The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-01-14

Fer Gent Ao0ltlohaI Wnen ne Zoe
Acknowledgements Made for Wit
and ChiIdren-Dependent Parent
Provided For.
Washington.-Ask the first ten pee
pie you meet what Uncle Sam pays hi
soldiers. 1t will be safe to bet the,
won't know.
Half of them may have some haz.
idea about a dollar a day." and yol
will find lots of people who thinl
Uncle Sam still pays the old scale O,
$13 a month, but few outside the army
know the ms and outs of the wage
scale, eve for private soldiers.
The whole pay system of the United
States army has been revolutionize6
since the war started.
A private in Uncle Sans armies
regular, National Guard or National
army, receives In cash, as long as he
is in the United States, $33 a month,
in addition to food, clothing and med
ical attendance.
When he is sent to Europe he gets
20 per cent extra, whether in training
or in the trenches, which brings the
minimum cash pay up to $3.50 a
month, or $1.30 a day.
The revolutionary part of the pay
system, however, about which most
people are ignorant, is the scale Of al
lowances made by the government to
the soldiers dependents. We are thus
breaking away from the old theory of
paying soldiers a flat wage for fighting
to the new theory that the nation is re-
sponsible for the welfare not only Of
the man in service, but for the depend
ents whom he left behind him.
Under this new scheme, If there's a
wee wife waiting" she receives each
month direct from Uncle Sam SIS a
month, which is virtually an addition
to the fighting mans wage, and brings
his total compensation up to $48 a
month while he is in the United States
and to $54.6O abroad.
IF there is one child with the wife,
the allowance is S25 a month; two
children, $3.50, and so on up to the
point where, with a wife and six chill
dren, Uncle Sam pays $50 a month in
cash to the family.
Allowance for Parents Made.
It may not be enough to support
them, ven with what the enlisted man
can send home out of his wages, but
It Is at least a recognition Of Uncle
Sans responsibility and a bulwark
against dependence on charity.
Allowances are also provided for de-
pendent parents, $40 a month for each,
for brothers, sisters and grandchil-
lren, S. a month for each, with the
that in any case the govern
nent will not pay to the dependents
If any man more than $50 a month.
No mawkish prudery entered into
he drafting of these provisions; by
acknowledging his illegitimate child a
may secure for it the full gov
,rnmental allowance, the only provi-
ion being that if it is born after De
81, 1917, it must be born in the
States. SO in the case Of a wife
here need be no legal marriage If
here is proof that they have lived to-
,ether as man and wife for two years
to enlistment.
Uncle Sam also sees to it that his
oldiers do not throw all the burden
f caring for dependents on his broad
houlders by making it compulsory for
ach man who has left q wife or child
ehind to pay over to them through
he treasury at least $15 a month and
S much more as will equal the allow
nee which Uncle Sam makes up to
alf a mans pay. Thus for the man
q service abroad who has left a
fife and child behind the mar will
ave to assign to them at least $3.50
month, to which the government will
id $25, making a total of $44.SO
hitch they are to receive.
The old pension system is wiped out
y the new and far more equitable sys-
I'm of compensation for death and
stability.
This compensation differs from that
rovided in any other law. 1t takes
ne family as the unit that is serving
ne nation, not the individual man. f
Depends on Size of Family.
1t bases the compensation on the
re of the family from time to time. :
While a totally disabled bachelor will
ct only $50 a month, the nan with a
'ife and four children will get $75.
wenty dollars is added If a nurse. is
equired; $40 a month as long as he :
lay live, whether he is married or
OF.
If he dies from injuries or disease :
in the line Of duty, the widow,
lildren and widowed mother receive :
Inns ranging from $50 to SIS a month, S
,cording to size of family. No dis
notion is made between a private and
highest officer.
III addition, every man may take :
1t insurance up to $4,000 at the ac-
Ial cost of furnishing such insurance
peace times-the entire nation
rough the treasury bears the war
SIX. This insurance is wisely safe
larded to protect it from creditors,
lySter lawyers and loan sharks.
The city of Lyon has opened q pro-