plan pro''ides for a
minimum allotment of SIS per month by
each soldier, with s. month additional for
each child In addition to this allotment
out of the soldiers pay, the Government
would give allowances ranging from So to
$40 according to the extent Of the soldier 5
allotment and to the number of children or
dependent parents A private making a SIS
allotment would be further aided by an al
lowance of $3.50 per month from the
Government, making the total amount re-
ceved by the dependent family, S47.50. The
allotments and the allowances scale upward
in proportion.
Under the plan there is provision under
which the soldier who does not allot half of
his pay can be compelled to deposit the
difference between what is allotted and a
full half with the Government This de-
post would bear interest at per cent and
be compounded semiannually. The pur-
pose of this is to enable the soldier to
build up a fund for paying insurance
premiums and other obligations. This is
the feature which the insurance committee
particularly objects to in Mr. McAdoos plan.
Pensions for dependents in the event
Of death are provided under the plan.
Furthermore should a man be killed within
a period of four months before he had an
opportunity to take out any of these forms
of insurance, $4,000 would be paid his estate
Secretary McAdoo figures that a law pro.
vding these features would cost for family
allowances, S141 100000 the first year and
Sl90. .OOO, 900 the second year; for death in.
IDENTITIES, $3,700,00O the first year and $22..
100000 the second year; for compensation
for total disability, S5,250,O00 the first year
and s35, 200, 900 the second year for partial
disability, s3,200,000 the first year, $21, ,OOO,-
900 the second year; insurance agains,
death and disability, $4,000, 900 the first
year, S112,000,000 the second year, or a
total expenditure by the Government fol
the first year of the war of SIG, 150, 900 and
, of $3.50, 100000 the second year of the war
s556,650,O00 in the aggregate. Secretary
McAdoo says it would be difficult at this
time to figure the expense for the third
year.