Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1918-02-20
Facts and Figures About Sums
Paid Various Grades Of OFF,
GERS and Enlisted Men.
HOW and WHEN They GET II
Wide Expansion Of the Army Makes
Task Of Paying of Intricate and
DifficuIt--Is Quartermaster's
Job--Precaution Taken to
Insure Meeting Pay Roll
Promptly.

Is now nearly S100,0O0,0O0 per month
This sum Is disbursed by the pay off,
GERS of the army and navy In the form
of checks or currency or by the treas
ury department In the form of family
allotments as compensation for serv-
Ices rendered according to the scale of
pay prescribed by law for the uni
formed defenders of the nation.
This figure does not include family
allowances" which are paid by the gov
ernment toward the support of the fam
lilies of enlisted men, under specified
conditions, nor does 1t consider any of
the special compensatory features Of
the military and naval insurance act,
under which S1T6, 10000 was appropri-
ated.
For the purpose of informing the
public accurately as to the system of
pay In the army the following author
ICED statement has been issued by the
committee on public information:
Army Pay Nearly Billion a Year.
The total pay of the United States
army for the month of December was
approximately S7S.5so. 800.
Disbursements on account OF the pay
Of officers and men of the army are
now at the rate of about $3.50, 600 600
per year.
These figures consider solely the pay
discussed by the quartermaster de-
partment and do not include family
allowances or compensation for disabil-
ity OF soldiers, provided for by the
military and naval insurance act and
paid by the government through the
war risk insurance bureau of the treas
ury department.
Following is a comprehensive state
ment of the system OF pay OF the army
authorized by the quartermaster gen
eral:
The quartermaster general of the
army. under the direction of the secre-
tary of war. Is charged with the duty
Of providing for the payment of the Of
dcers, enlisted men, female nurses. field
clerks, and civilian clerks of the quar-
termaster corps on duty at places other
than in the Office of the quartermaster
general. Due to the lack of Office build
lngs necessary TO take care of the in
creased number of employees required
to carry on the business of the army at
Washington, IL has been necessary to
lease many privately owned buildings
Tor Office purposes. The finance and
accounting division of the office of the
luartermaster general is charged with
the details of providing funds, and In
terror administration in connection
with the payment OF the army, and Is
BOW located In large apartment house
1t the corner of Fifteenth and NJ
streets NV.
Intricate and Difficult Task.
The. Intricate task OF paying the of
dcers and men of the United States
army, made more difficult by the wide
being satisfactorily accomplished. To
prevent failure to meet the monthly
compensation of every man In the serv-
Ice, no matter where he may be To-
rated, liberal sums are furnished the
various disbursing quartermasters In
order promptly to meet the army pay
rolls with their extraordinary demands
Tor funds.
The officers and enlisted men Of the
u
month, or as soon thereafter as pos
sible, by the disbursing officers of the
auartermaster corps, In cash or by
check, at their stations or In the field.
II on duty In France they are paid In
French currency or by United States
checks, as officers and men may elect.
Pay Of Enlisted Men.
The pay of enlisted men depends on
their grades, ratings. and length of
service. From June 1. 1917, and con-
hnuing during the term of the war the
pay Of enlisted men Is as follows:
Men receiving $50: All privates, the
army entering grade.
Men receiving $33: First-class pri-
Yates, men promoted to act In minor
noncommissioned officer capacity.
Men receiving S36: Corporals, sad
oilers, mechanics, farriers and wagon
ers, and musicians of the third class
Men receiving $3S: All sergeant
grades In the line, which include infan-
try, field. artillery. coast artillery and
cavalry; cooks, horseshoers, band cor
porals and musicians of the second
class.
Men receiving $44: Sergeants of the
various corps Of the engineers. ord
nance signal corps, quartermaster
corps and medical department; band
sergeants and musicians of the first
class.
Men receiving S4S: Battalion SER
geant majors, squadron sergeant ma
Jors. sergeant majors Junior grade),
sergeant bugiers, master gunners and
assistant band leaders Of the line.
Men receiving ssh: Regimental SER
geant majors. regimental supply SER