Evening journal., 1918-09-09
Service CHECKS
FOR THE YANKEES
Serve as Army Currency
for American Soldiers
in France
IDEA is THAT OF
BIG BANKERS

CAMP DIX. n. j.. Sept. 9-Three
lines Of soldiers, extending nearly a
quarter Of a mile. conyerged at the en-
trance to Y. NJ. C. A. headquarters in
! Camp Dix one night last week II was
/ dry and sultry. To relieve the strain,
/ three "I' men passed up and down the
! line with buckets OF lemonade which
| they parcelled out in big dlppers.
'What in the world is that gang
lining up for at this hour2" asked a
rookie not far distant, who was having
his first fling at sentry duty. II was
almost midnight.
Inside the building was the answer
The lines led up 20 three windows In
a little iron cage, above which was the
sign:
service checks for sale here"
The rank and file Of the American
army is beginning TO understand the
operation of the service check plan
and to appreciate the greater security
of carrying money overseas in the new
form, whereby il will be worth its full
face value on the other side More
over. should a man lose some OF his
checks, or be killed in action, the
amount outstanding will be turned
over 10 his relatives, for every trans
action is registered.
Officers now carry their funds in the
form Of service checks. as well as en-
listed men. II is the only way a man
can bob up in France with a number
OF francs on his person which repre-
scntS the exact equivalent in purchas-
ing power Of the American dollars he
had before departure, under the rates
Of exchange agreed upon between the
United states Government and the
Bank OF France
A service check Is the same size as
an American dollar bill and printed on
paper fully as strong. so as TO be dur
able II handled through many ex-
changes. Millions Of dollars worth Of
them are now in circul1tion in Europe
being used just like bank notes here. |
In the upper left hand corner Of a /
check is a dotted line on which the |
purchaser must place his signature as /
soon as he obtains the check. II does I
not become negotiable paper until he |
signs II again in the lower right hand |
corner, after which it is money 10 any
one who receives II.
Some Of the lads in Khaki take sew
eral service checks with them, bound /
together in little booklet or folder
to protect them from weather and |
wear The smallest sum they can carry
in the form Of service checks is nifty
francs, which costs SSS5. The aver
age amount taken is $50 francs, equal
to s2655.
on the big night last week a total
Of $4,000 worth Of checks was dis
posed OF. During the week 100000
changed hands in this manner at Dix
and, 1t is estimated, a total of half
million dollars at all the camps where
service check banks have been eslab-
lished.
u is surprising to note the facility
with which most OF the soldiers grasp
the transaction. Some Of them never
stepped up before a bank teller's win
dow in their lives. After the simpli-
city OF the operation is demonstrated,
they almost invariably eXclaim: rs that
all there is to 1t. Gee, this isn't hard
to get wise to- and they move away
clearly elated over the whole affair.
All OF the service checks eventually
will find their way to the commit
tee in New York City, which acts as
a clearing house No actual money
has to cross the ocean. In this an
extra purpose is served, for both gov
ernments desire 10 keep American
money here and French money in
France.
Observation Of the scheme since its
institution last winter has convinced
every student Of its desirability. ON
cials Of the Equitable, Farmers and
Trust companies are super
yising the work without any expense
to government or individual served As
soon as the plan was put in operation
The Young Mems Christian Association
threw open its doors and furnished
locations for the banks at the differ
ant camps, which are always to be
found in the principal "Y'' buildings
The Y. NJ. g. A. also has furnished
sleeping quarters for the bankers,
three Of them at each camp.