The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1918-08-08
STATEMENT AS TO
WAR ALLOWANCES
Explanation as 70 Why Checks From
War Department for Allowances
Are Reduced

written TO the local exemption board
It explains fully the reason why
some checks for allotment were cut
down last month:
Some 250. 900 people will be won
dering why their allotment and al
iowance checks for this month from
the bureau of war risk insurance
are reduced in amount. The Treas
ury department has issued several
releases on this subject. The Assoc
ciated Press carried about stick
full about a week ago, but this was
hardly adequate TO drive the lesson
home. In spite Of whatever public
ity the Treasury department has
been issuing, it is hardly possible that
the situation is understood by the
public as yet. The following mem-
oranda is issued for your informa-
ton. and for the purpose Of answer
inc inquiries on this subject.
Every enlisted man in the active
military or naval service is under q
duty to all6t SIS a month from his
pay to his wife and children. To
these compulsory allotments the gov
eminent adds family allowances,
ranging from So a month for the
motherless child, and SIS a month
for wife without children, up to
a maximum Of $50 The compulsory
allotments are the same for all en-
listed men, regardless of rank or pay
In addition to the compulsory allot-
ments, the enlisted man may also
make voluntary allotments to his
parents, grandparents, brothers, SIS
tiers or grandchildren, and if they are
dependent upon him for support, the
government may add certain monthly
family allowances.
If the enlisted man is already MAX
ing compulsory allotment to his
wife and children, he need allot only
SIS additional to his brothers, sisters,
parents, grandparents and grandchll-
rem, If he claims a family allowance
FOR them. But il he is not making
a compulsory allotment. he must al
lot SIS to such other relatives to OBJ
tain 4 government allowance for them.
The bureau Of war risk insurance
will nay allotments only when they
carry with them government family
allowances. and then only IN the
amounts required to support such ALI
lowances. All other allotments VIII
be paid BY the branch Of the military
or naval service in which the man Is
enlisted.
The essence of the whole change mi
dollars in cents is simply this;
Heretofore when an enlisted man
allotted more than the required
amount the bureau Of war risk IN
snrance included this excess in the
check which is sent to the relatives
Now this il changed All excess
allctments will be paid BY the army,
navy, marine corps and coast guards
Another elemeat which will tend
10 reduce the ouleau Of war llsk
checks is this:
III the past a compulsory allotment
made bv an enlisted man to his vile
and children varied according to his
rank and pay. The amount was not
fixed. The only limits were a MIN
mum Of SIS month and maximum
f half the mans pay. Between these
Wa poles. the allotment depended
ii the mans pay, the law specifying
hat he had to equal, iftpossible, the
government allowance. This sliding
ycale arrangement was changed by
ii amendment to the war risk lnsur-
nee act effective July /, 1918. Here
tfter, allotments, as stated previous
'. are the same for all enlisted men
regardless Of rank or pay.
In other words, sergeant making
;48 month. who under the old sys-
EN- would have been compelled TO
lllot S24 to his wife and children,
vill now be required to allot only S15,
hus looping SO off the check which :
he bureau Of war risk insurance will
end to the sergeant's family. II !
he sergeant wants to continue to
hot $24. the bureau of war risk in
trance win pay the SIS, and the 4
xcess Of SO will be paid by the war
department. through the quartermas-
n general.
The result of this new system will r
q to speed up the delivery Of checks s
3 dependent relatives, because it will t
educe the amount Of mathematics a
equircd to make awards. $
The important thing to tell the pub il
Z Is that although in SOME cases a
ia first check will probably be small
: than usual, there win probably be I
mother check coming from q different
apartment to make up the balance.
M relatives should be urged to III
rite to the enlisted man to find out I
ow much he is allotting, and how Z
luch Of this is paid through the bu-
eau of war risk insurance, and how
inch bv his own service department. o
we must also emphasize the fact ii
lat the bureau of war risk insurance il
overloaded with correspondence,
sceiving upward Of 10000 letters a
BY. and that complaints and inquir- !
s about specific cases always delay +
.tion because they result in the pa :
srs being taken out Of the files and &
sing their regular position. We Y
louid tell people to wait until the I
"a Of the month before writing to :
aybody. If they have inquiries re- =
srding excess allotments, they
lould consult the home service sec II
ons Of the American Red Cross. tc
hese sections, because Of their IN q
mate contact with soldiers and 81
siIors' families. have already been e
eeiring from their Washington Vi
sadouarters complete and detailed st
structions as to these changes milf