Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-08-27
U.S.. WILCOX
AFTER FAMILIES
OF FIGHTING MEN
Dependents Will Not Want
With Bread Farmers in
the Field

Washington. Aug. 81. That
favorable. action by Congress on
Secretary McAdoo's comprehensive
plan for providing financial assist
ance to the families of American
soldiers and sailors appeals strongly
to the Red Cross was indicated in a
statement issued by Henry p. Davi-
son; chairman of the Red Cross War
Council.
obviously the task of providing
for the financial assistance of the
families of our soldiers and sailors
is so large that the government
alone can assume it," said Mr..
Dawson. I'm no other way can the
burden be discharged fairly and as
a matter of right rather than charity
No voluntary organization, or organ
izations, could adequately cope with
a duty of such magnitude"
In a memorandum, Secretary Nc
Adoo explains the operation of the
proposed legislation.
This system, as explained, means
that the enlisted man shares with
the government in providing for the
financial needs of his family. The
compulsory allotments from the en-
listed mans pay must equal the
family allowance from the govern
SIS monthly, Aand a maximum OF
one-half pay. There is scale oil
allowances determined by the size
of the dependent family, so that the
monthly family allowance ranges
from SIS to $50, according to the
number of dependents.
How Plan Works
Secretary McAdoo illustrates the
working of the system in the follow
ing example:
service abroad. If he has a wife
and two children he must allot to
them at least SIS out of his pay,
The government supplements this
by giving the family an allowance
of $3250 This familys minimum
monthly income, therefore, would
be $47.5O. The father can allot as
much more as he pleases! If there
is another child the government will
allow IS additional. If that man
should have a father or mother
actually dependent upon him he can
secure an allotment of SO a month
from the government for the parent
by alloting SIS more of his pay.
Thus the private with a wife
three children and n mother actually
dependent upon him, by giving $40
out of his $33 q month, would get
from the government $47.50 a
month-giving the family an in
come of S67.50 and still leaving the
man $13 per month for spending
money. If there are more children
or if there is also a dependent father
the government would give up to
$50 in all over and above the mans
own allotment.
Disability or Death
1.-THE risk of disability or death as
to officers, men and nurses while In
active service is Unidentified against
by compensation on the analogy OF
the Workmens Compensation aci
rather than through a pension sys-
tenn.
''If total disability results from
personal injury suffered or disease
contracted in the course of the serv-
ice, the compensation, based on the
percentage of pay, but with a mini
mum of from $40 to SIS per month
according to the size of the family
may increase for the higher officers
to a maximum of 5000 per month
Partial disabilities are compensated
for on the basis of percentages OF
the compensation for total dis
ability.
"If death results from the injury
or disease incurred or contracted in
the course of the service" continues
Secretary McAdoo's statement
compensation is paid to the widow
children and dependent widowed
mother. The amount, based upon
percentage of pay. ranged from a
minimum, according to the size ot
the family, from S15 to $50 pei
month. to a maximum for the high
er officers of 5000 per month"